Lesson
Treat system operators as the client and consider their perspectives during ATIS project development.
Washington's experience in deploying five Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) projects and developing a standardized approach for evaluating ATIS projects.
5/1/2005
Washington,United States
Background (Show)
Lesson Learned
- Consider the perspectives of system operators during project development. In one of the projects evaluated, staff noted that the planning, design and implementation processes did not include continuous contact between the original system designers and the project implementation process. As a result, the original designers and the eventual users did not participate in the system performance check until project completion. In another rural project evaluation, several observations were made related to operational issues of the ATIS systems after their deployment, focusing on their functionality and convenience for system operators. Interviews from that project noted the differences in ease of use between their software (which they stated was the oldest among state systems) and that of other regional systems. Issues mentioned included difficulties with manual initiation of dial-up communications, including communications errors, and the need to manage each device separately. This is in contrast to another regional system in the state that allows the operator to select multiple systems, enter a message, and initiate communications without requiring the operator to manually manage each step of the process.
This experience shows that feedback from the eventual users of the system enables functional limitations and other design shortcomings to be identified and addressed before implementation. This helps to reduce the number and severity of usability problems and generally helps to better satisfy user needs.
Application Areas
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Freeway Management > Information Dissemination > Dynamic Message Signs
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Freeway Management > Information Dissemination > Highway Advisory Radio
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Traffic Incident Management > Information Dissemination > Dynamic Message Signs
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Traffic Incident Management > Information Dissemination > Highway Advisory Radio
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Traveler Information > Pre-Trip Information > TV/Radio
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Traveler Information > En Route Information > Radio
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Roadway Operations & Maintenance > Information Dissemination > Dynamic Message Signs
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Roadway Operations & Maintenance > Information Dissemination > Highway Advisory Radio
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Road Weather Management > Information Dissemination > Dynamic Message Signs
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Road Weather Management > Information Dissemination > Highway Advisory Radio
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Transportation Management Centers > Permanent TMCs > Rural
Intelligent Transportation Systems > Transportation Management Centers > Permanent TMCs
States
Countries
Focus Areas
Major Initiatives > Mobility Services for All Americans
Major Initiatives > Integrated Corridor Management Systems
Major Initiatives > Nationwide Surface Transportation Weather Observing and Forecasting System - Clarus
Major Initiatives > Emergency Transportation Operations
Other Program Activities > Amber Alert
Other Program Activities > Public Safety
Other Program Activities > Real Time Traveler Information
Other Program Activities > Rural ITS Deployment
Goal Areas
Keywords
DMS, CMS, VMS, Changeable Message Signs, Variable Message Signs, HAR
Lesson Comments
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