CDOT Performance Data Business Plan - Cambridge Systematics

Appendices
the data fields in each table, and data owner identification (i.e., which level of
user has read/write capabilities to the database).
Clearly State Data Definitions. Particularly where data from secondary
sources are being used to derive performance measures, it is important to
obtain and document precise data definitions.
Research has indicated that as data is transformed into performance measures, it
is important to do the following:
Focus on Essential Measures. Collect and store only those data that are
essential to the purposes of data integration, strategic decision-making, and
accountability. CS will address this focus during Task 1.1.
Ensure Accuracy and Consistency of Fundamental Measures.
Inconsistencies in the types of measures across data sets and analysis tools
can sometimes arise due to use of different data sources and data estimation
methods. Sometimes, the problem relates to data definitions. Other times, the
problem is due to the lack of data integration and updating procedures with
the result that some systems do not have the most up to date information.
The implementation of the Performance Data Business Plan described below
will ensure this issue is resolved.
Avoid Linear Referencing Pitfalls. Trying to join aged linearly referenced
highway attribute data to an up-to-date cartographic model of highways is a
sure formula for loss of data integrity. The real-world highway system, and
the current cartographic model of it, is changed frequently by route
retirements, route additions, and route re-measurements that occur whenever
geometric changes are included in a project. Archived linearly referenced
highway attributes can only be mapped correctly in a GIS application by
either joining them to the matching archived cartographic model or spatially
transforming the archived attributes to be measured in the linear referencing
datum that is current. Failure of GIS users to account for this temporal aspect
of linear referencing systems is a currently major data integrity issue. One
solution is to establish a business rule that requires all linearly referenced
data enterprise-wide to be transformed to the current cartographic model,
and to enforce the rule each time the cartographic model is updated. As
previously mentioned, CDOT is working to address spatial relationship
issues, the Data Plan will assist greatly by identifying roles, responsibilities,
and rules to ensure data can be integrated spatially.
Successful implementation of a performance-based system will continue to result
in the following for CDOT:
Improved system and organizational performance;
Greater results with constrained resources, and fewer investments with low
performance benefits;
Strengthened accountability with elected officials and stakeholder groups;
and
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