AASHTOWare Project

Greetings User Community!

Cooler weather is approaching, holidays are underway, and time with family and friends is hopefully brightening your days. This past year has delivered so many things with 2 releases, full AET engagement for delivering new or improved functionality in AASHTOWare Project, the release of AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics, and much more

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AASHTOWare Project™ Data Analytics SaaS Release and Update

New Agency Engagement

With Data Analytics SaaS available to all agencies as of July 1, an update on how things are progressing is in order. For the past several months, new agency product adoption and involvement has been the big focus.

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AASHTOWare Project™ Marketing Update

AASHTOWare Project videos, case studies, and more

New AASHTOWare Project Resources

AASHTOWare Project™ 5.00 Release Webinar

Learn more about the latest enhancements and warranty fixes in AASHTOWare Project 5.00. Product subject matter experts,

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AASHTOWare Project videos, case studies, and more

As the official AASHTOWare Project contractor, our goal is to ensure your agency has the resources it needs to maximize your use of the software. Below, you’ll find a summary of new available resources on aashtowareproject.org and preview of what’s coming soon. We’ll also share details about the 2023 Project Users Group Annual Meeting, which is right around the corner!

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What is the Mobile Inspector^Ⓡ Measure Service?

Mobile Inspector^Ⓡ Measure Service is a tool that enables communication between the Infotech Mobile Inspector^Ⓡ application and rovers, data collectors, and survey-grade applications such as Trimble^Ⓡ Access™ and Trimble^Ⓡ Siteworks. With the Mobile Inspector Measure Service, Trimble users can share exact GNSS rover measurements from Trimble devices to the Mobile Inspector application.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) places great emphasis on maintaining open communication with end-users to ensure that the software suite is being built with their needs in mind. This year, we are excited to host a Town Hall at the 2023 Project Users Group (PUG) Meeting, aiming to gather insights from as many users as possible. Our next Town Hall is scheduled for

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AASHTOWare is excited to announce, AASHTOWare OpenAPI

What is AASHTOWare OpenAPI?

AASHTOWare OpenAPI is a cloud-based solution built on the OpenAPI Specifications, incorporating an API management system that acts as the API request ‘switchboard’ for routing data to or from AASHTOWare applications.

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In February 2023, the AASHTOWare community lost one of its greatest champions.

Lisa Durbin from the Montana Department of Transportation passed away leaving big shoes to fill. She was involved in so many areas of AASHTOWare.

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AASHTO and the PTF are planning to continue the six-month release cadence, with releases every March and September. You can see the details of any release, whether Full Release or Software Patch, by visiting https://www.aashtowareproject.org, logging in, and navigating to Support>Releases. When you view the details of a release you can find the Release Date,

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By the time you read this newsletter we will be just days away from the 2023 AASHTOWare Project User Conference in Boise, Idaho. I look forward to seeing all of you sharing your ideas and making connections with others in our user community during your time at the PUG. If you won’t be able to join us in Boise, I hope you are already planning to attend the 2024 PUG Conference in Oklahoma.

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Another summer is drawing to an end which means another wonderful networking and information-gathering opportunity is right around the corner, the 2023 AASHTOWare Project User Group (PUG) Annual Meeting. The Project Task Force is looking forward to the Town Hall and Open Q&A sessions with all attendees so that we have the chance to hear from you directly.

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Summer is right around the corner and for many of us the construction season is in full swing. Here are a few things that the PUG Board has been working on for you.

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Every AASHTOWare Project™ License includes a dedicated Account Manager to help answer questions, provide resources, and help agencies achieve their goals. The AASHTOWare Project Contractor, Infotech®, assigns an Account Manager (AM) to be one of your greatest resources as you navigate your usage of AASHTOWare Project. As your main point of contact, your AM helps coordinate key

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The SaaS version of AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics™ will be available to all agencies this July!

AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics

AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics is a powerful module that uses all the data in the unified database to uncover unexpected relationships and insights. By leveraging real-time data for interactive analysis, agencies can:

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TMR APR-22166 aimed to update the Data Analytics Pricing Service for AASHTOWare Project Preconstruction™ and Estimator™. Data analysts who price items in those systems wanted the service to take market area into consideration. However, given that the Data Analytics Pricing Service in AASHTOWare Project Estimation™ already uses the market area and there are no plans to release an updated version of Estimator™, Infotech^Ⓡ concluded that the TMR should be retracted.

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Starting in July 2023, AASHTOWare Project™ Hosting Services will offer additional, innovative licensing options in the AASHTOWare FY 2024 catalog. All three options will bundle cloud hosting services with these AASHTOWare Project™ modules: Preconstruction, Bids, and Data Analytics. In addition:

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In the 2020 – 2025 AASHTOWare Strategic Plan, the Special Committee on AASHTOWare (SCOA) outlined strategic goals and initiatives to establish AASHTOWare as the premier source for innovative transportation technology solutions. The following strategic objectives will be addressed in the 5.00 release to leverage e-ticketing data within AASHTOWare Project™:

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AASHTOWare Community – 2023 is flying by and the Project Task Force continues to focus efforts on many of the strategic goals that we committed to for the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. While we strive to identify and execute ways to deliver relevant and innovative products and services, the user community requests, and involvement are key components to success.

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2023 is swiftly underway and many agencies are already busy working to deliver their construction program for this season. AASHTOWare Project is very proud to be part of this effort and we hope to continue to enhance and support the product to meet your needs and expectations.

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How to navigate aashtowareproject.org to find upcoming events:

Go to aashtowareproject.org > Announcement > AASHTOWare Project Events All future events will be listed with additional information and a link to help you register for the event. If you have any further questions on any upcoming AASHTOWare Project events please contact Brian Korschgen, AASHTOWare Project Manager, bkorschgen@aashto.com

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This year, to recognize the impact our volunteers have made, AASHTOWare has decided to create the Prismatic Legacy Award. This award will be given tri-annually to one volunteer across all the AASHTOWare products to show our appreciation for everything they do for AASHTOWare.

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AASHTOWare Project webinars, executive overview video, and more As an AASHTOWare Project user, our goal is to ensure your agency is getting the most out of the software. Looking for educational resources on module-specific topics?

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The PTF is pleased to announce that Kathy Terrio and Dan Burns have recently been appointed to join the Project Task Force (PTF).

Kathy Terrio is with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and is currently in the Construction Engineering Services Bureau.

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Spring is right around the corner and for many of us the construction season is ramping up. Before you get too busy here is a summary of what the PUG Board has been working on for you.

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The Project Task Force (PTF) hosted a Town Hall meeting on February 1st.

During the Town Hall, we discussed:

• PTF member changes
• Licensing changes
• Cloud Hosting

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To the AASHTOWare Project Users Community,

The PTF and PUG Board are deeply saddened to share the news that Lisa Durbin from Montana DOT passed away on Monday, December 12th.

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In order to keep the evolution of AASHTOWare Project focused and beneficial to the user community, the AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) embraces a strategic plan that supports industry best practices and agency needs.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) has reviewed the current product licensing structure and has set licensing fees for FY24 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024). Due to software development cost increases and in an effort to help maintain product quality and deliver more improvements, the PTF has determined the need to increase the FY24 license fees by roughly 7 percent.

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That being said, I’d like to bring up opportunities to become more involved with the AASHTOWare Project software development. I know, I know, more meetings!

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As the AASHTOWare Project Task Force continues our commitment to bring you articles related to product enhancement and user community opportunities, we hope that you find the information in this release to be insightful and beneficial to your continued use and success as a licensing agency and user community member. Our goal is to provide up-to-date announcements, training opportunities, and product release information to a broad community.

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As we start 2022, the challenges from the previous two years are still foremost in our minds. Some continue working from home while others are in the office. At times this has made communicating a challenge, but the PUG Board is committed to communicating with the user community on the happenings of the Board.

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The Project Task Force (PTF) hosted a successful town hall meeting on January 24th. During the town hall, we discussed PTF and AASHTO personnel changes, shared insights into upcoming catalog and licensing changes, discussed joint funding options, introduced the Hybrid Agile Development concept, and answered questions from the audience.

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On January 3rd, Jan Edwards officially retired from AASHTO and Keith Platte was named the Director of AASHTOWare.

During Jan’s 32-year career at AASHTO, she spent her entire career working with the AASHTOWare program, with 22 years as Director. Under Jan’s leadership the AASHTOWare program saw exponential growth and became the preeminent suite of software products in the transportation industry.  She oversaw the evolution of this program into new areas and sought new ways of delivering AASHTOWare’s products, ensuring that the program retains it’s standing in the industry. She was a thought leader within AASHTO and provided outside the box ideas to address many challenges. Jan’s impact on the AASHTOWare program, and AASHTO as a whole, will be long lasting and we wish her well in retirement.

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Charles Nickel with the Louisiana DOTD made the hard decision to resign from his position on the PTF due to his desire and commitment to meet the needs of the LADOTD and AASHTOWare Project. Charles was a member of the PTF since 2015 and served on several sub committees with a focus on Estimation and Data Analysis. We wish Charles the best of success in his role at the LADOTD.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) has reviewed the current product licensing structure and has set licensing fees for FY23 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023). As you may be aware, there was no increase in license fees this fiscal year. However, the PTF has determined the need to increase the FY23 license fees by 5 percent in accordance with increasing costs of supporting, maintaining, and enhancing AASHTOWare Project.

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Infotech Mobile Inspector® is a mobile tool designed to give field inspectors more flexibility by allowing them to capture daily report information on their mobile devices. It offers a convenient way for agency teams to automatically transfer relevant data into AASHTOWare Project Construction & Materials™.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) works together with our product contractor Infotech to produce resources for agency use throughout the year. Our goal is to provide agencies with the latest tools they need to make the most out of the AASHTOWare Project Unified Database, while also making sure the user community is informed and educated about AASHTOWare Project initiatives. Here is a summary of recent marketing activities and resources.

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Our recent AASHTOWare Project releases are packed with updates, enhancements, and warranty fixes. Agencies are encouraged to upgrade to take advantage of these improvements. If you’re looking for more information on releases and patches, log in to aashtowareproject.org and navigate to Support > Releases.

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As 2021 is coming to a close, we have become accustomed to working from home in most cases. In conversations with personnel at some agencies, the work from home experience has morphed into the expected ongoing experience. I hope that you, like I, have been able to enjoy some of the extra time with family and friends with the removal of the commute to and from the office. The AASHTOWare Project Task Force wants to thank every one of you for your continued commitment and passion for enhancing the AASHTOWare Project product suite. We wish you and yours safe and happy holiday experiences.

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Are you using the new dashboard functionality in AASHTOWare Project? Introduced in the AASHTOWare Project 4.5 release, dashboards allow your agency to manage information, visualize data, and analyze patterns and trends to make informed business decisions. All you need to build your own dashboards is an Azure account configured for AASHTOWare Project and a Microsoft Power BI license. If you’re not already using Azure Active Directory for authentication, you can create an account here.

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The Project Task Force (PTF) hosted a successful town hall meeting during the PUG meeting. We want to thank our participants for joining and sharing your feedback with us. It’s imperative to the PTF that we hear from users like you directly since AASHTOWare is built with the needs of DOTs in mind. We hope you found the town hall valuable; we know we did!

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I would like to introduce myself to the User Community. My name is Kathy Terrio, and I am the 2022 PUG Chair. I’ve been with the Montana DOT for quite some time and concentrate on the Civil Rights and Labor and Construction areas of AASHTOWare. Even though these are my working areas, I am interested in many other modules as well.

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AASHTOWare Project™ 4.6 was released on September 10, 2021, and it is packed with updates, enhancements, and warranty fixes. Agencies are encouraged to upgrade as soon as possible in order to take advantage of these improvements.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) works together with our product contractor, Infotech, to produce resources for agency use throughout the year. Our goal is to provide agencies with the latest tools they need to make the most out of the AASHTOWare Project Unified Database while also making sure the user community is informed and educated about AASHTOWare Project initiatives. Infotech’s recently-approved FY22 Marketing Plan is underway, with several webinars released and case studies under development. In this article, ‘we’ll update where we are in the current marketing plan.

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Greetings everyone,

This installment of the AASHTOWare Project Quarterly newsletter continues to highlight many areas of continued or new focus within the AASHTOWare Project product and community, including product release information and an update on Data Analytics.

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The AASHTOWare Project Taskforce (PTF) is working with Infotech to gradually upgrade AASHTOWare Project Bids into a new SaaS solution. We are making this change to reduce the number of systems required for bidding and create a more efficient bidding process for contractors and agencies alike.

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The 2021 PUG will be virtual and held on Monday, September 27 through Thursday, September 30, from 1:00PM to 5:00PM ET. The agenda for the 2021 Virtual PUG is being provided using Cvent and is located at http://www.cvent.com/events/2021-pug-virtual-conference/event-summary-97fe9d5dc6b74905ba25f4c91365da01.aspx

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Each year the AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) and AASHTO work with Infotech to produce educational resources and marketing materials designed to provide agencies with the latest enhancements, releases, and opportunities. The PTF is excited to share the FY22 Marketing Plan has been approved and centers around four key goals:

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AASHTOWare Project™ 4.6 is scheduled for release on September 10, 2021. Agencies are encouraged to begin their upgrade planning now to implement the enhancements and warranty fixes in the release as soon as possible. There are a total of 32 enhancements in this release, with an additional 84 TMRs resolved. Additionally, this release expands the dashboard functionality and delivers two additional dashboards. It also delivers the first of three TMRs for Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) on Contracts, with the following two scheduled for release in March 2022 with 4.7 and for release in October 2022 with 4.8.

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AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) analyzes agency data throughout the construction life cycle. The initial release of the AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics SaaS module was in August 2019. Agencies with a paid license to AASHTOWare Project BAMS/DSS™ or an AASHTOWare Project Site License have access to the first two themes available in the initial release of the AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics SaaS module, including features from the Line Item Profile and Bid Evaluation Analysis themes.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) is saddened to announce that Tara Huntrods has stepped down from PTF.

She departed from the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) on October 29, 2020.  Tara took a new position within Iowa.  We appreciate her contributions over the last year and a half and wish her well in her new role.

While many of us have been implementing some form of work from home practice and will continue to do so for a while, some of us may be returning to the office in the near future. I hope that this installment provides you a little bit of normalcy.  Please know that all of us, The AASHTOWare Project Task Force, AASHTO staff and Infotech staff, hope that you are healthy and well and continue to be.

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In the February 2020 AASHTOWare Project newsletter, we posted an article about the AASHTOWare Project 4.3 Release. The article highlighted enhancement TMRs included in the release and introduced the semi-annual‌ ‌enhancement‌ ‌release plans. We continue to recommend agencies ‌‌upgrade‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌latest‌ ‌version, noting that AASHTOWare Project 4.4 is planned to be released ‌this ‌fall‌.

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In July 2019, the AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) launched aashtowareproject.org, an all-in-one resource site for our user community. A little under a year later, we’re launching the next big update to bring additional features and functionality to our users. It is our goal to continue improving and adding to aashtowareproject.org to ensure users have the resources and information they need to move their agencies forward.

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Are you interested in getting more involved in the AASHTOWare Project community and providing your input in the development of enhancements?  If so, you should consider joining a Technical Review Team, or TRT!  To get started, we recommend checking out the video on how to join TRT and what your role would be, located here.

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When I wrote the article for you last November as your new chair, I did not know what new challenge our user group would be presented with, but I find some of words are still valid now. Considering the impacts relating to the COVID-19, the Board and Idaho made the decision to cancel in-person events for the 2020 PUG Conference. Commitments had already been made by the Board and Idaho for 2020 and in the best interest of those funds, Idaho was able to work with their vendors to alter the dates of their event to 2023. The good news here is that the PUG, after a couple years of limited hosts, we now have hosts for the next three years: Nevada (21), Virginia (22), and Idaho (23).

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The AASHTOWare Project™ Task Force (PTF) works with Infotech as the official development and support contractor to maintain and develop our software platforms. The PTF has recently directed Infotech to implement several new policies regarding platform and version support. These changes will allow Infotech to devote the majority of their support resources to the current versions of our software, while still allowing agencies to receive help with older versions. Changes have also been made to reduce the large number of database combinations that support AASHTOWare Project software.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) in partnership with our product contractor, Infotech, strives to provide agencies with resources, information, and instruction to assist them in making their organizational decisions for project development and administration. It’s our goal to showcase the many ways the AASHTOWare Project Unified Database can work for you by demonstrating how other users are successfully using the software. Throughout the year, we’ll continue to update our user community about new videos, webinars, and more in our quarterly newsletter.

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It’s that time of year when the birds start singing, the weather begins warming up, and when the much anticipated AASHTOWare Catalog hits the public. On Thursday, May 7^th all End User Designees and Primary Billing Contacts should have received an email from Angel Williams announcing the release of the FY21 catalog. Within the catalog is the pricing for all AASHTOWare software this fiscal year, which matches the EUD notice sent in late April.

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The PTF is pleased to announce that Susan Downing-Reed from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), has been appointed by the Special Committee on AASHTOWare (SCOA) to join the PTF.

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In this installment of the AASHTOWare Project newsletter you will see that there have been many changes in the past few months. New location, new branding, and new leadership but no change in our dedication and commitment to providing you information and service to your AASHTOWare Project products.  We are pleased to spotlight our newest member to the Project Task Force, Susan Downing-Reed and wish the best of luck in retirement to longstanding AASHTOWare Project champion, Kevin Fox.

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Many of you are aware that I stepped down from my role on the AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) on January 17^th and am retiring from the State of Michigan on February 28th. It has been a great ride, but now comes to an end. I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU AASHTOWare Project user community! You are a wonderful group of dedicated and talented people!

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In December 2019, AASHTOWare Project Task force conducted the Insufficient Material Product Improvement Summit in Gainesville Florida. This was one of two summits identified through a resolution put forth at the 2018 PUG by the Construction and Materials TAGs.

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The AASHTOWare Project Task Force (PTF) and its official contractor, Infotech, are always seeking new methods to improve AASHTOWare Project™ modules. Many of our users have participated in a Technical Review Team (TRT) as a way to provide direct feedback on the software they use day-to-day.

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You’re‌ ‌likely‌ ‌reading‌ ‌this‌ ‌article‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌middle‌ ‌of‌ ‌winter,‌ ‌and‌ ‌unless‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌into‌ ‌skiing‌ ‌or‌ ‌ice‌ ‌fishing,‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌likely‌ ‌wishing‌ ‌for‌ ‌any‌ ‌season‌ ‌other‌ ‌than‌ ‌winter.‌ ‌You‌ ‌may‌ ‌be‌ ‌looking‌ ‌forward‌ ‌to‌ spring,‌ ‌or‌ ‌reflecting‌ ‌back‌ ‌on‌ ‌last‌ ‌fall.‌ ‌Hopefully,‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌give‌ ‌you‌ ‌something...

Last June, we released the latest version of AASHTOWare Project. Though our 4.3 release is just a few days away, we wanted to provide an update on states that have implemented AASHTOWare Project 4.2, in addition to any feedback they have.

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AASHTO partners with our official contractor, Infotech, to provide the user community with valuable tools and resources to help you get the most out of your AASHTOWare Project experience.

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AASHTO Showcases New Resource Site with Video Overview

A new video overview is helping promote the launch of the new AASHTOWare Project user website. Focusing on integration, user control, and improved search functionality, the video dives into the major benefits of the new website. For those that haven’t visited aashtowareproject.org yet, it’s the one-stop shop for news, downloads, issue tracking, customer support, PUG resources, and more. New AASHTOWare Project users are encouraged to update their new user profile screen by clicking their name in the upper right corner and selecting “Profile.” Keeping your profile up to date will ensure you get the most relevant communication.

The AASHTOWare Webinar Series Continues

Last month we completed the webinar entitled “Implementing AASHTOWare Project Construction & Materials™ + AASHTOWare Project Mobile Tester™ Integration.” This webinar guided attendees through the implementation...

Earlier this year, due to personal commitments, Vonda Lane from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, tendered her resignation from the AASHTOWare PTF. Vonda, a member of the PTF since March 2017, was a terrific asset – providing unique expertise, guidance, and insight. The PTF extends their appreciation to Vonda for her work and commitment she provided to the group.

To fill the position vacated by Vonda, the PTF is pleased to announce that Tara Huntrods from the Iowa Department of Transportation (IADOT), has been appointed by the Special Committee on AASHTOWare (SCOA) to join the PTF. Tara is the AASHTOWare Project Technical Lead for IADOT and has extensive technical background and experience with Preconstruction, Construction & Materials, and Data Analytics.

Please join me in welcoming Tara to the AASHTOWare Project Task Force!

By: Kevin Fox, AASHTOWare Project Chair

User Experts to Assess Insufficient Materials and Alternative Contracting Software Needs

During the 2018 PUG conference, the joint AASHTOWare Project Construction & Materials™ Technical Advisory Group (TAG) passed a resolution to request a product improvement summit for AASHTOWare Project Construction and Materials. As a result of this resolution, AASHTO is hosting two summits this Winter: 1) The evaluation of materials insufficiency and 2) Alternative contracting methods.

These 3-day summits will bring together over 35 attendees from AASHTOWare Project™ agencies, AASHTO, and Infotech, all with the objective of identifying improvements to the AASHTOWare Project software for their respective areas. A major goal of these summits is to focus on how existing functionality can be leveraged in previously unconsidered ways.

AASHTOWare Project Construction & Materials Insufficient Materials Product Improvement Summit

This summit will take place on December 3 – 5, 2019,...

Greetings!

A lot of exciting things are going on in the AASHTOWare Project community! In this newsletter installment, you’ll learn more about the recently formed Monthly Implementation teleconferences, via which agencies select the topics to be discussed, experiences to be shared, and best practices to be promoted. Read about the Missouri DOT experience of going into production with Construction & Materials and the lessons they learned. Watch the webinar recording of the new mobile app, Mobile Tester. Ty Carson, the new Project User Group chair, will provide 2019 PUG highlights and introduce the newest PUG Board member. Look inside for details on the upcoming Insufficient Materials Product Improvement Summit, the Alternative Contract Product Improvement Summit, and much more.

**Happy & Safe Holidays from the AASHTOWare Project Task Force and the AASHTO staff

– Janet Treadway, AASHTOWare Project Vice Chair

The AASHTOWare Project Task Force is excited to announce that, as of September 10 this year, AASHTOWare Project Mobile Tester™ 1.0 is live. Designed with input and requests from the user community, AASHTOWare Project Mobile Tester adds additional value to AASHTOWare Project Construction and Materials™ by making it easier for inspectors and field personnel to capture vital sample data at the source. AASHTOWare Project Mobile Tester provides inspectors with all the tools necessary for remote collection of field data. Samples may be started and tested in the field, or started and sent back to a lab for testing, allowing an inspector to complete all duties while onsite.

Unlike traditional apps, this Progressive Web App (PWA) can be accessed from most internet browsers, without the need to go through the app store – vastly simplifying the update process. Simply put, it’s a website that acts like a mobile app, yet with all the associated advantages:

• Mobility: Access...

Another year, another conference right? That’s not the case this year! The 2019 Project User Group conference changed things up compared to the past. This year, the Board surveyed the user group to gain important feedback. Sara Jarvis, our current Past Chair, led us into new territory with additional training options and implementation breakouts, while maintaining many of our traditional meeting formats. Her vision is giving us a tremendous number of new options to consider for future conferences. Almost all of the feedback the Board, the Project Task Force, and Info Tech received has been positive. In fact, many surveys declared a desire for more! With the success of this year, the bar is being raised and the Board is ready to meet that challenge. As I stated at the PUG, I’d like to again offer a big “thank you” to Sara for leading us into this new frontier.

For those who don’t know me, I am Ty Carlson from the Nebraska DOT and the 2020 Chair. At the ...

For the last eight months, AASHTO has been facilitating a monthly webinar for agencies implementing AASHTOWare Project Construction & Materials. To date, this forum has hosted seven different topics and up to 20 participating agencies.

The goal of the AASHTOWare Project Implementation Forum is to promote thought-sharing within the AASHTOWare Community. The format features one or two agencies sharing their experience, peer to peer, about a specific implementation topic. The topics covered thus far include: data migration; agency views; breaking down agency silos; materials acceptance; user roles and security; training; and application program interfaces or APIs.

Here is why your agency should participate in the AASHTOWare Project Implementation Forum:

• To collaborate with other agencies during your implementation project.
• To hear first-hand about other agencies implementation experience, i.e. best practices and lessons learned.
• To help other agencies with their implementation projects by ...

Observations, lessons learned, and advice from the implementation process

There’s often hesitation when implementing new software. Will it work as well as the old system? Will a learning curve cause delays? Is it worth the effort of upgrading? In hectic state agency environments, such reservations are reasonable. However, the benefits of upgrading outweigh the potential costs of the process. Missouri DOT (MoDOT) recently implemented AASHTOWare Project Construction and Materials™ with relative ease and took five key lessons away from that process:

1. Take a Lean Approach to Implementation: Rather than dragging out the implementation process by including every desired additional feature, MoDOT focused on getting up and running first. Their goal was to set up AASHTOWare Project Construction and Materials to be similar to AASHTOWare Project SiteManager™ while creating a backlog of additional features like unattached items to implement at a later date.
2. Set a Drop-Dead Date...