Lesson
Deliver a successful project by satisfying expectations of key stakeholders and managing resources efficiently.
Washoe County, Nevada's experience with transit ITS implementation.
2004
Reno/Sparks,Nevada,United States
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Lesson Learned
For this RTC project, the project managers learned the importance of being strategic thinkers and seeing "the big picture." They learned that delivering a successful project is always the number one goal for any project manager.
- Make delivering a successful project the main goal. Project completion is not a measure of success in itself. For a project to be qualified as "successful," the project must meet the key stakeholders' needs and expectations. It is easier to measure success with attainable and quantifiable goals laid out in the scope of work. "Surprises" for key stakeholders and users during implementation can cause significant problems.
- The project manager in the RTC project found this out the hard way when they realized that they neglected to tell the drivers' union about the impending loss of covert microphone functionality on five prototype buses. However, the project manager averted major problems with the union by coming up with a quick intermediate solution. The project leased cell phones for the prototype vehicles until their new data radio system became operational. The project managers learned that although typically it would not be possible to make every single user happy, if the original project goals were attained, a majority of the stakeholders would be satisfied and the project would be a success.
- Understand who the real customers are for an ITS project. For transit ITS projects there are really two customer groups: the transit agency and the community. Understand that the priorities and how goals are met may change during the course of your project. The vendor was able to install a better product and garner goodwill and trust on several occasions. The system's integrator noted that being able to deliver a better product to the customers was certainly more important for the overall success of the project than making a few extra dollars on the original equipment that had been quoted. If the implementation of proper technologies is accomplished, internal and external user expectations as defined in the initial project goals are met and enhanced operational efficiencies are gained, then the project will qualify as a success.
- Manage internal and external resources efficiently to ensure success of the project. Project resources such as budget, staff and vendor availability can change beyond one's control. In the RTC project, the agency's project manager had to think outside the box and figure out how to best utilize available resources. Project managers may not have any authority over key project staff, but can negotiate with their supervisors to ensure the key staff’s availability to keep the project on schedule. As an example, RTC's paratransit contractor did not have adequate resources to oversee the ITS installation because the system installation was taking place at night. Any delay in paratransit ITS installation would hold up the entire project progress. To overcome this obstacle, the project manager was able to make a deal with the fixed route contractor to also oversee ITS installation for paratransit vehicles. This was a satisfactory solution to all parties. The project stayed within budget and the paratransit vehicle ITS installation was also completed on schedule.
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Lesson ID: 2009-00481
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