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31
CHAPTER FOUR
CHALLENGES
VISUALIZATION AND DESIGN PROCESS needs to be conducted on a series of projects to provide mea-
surements. If a project manager perceives that the use of
Transportation agencies face many challenges in using visu- visualization will improve the overall design process, the
alization technologies, particularly the lack of centralized project manager will probably decide to use visualization in
standards and guidelines. Without such standards and guide- the design process. Because 3-D CADD is a particularly
lines, visualization technologies cannot be formally inte- effective way to incorporate visualization into the design
grated into the design process. process, costbenefit analyses should pay particular attention
to this process.
Most agencies studied for this synthesis showed that visual-
ization, when used, is usually an independent process performed The case studies for this synthesis have supported the use
only at the end of the preliminary design phase, not in the final of visualization; however, they have not provided quantitative
design phase. During the end of the preliminary design phase-- measures of costs versus benefits. For example, although
the public involvement period--multiple preliminary design visualization played a vital role in the redesign of the Caltrans
alternatives are presented to the public for approval. Once a pre- Devil's Slide project and in getting approvals that have eluded
ferred alternative selection is made, the final design phase begins the DOT for years, no costbenefit analysis was completed
and the use of visualization ends. This approach, which most for the project. The improvements and savings are valued by
decision makers take, is not ideal. In an ideal approach, visual- the project team, but translating them to non-team members
ization would continue into the final design phase, and visuals has proven to be difficult. Similarly, in other studies cited in
that were created in the preliminary design phase would be mod- this synthesis, although visualization was determined to aid
ified and enhanced in the final design phase. In this way, visual with various projects, the benefits (design improvements, cost
tools can add tremendous value to the design process, as has savings, efficiencies, and so forth) were difficult to quantify.
been demonstrated in this synthesis. A detailed study to measure the benefits of the technology is
needed.
During the 1990s, highway design changed rapidly
throughout the United States. A new and better way of design- The TRB Visualization in Transportation Task Force
ing highways evolved based on growing interest in the (ABJ95T) formed a subcommittee to initiate a project to
improvement of highways and their integration into the com- coordinate and assess the systemic use of visualization tools
munities they serve. Whereas the old way was to design, and methodologies throughout the entire life cycle of the pro-
announce, and then defend a project, which led to poor rela- posed Kennedy Center Access Project (17). The intent was
tions between DOTs and the public, the new way is to provide to generate a detailed costbenefit analysis on the impacts of
context-sensitive design (CSD) solutions that consider the visualization on the project. The study was not conducted
impact of highways on the environment and communities (16). owing to the cancellation of funding.
Visual tools have become part of the CSD process by The perception of visualization by senior-level managers,
enhancing the communication between DOTs and the public decision makers, and project managers will need to change
through the use of the Internet and other mass communication to further integrate visualization into the design process.
mechanisms. For example, designers have created project Many of the interviewees for this synthesis expressed a need
websites, such as the Caltrans website for the Devil's Slide for a visualization outreach/educational program directed
project. In time, all DOTs may seek to enhance their CSD solu- toward these professionals.
tions through the use of 3-D CADD. By using CSD techniques
to improve the design and implementation process, DOTs are
reaching out to community leaders and concerned citizens. UNDERSTANDING VISUALIZATION
TECHNOLOGY
COSTBENEFIT ANALYSIS Visualization Decision Maker
Because planners and designers need to see data to support Another reason why visualization has not been integrated
the use of visualization, a detailed costbenefit analysis into the design process is because most designers do not
