| Literature Review | A literature review of commonly used practices, domestic and/or abroad shall be used when developing the Asset Management Plan. A fluent understanding of the current asset management infrastructure is necessary to create new policy that can be used company wide. |
| Staff Interviews | NCDOT staff shall complete a self assessment to determine what parts of the TAM plan exist and what areas need improvement. These interviews should include staff at various levels of the organization and in various work units and transportation modes. Self-assessments will help develop an AM implementation plan. |
| Customer Surveys | These will be used to determine the public’s opinion of NCDOT’s asset management approach. These surveys should include both phone surveys as well as focus groups rating the systems. In order to better serve the public, it is vital to receive their input. |
| Gap Analysis | Gap analysis links staff self assessments to a step-by-step method of moving from a general action plan to hands-on implementation. From the implementation plan developed by the Staff interviews or self assessments, gap analysis studies will advise on implementation tasks. |
| Phasing | Transportation Asset Management is a long term process and shall be developed overt time. The NCDOT has developed a phasing plan to incorporate all assets into the AM plan over three phases, each one following the completion of the preceding phase. |
| Levels of Service | The agency’s mission is broken out into key drivers, transportation services, and levels of service (LOS) or performance measures. These define the agency’s high level values and priorities, such as safety, preservation, growth, etc. The LOS is the yardstick by which the agency’s performance is to be measured and monitored making it a strategic tool for developing an effective AM plan. |
| Performance Management | This includes: measures and targets, past performance and improvements, delivery metrics, and trends compared to other states. This defines what is working and what needs to be refined when the TAM is developed. |
| Asset Inventory | Asset Inventory identifies a network overview, a summary of assets, and data collection processes and accuracy. With asset inventory recommendations can be made on what assets need full inventories. This principle is key to a working TAM plan. |
| Life-Cycle Management | Life-cycle management identifies critical assets by providing more detailed information about the assets, including condition and performance summaries, asset life cycles, useful lives, and remaining lives. This will be drawn from the results of life-cycle and risk-based analyses and interpretation and lead into program development and program needs. |
| Risk Management | In correlation with life-cycle management, risk management will identify critical assets and risks associated with those assets. Understanding the risks involved will lead to a plan that can minimize these risks. |
| Growth and Demand | Growth and demand identifies the drivers and influences of change on the network. This assess how the anticipated future growth and demand for transportation services will impact the demand for new or better assets and asset maintenance and renewal needs in the future. This also describes the agency’s current and desired capabilities to measure demand and growth as they affect asset management processes and investment needs Having an integrated system of growth and demand amongst all assets will help to disperse available funds |
| Financial Summaries | Brings together all program needs identified in the AM plan into medium and longer term financial cash-flow forecasts to support the more detailed annual budget process. This will include and overview of funding sources, constraints on the use of funding, long-term funding needs, and other aspects of the budgeting and funding processes that impact asset management. |
| Improvement Plan | A work plan for improvements to asset management processes is necessary in order to move forward and reach the goals set forth by the NCDOT. This plan could include enhancements to software or the purchase of additional software to advance the integrated asset management or recommendations of changes to align NCDOT’s organizational structure and culture to achieve TAM best practices. |
| Auxiliary Tools and Training | Implementation may include additional tools or training to ensure that all areas of the department are well-versed on the new system. This will guide all employees to make the most effective daily decisions possible. |
| Continuous Improvement | An effective TAM will require continuous improvement in order to keep it up to date with any changes in the future. This will ensure the most efficient use of available resources all times now or in the future. |
| Progress Reports | Keeping all part of the department up to date on changes to the asset management plan will make implementation a much smoother and easier process reducing risks and improving time management. |
