Digital Engineering Document Repository Optimization

Information technology now makes it possible to create digital repositories of previous hard-copy document archives. The benefit of such a system is to “have data at our fingertips no matter where we are and what document contains the data”. However, such a benefit presumes easy document retrieval. Prototypes of such systems indicate that as point solutions, rapid direct retrieval of documents can be achieved. But as the diversity of documents, user groups, and desired retrieval outcomes increases, the ability to retrieve “the” document and its associated data becomes less likely. Instead, lists of documents are frequently found and navigation through these lists is often clumsy at best. Safety concerns require that existing documents be readily available when needed, that such documents are not lost, and that version and ownership control exists. The University of Alabama’s Civil Engineering and Management Information Systems Departments, and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) collaborated on this project to research the issues and prescribe effective approaches for synthesizing leading practices from existing transportation organizations and the information systems/sciences discipline. This project provides guidance to transportation organizations as they create digital repositories of their technical engineering documents. The goal of the project was to refine digital storage structures beyond that of hardcopy folders, and to refine retrieval capabilities beyond smart PDF capabilities. To achieve this goal, the project: 1) Conducted a literature review of transportation specific document management systems; 2) Conducted a review of current Information System/Computer Science (IS/CS) literature concerning advanced and evolving abstraction techniques and meta tag structures; 3) Benchmarked state departments of transportation for leading practices and unresolved issues; 4) Developed advanced requirements for ongoing and/or historic document acquisition strategies; 5) Developed advanced requirements for document retrieval strategies; and 6) Developed alternative conceptual design for storing and retrieving documents.

• Record URL:
  http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=05106
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/40443
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Aging Infrastructure Systems Center of Excellence, 201 7th Avenue
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0208

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 870205
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0205

  University Transportation Center for Alabama

  University of Alabama
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487
• Authors:
  • Hale, David P
  • Graettinger, Andrew J
  • Alfaqih, Laith
  • Sanchez, Carlos
• Publication Date: 2007-10-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 93p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Documents; Information retrieval; Information storage and retrieval systems; Information technology; Technical reports
• Candidate Terms: Web search engines
• Uncontrolled Terms: Archives; Document management systems; Electronic documents
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Data and Information Technology; Highways; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01089493
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UTCA Report 05106, AISCE Report 071001
• Contract Numbers: UTCA 05106; AISCE 071001
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 2008 7:07PM