Scoping Data Access and Integration Needs to Facilitate Better Management of Research Innovation

Public agencies are charged with the difficult task of balancing the interests on each side of the data sharing equation. On one side are the users: private consultants, researchers, and other public entities. Proper planning and evaluation of public assets by these groups requires the best information available. The objective of this research is to understand the data access experience of one group of users, i.e., the researchers who have had a history of data requests made to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and provide recommendations to WisDOT for improving their data sharing practice and protocol. The report is divided into a literature Review documenting the theory and practice of data sharing in public agencies followed by the results of a Survey of researchers. The results of the survey are then used to identify a group of respondents who form the core for Case Studies involving their individual experiences in requesting data from WisDOT. The report concludes with a set of recommendations to the Wisconsin DOT; and some broad conclusions. The survey reflected that identifying the appropriate contact person was a major challenge, while the data processing time was the single biggest factor once the data was acquired. This also seemed to have an impact on the research findings with poor data quality leading to a compromised research effort. The respondents also seemed to agree that the WisDOT needed to have an integrated database or approach towards data dissemination or data sharing.

• Record URL:
  • http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/WisDOT-WHRP-project-0092-07-16-final-report.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Midwest Regional University Transportation Center

  University of Wisconsin
  2205 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Room 272
  Madison, WI  United States  53706

  Wisconsin Department of Transportation

  4802 Sheboygan Avenue
  Madison, WI  United States  53707

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Sriraj, P S
  • Metaxatos, Paul
  • Figler, Scott
• Publication Date: 2011-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 65p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Data quality; Data sharing; Researchers; Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Wisconsin
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General); I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01363784
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 0092-07-16, MRUTC08-10
• Contract Numbers: DTRS 99-G-0005
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 24 2012 1:20PM