Overview
The knowledge about tools and "rules and regulations" for the infrastructure management in agglomerations is developed by very heterogeneous organizations. In addition different editors often formulate their requirements regarding from their isolated point of view. This results in multiple descriptions of the same facts and aspects, potentially with contradictions. But the decision makers of the infrastructure in agglomerations have the need for clear and consistent standards and "rules and regulations".
Regarding a tool for planning and control for the support of the process control of the infrastructure management in agglomerations, an overview about the input elements (tools and "rules and regulations") as well as their gaps and overlaps shall be created. This will be done focusing on the road infrastructure and superstructure, including the coordination with the industrial services and the operating and safety equipment.
Four steps have been foreseen:
- Creation of basic partial models: role model, process model, activity model
- Analysis of knowledge gaps and overlaps (literature, interviews)
- Description of the actions required
- Concept of a tool for planning and control
The results shall show where the "rules and regulations" density is too high or too low and what the appropriate actions are. The benefits and the beneficiaries are:
- Specialists creating "rules and regulations" can benefit from the created results (i.e. check-lists, action plans) for their future activities.
- The infrastructure management professionals know the overall process and see where which input element for the process control is available.
The research project aims at 2 objectives:
On one hand specialists responsible for the infrastructure management in agglomerations need processes, methods and tools enabling them to fulfil their management business professionally and to obtain the appropriate resources.
On the other hand the professionals group A (city and municipality engineers) needs the basis in order to initialize and accompany the needed research and standardization activities in the other technical committees of VSS (Swiss Road and Traffic Specialists).
To achieve these objectives, a research project shall be initiated and realized, achieving the following results:
- The overall process of the infrastructure management in agglomerations shall be presented for the whole life cycle.
- A tool for planning and control shall be created to support the process control of the infrastructure management in agglomerations.
- An overview shall be created, showing the input elements of this process management, particularly tools and "rules and regulations"
- Gaps and overlaps of these input elements shall be identified; resulting ideas shall be presented, showing how the knowledge gaps and the overlaps can be eliminated.
The definition of the content (system boundaries) of the research project focuses on the roads infrastructure and superstructure in agglomerations. It includes the coordination with the industrial services and the operating and safety equipment, but not these equipment itself.
Step 1: Basics: representation of the entire process infrastructure management
As a basis for the further steps of the overall process and the process model infrastructure management to be represented based on the existing experiences of towns and cities.
Process Model
The results to be drawn up should be independent also of concrete process models in cities and towns. A generic process model of infrastructure management in the focused area is about finding solutions as a process framework (Fig. 1). It takes into account the three levels "management / control (normative and strategic management)", "planning (operational management)" and "implementation (dispositive Management)". With regard to knowledge management, it puts an emphasis on the process objects, ie. the process results and their typing.
The process model must be embedded in the overall view of a county (or city). As a result, more relationships are better represented. For example it is possible to track the impact of strategic decisions to concrete project management.
Figure 1 (see link below): embedding in an overall view community (draft)
Step 2: analysis of knowledge gaps
Based on the described role model, an analysis is performed. For each process step involves determining which rules should be in place as foundations and input values, and which are effectively available. In addition, identifying where the same issue is present more than once and thereby give most contradictions.
From the perspective of the user process (roll) the need for foundations and input variables is determined.
The results of this analysis then form another essential part of the planning and control instrument for process control.
The analysis thus provides the following results:
- Identification of areas with over-determination
- Identification of areas with gaps
Identification unnecessary Basics
Figure 2 (see link below): Steps Analysis
The analysis is carried out in two stages. In a first step, along with the subject a literature review is made. The results are evaluated and documented the key findings in the research report.
In a second step, be specifically selected with competence and decision-makers interviews conducted. These results are documented in the research report.
The analysis of the existing regulations will detail for the guidance / control level and the planning level and (meaningful) completed. For the implementation
Funding
Results
Summary
The expert group of the city and town engineers in their role as responsible for the municipality infrastructure defined the following objectives for the research project:
- Presentation of the overall process of the infrastructure management in the settlement area over the entire life cycle
- Develop an overview of the input process control of infrastructure management
- Identify the needed actions.
As part of the research 1,124 documents were both quantitatively and in part qualitatively analyzed, and evaluated:
- 196 SIA standards
- 434 VSS standards
- 494 research reports
The evaluation of the documents was made using an analysis matrix built on the infrastructure management process. From the analysis and evaluation of the standards and reports the following findings can be made and the needed actions can be deduced: parameters (standards and research reports) for the gaps and overlaps in the basic documents and input parameters and deduce
Infrastructure management process in cities and towns
Findings:
There is no representation of a multi themes infrastructure management process for cities and towns, which describes the interaction between the various infrastructures in the local roads. In practice, different approaches for the infrastructure management process have been developed. Coordination between these approaches did not happen so far. Furthermore the political level of the municipality is often not aware of the infrastructure management. In the financial planning and budgeting there are many different accounting models, but the cost calculation itself is not widespread. Comparisons among the municipalities in terms of benchmarking are difficult.
Actions:
The "Infrastructure Management" is currently treated by a working group initiated by „Wasser Agenda 21“ and composed of BAFU, EAWAG, KI (Kommunale Infrastruktur), KVU (Konferenz der Vorsteher der Umweltschutzämter der Schweiz), SVGW (Schweizerischer Verein des Gasund Wasserfaches), VSA and VSS. This working group has set itself the objective to elaborate until spring 2014, a "Manual for the Municipal Infrastructure Management ("Guidelines for Infrastructure Management "). After project completion this manual has to be introduced and trained, in close cooperation with the VSS. During the period of introduction, the practicability of the proposed infrastructure management should be ver