Knowledge Resources

After the critical design review (CDR) has been completed and the detailed design has been approved, system development and implementation, also known as build and test, can begin. At this point system components (hardware, software, mechanical devices, or even manual processes) can be built or developed per the approved detailed design document (DDD). Additionally, if commercial products are going to be used, they can now be purchased. After components are built, developed, or purchased they can then be tested, integrated, and implemented.

The following lessons learned apply to system development and implementation of an ICM program.

• Develop prototypes that can be demonstrated with actual field equipment hardware and software. – The system should be demonstrated on an actual workstation mock-up.
• Provide an Independent Contractor Test Team. – Confirm adequate coverage in specifications to assure this standard development process protocol.
• Conduct operator training before testing is to begin. Conduct training early enough in the project to provide available and qualified resources to support testing activities.
• Test every change no matter how small. Thorough and realistic testing at every stage of system implementation, involving the owning agency in testing, and testing every change no matter how small and seemingly inconsequential, helps with progress monitoring and avoids expensive and time-consuming field retrofits.
• Use a qualified independent verification consultant. Using a qualified independent verification consultant was a contractual requirement of the agency and is felt to have been critical to the success that was achieved.
• Require strong system engineering qualifications of software contractors. The contract required that the software contractor have a solid history of using systems engineering and also required that the winning contractor bring its documented internal systems engineering processes to the project and train the agency in its use.

NOTE: Because the Pioneer Sites are in the early stages of systems operations of the ICMS, the build and tests lessons are still being developed; therefore, these lessons are excerpted from the Systems Engineering Guidebook for ITS section 5 – Case Studies Key Lessons. The three case studies included the New York City Transit Automatic Train Supervision system, the City of Baltimore Integrated Traffic Management System, and the Maryland CHART incident management.