Transportation Management Center Concepts of Operations

identifying the core documents (including training documents) will ensure thateach step of the system development and operation process will be thoroughlydocumented and supported. Guidelines regarding documents may beestablished within the concept of operations, such as naming the partiesinvolved in document review. Commitments may be made by the participatingagencies regarding their response to draft documents under review. Thisidentification of documents will also support the funding of the completedocumentation set, and will support consideration of standards for thedocument tools (word processors, charting, graphic arts) which will be used intheir preparation and maintenance. Categories of documents to be consideredinclude:• Log books• Commercial hardware and software documentation• “As-builts”• Operations guides• Reference documents• Directories and contact plans• Standard agency policies and TMC policies• System “Help” features• Timing plans• Run plansDocument ManagementDue to the essential nature of the extensive documentation, and to the need tokeep the documentation synchronized with the resources and procedures, aformal program of document management should be identified in the conceptof operations.Versions The most important step in assuring that a document is up-to-date isestablishing a configuration control process. As with the center’s systems, theeffective date of the document version should be recorded and available.Typically, this includes a description of the changes made in the latest revision,and by whom they were made. The version numbering scheme itself is notparticularly critical, other than that it should make clear which versionsupercedes which other. There should also be a convenient reference point atwhich staff can determine which is the current version of a document.Process of Updating Of equal importance to knowing the state of the currentdocument is controlling the process of updating the document. If there is nocontrol on the process, the document may contain preventable errors, or exhibitsimultaneous changes made at cross purposes or changes that make it lessuseful. A formal assignment of responsibility and process for changing keydocuments should be recorded in the concept of operations, and followed.4-58