IMPLEMENTING BENCHMARKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE OFFICES OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THE IOWA DOT

The Iowa DOT's Offices of Construction are seeking ways to use benchmarking, the concepts of quality management, and outside facilitation to improve their methods and processes. Iowa State University researchers and the Offices of Construction Benchmarking Steering team have developed a performance measuring system and have collected considerable baseline data. The baseline data has been examined and process improvement teams have been launched in areas that require improvement. In many cases, process improvement team recommendations have been implemented. This paper will present the results of those process improvement team efforts. Keeping continuous improvement efforts on track for many organizations is a challenge. It is easy to develop a vision and mission statement and generate enthusiasm, only to have the efforts die when participants discover the amount of effort and persistence required to continue the efforts. The Iowa DOT Offices of Construction has engaged in a quality improvement effort. The effort is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The authors will share their experiences regarding starting and supervising Process Improvement Teams (PIT), including writing charters and member selection; forming a steering team that represents a vertical slice of the organization; encouraging team participation, including the technical staff; helpful interactions between the facilitators and the technical staff; design and use of employee surveys to support the improvement efforts. These experiences will be helpful to others who are participating in quality improvement efforts.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/crossroads/151implement.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/096523102X
• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Center for Transportation Research and Education
  2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8664
• Authors:
  • Federle, M O
  • Jahren, C T
• Conference:
  • Crossroads 2000
  • Location: Ames, Iowa
  • Date: 1998-8-19 to 1998-8-20
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 151-154
• Monograph Title: CROSSROADS 2000 PROCEEDINGS

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benchmarks; Quality control; Transportation departments
• Uncontrolled Terms: Process improvement teams
• Geographic Terms: Iowa
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00770486
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 096523102X
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 14 1999 12:00AM