New York State Department of Transportation
CASE STUDY: New York State Department of Transportation
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
In 2021, Drakewell began a wide-scale implementation of the C2-Cloud system for the state’s traffic monitoring program.
The Challenge
Drakewell was chosen to implement a SaaS, COTS-first traffic data management system for the state, covering a wide array of key DOT business.
Drakewell and the State agreed to implement C2-Traffic, the TDMS, with submodules including Data Quality, End-of-Year Processing, TMAS Exports, Bulk Data Exports, WIM reports, the Public Interface, and LRS integration. In addition, the State chose to implement C2-Gateway, the auto-polling module that retrieves data from counters via internet connection. The State also optioned C2-Counts and C2-Counts Assistant, Drakewell’s full-life-cycle count program management solution and field app, and C2-Service and C2-Service Assistant, Drakewell’s CCS Site Maintenance and Asset Management Application and field app.
Drakewell would need to closely configure each of these modules to meet the State’s practices, streamline new practices, and meet IT requirements.
Several key items requiring particular effort are outlined below:
- Integrate with the State’s SSO system
- Increase interactivity between Data Validation in C2-Traffic and Count Performance QA in C2-Counts
- Transition all Count Program Vendors into C2-Counts, while accommodating year-to-year changes in contracts
- Accommodate a new approach to LRS and GIS data layers to streamline changes to symbology and layers
Drakewell and the State collaborated on an implementation schedule, identifying items necessary for Go-Live, items that would be added to the implementation schedule permitting, and items to be implemented over the duration of the contract.
The Project Kick-Off was held in November of 2021, with configuration and customization beginning promptly.
The Approach
Recognizing that the implementation of new software offered the State opportunities to review current practices and improve workflows, Drakewell and the State gathered working groups to participate in Joint Application Configuration Sessions (JACS) that would outline the desired workflows, business rules, and needs of the state.Drakewell believes in a highly collaborative, flexible project management approach. Our approach combines an organized, structured process, with overlapping development cycles to maximize the allotted time in the project schedule while ensuring design, development, review, and revision are all carried out.
During the implementation, Drakewell and the State would meet to discuss requirements, identify priorities, and review previously submitted items to discuss feedback and changes. As Go-Live approached, Drakewell would maintain contact with State Business Analysts and IT PMs to ensure that UAT would proceed on schedule.
THE OUTCOME
The implementation, from kick-off to go-live took 13-months, with many contingent items optioned as tasks were completed ahead of schedule.
Drakewell and the State were able to meet, and exceed, minimum requirements for Go-Live without significant scope creep or change orders. Some items were added to the Drakewell RoadMap with plans to implement the features client-wide as a COTS quality improvement, while others were implemented specifically for the state as an example of good practice.
Post-Go-Live, training proceeded well, with both vendor sessions and internal sessions progressing without concern or significant resistance to change.
As contract improvements continue to be filled, Drakewell and the State find that most improvements are developed, tested, and released ahead of schedule with high overall satisfaction by new users.
Lessons Learned
Over the course of this implementation, Drakewell has expanded the product capabilities, improved inter-module functionality, increased the recorder and file type compatibility library, and been challenged to adapt to new GIS and LRS practices.
After the implementation, we released new dashboards, new QA/QC workflows, new annualized statistics reports, new ratio reports, and new mapping interfaces for the client.
We have added several recorder protocols for a variety of manufacturers. We have also added over a dozen new file types to the C2-Gateway FileProcessor.
We have also developed a new GIS Layer control workflow to accommodate the needs of the State.
