Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer (2014)

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65 Tier 2: Knowledge Building • Conduct demonstrations/ showcases • Educate, inform, and provide technical assistance Education, information, and technical assistance contribute to effective T2 by extending innovative knowledge beyond research and development, and preparing end users for deploy- ment of the new technology. These three actions may also contribute to the Innovation Adop- tion Process early on by informing decision makers and stakeholders about the advantages of the technology and the benefits of pursing the technology to address a need. Education, infor- mation, and technical assistance may also improve the acceptance of the technology as well as improve communication with the general public. Education, information, and technical assistance may take any or all of several forms depend- ing upon a particular need. The several forms of education are course development, train- ing delivery, publishing, and conference presentations. Social media and Internet technology (sometimes referred to as Web 2.0) are becoming dominant means for content and information sharing and communication. The several forms of technical assistance are research, remote assistance, and on-site assistance. Education Course Development When a feasible technology is poised for guided T2 efforts, the process of educating end users about the benefits of the technology will be important for deployment efforts. Similarly, C H A P T E R 9 Educate, Inform, and Provide Technical Assistance 1. Have all necessary assistance types been identified? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the component discussion. 2. Have the details of the assistance been determined? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the component discussion. 3. Have the assistance materials been developed? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the component discussion. 4. Is hands-on help required for the assistance? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the component discussion. 5. Has an instructor been identified? If yes, proceed to the next component. If no, proceed to component discussion.

66 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer educating end users about properly utilizing technology is also essential for effective deploy- ment. One method of education is course development and delivery. Education begins with the knowledge gathered during the research and development pro- cess. Literature reviews, scans, original research, and prototype testing will build a body of knowledge about a given technology. This body of knowledge can then provide the foundation for instructional efforts that follow. An effective course development process begins with determining the needs of your audi- ence, establishing the goals of your instructional effort, and then finding the best path from audience needs to instructional goals. Supplemental details include whether to include work- shops, attendee examinations, and course evaluations and whether the course is to stand alone or be given as part of a curriculum of courses. Instructional designers and course developers use models for developing their instructional products to ensure the consistency and usefulness of their materials. While many approaches have been developed, a common model is a five-phase model known as ADDIE. The five phases of this model are: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. These phases guide instructional designers through a process beginning with understanding the problem— identifying a business goal, a performance gap, or, in the case of T2, the needs of an audience created by a new technology. After analyzing the need for instructional materials and establish- ing the goals of the training, designing the course occurs. This phase includes determining the structure of the course, the medium in which it will be delivered, and its content. The development phase of the ADDIE model is simply the fleshing out of the instructional design. Development may include building a slide presentation, speaker notes, handouts, and evaluation instruments. Presenting a pilot of the new course may also be part of its devel- opment. The implementation phase includes all aspects of course operation from marketing through delivery and, as necessary, maintenance with updates. The evaluation phase focuses on the effectiveness of the course, determining whether the instructional materials meet the goals stated during the analysis phase (Carliner, 2003; Instructional Design, 2011). Course materials typically include a slide presentation, as well as material intended to be handed to attendees during presentations. The use of a slide presentation establishes a founda- tion of materials to be covered by the training course and consistency if the course is presented more than one time or by more than one instructor. Workshops, if desired, may be developed as part of the presentation materials and provide an opportunity for trainees to test their own hypotheses about the new technology in a supportive environment. Training Delivery Traditionally, training is delivered in a classroom situation. Set-up is likely determined by the needs of the organization sponsoring or presenting the training, with some having very sophisticated classrooms including digital light-emitting diode (LED) projectors and smart podiums, while others use less electronic technology. Electronic technology is enabling new ideas about training delivery including live video con- ferencing, live web-based presentation (webinar), and recorded web-based presentation. Social networking technology and mobile devices are expanding the possibilities for training delivery even further with the capacity to reach remote and mobile employees. So, while traditional T2 efforts include developing and conducting instructor-led training efforts, self-service learning (e.g., online, self-paced learning [with or without voice-over] and computer-based training), and blended learning (combination of online and face-to-face, instructor-led training) are making headway. Preparing these training efforts for the deploy- ment process can accelerate the effective adoption of an innovation.

Educate, Inform, and Provide Technical Assistance 67 There are many existing mechanisms for training development and delivery that may be uti- lized by an agency engaged in a guided T2 effort. For example, the National Highway Institute (NHI) provides transportation-related training in several formats including both instructor- led, classroom-based learning and online learning, including free web-based seminars and asynchronous training materials. If an innovation has been determined to be a feasible solution to a problem, NHI may be of assistance in developing the best educational training method and materials to transfer that innovation to others in the industry. This directly aligns with NHI’s mission goals of training the current and future transportation workforce; transferring knowl- edge quickly and effectively to and among transportation professionals; and providing training that addresses the full life cycle of the highway transportation system. Similarly, the Ameri- can Public Works Association (APWA), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and other organizations offer online and computer-based training opportunities that can be utilized for introducing an innovation to a wider audience. The Local and Tribal Technical Assistance Programs (LTAP, TTAP) perform similar functions of effectively transferring transportation maintenance and safety best practices, information, techniques, and processes to the local level. Training and technical assistance for transit can be found through the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP). Web links to these to these agencies are as follows: • NHI: http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/default.aspx • APWA: http://apwa.net/ • ASCE: http://www.asce.org/ • ITE: http://www.ite.org/ • LTAP/TTAP: http://www.ltap.org/ • APTA: http://www.apta.com/Pages/default.aspx • RTAP: http://www.nationalrtap.org/ Publishing Disseminating new knowledge may also include some form of publishing. The publishing component of T2 education contains several facets, including the following: • Scholarly articles • Trade and professional association journal articles Minnesota LTAP Creates Online Course for T2 The Minnesota LTAP Center created a Gravel Road Maintenance and Design online distance-learning course in an effort to help local agencies provide train- ing in a more cost-effective manner. The online curriculum is similar to traditional classroom training except that it is much more accessible for students who are unable to travel or prefer a “work at your own pace” environment. Students are free to access the course anytime and anywhere within a 3-month timeframe. This course helps supervisory personnel and operators better understand the materials, techniques, and equipment needed for maintaining gravel roads. It also reviews new techniques and ideas in gravel road maintenance. The course is made up of 10 lessons, each containing a narrated presentation, video clips, reading assignments, a quiz, time to reflect on what has been learned, and time to develop an action plan. (Interview with Jim Grothaus, Minnesota LTAP, on January 13, 2013; online survey response)

68 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer • Trade and professional association newsletter articles • Technical briefs • Manuals and handbooks • Public agency publications Scholarly articles and trade and professional association journal articles are typically peer-reviewed papers that meet a very high standard of academic quality. University-based research that leads to implementable conclusions will often meet the criteria for academic qual- ity and be published in a pertinent journal. Trade and professional associations also publish periodicals and newsletters that meet a journalistic level of quality and circulate to a broad readership. These publications are useful for raising awareness about new innovations and their potential uses. Technical briefs focus on an overview of the technological aspects that will be useful to end users. Manuals and handbooks are often developed to accompany training courses, but may stand alone. These publications are intended for end users and focus on the detailed work- ings of a process or tool. Public agency publications include state DOT publications, which are manuals or handbooks about DOT-specific processes or tools, but also include federal agency publications, some of which meet standards of academic quality. Conference Presentations Professional conference presentations are useful for introducing new ideas and innovations to a likeminded audience. Conferences are typically gatherings of professionals and practitio- ners in a given field of practice, and these gatherings encourage dialogue between presenters and their audiences. FAA Develops Technical Materials to Enhance T2 The FAA advanced the implementation of Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) to improve Runway Safety Areas (RSA) at airports by informing the owners of commercial runways with non-compliant RSAs about the new technology using several publications: • FAA Advisory Circular (AC) dated 9/30/2005 • ACRP Report 29: Developing Improved Civil Aircraft Arresting Systems, published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in 2009 • FAA Fact Sheet dated 12/23/2011 The FAA ACs provide a single, uniform, agency-wide system that the FAA uses to deliver advisory material to FAA customers, industry, the aviation community, and the public. Having a uniform and consistent source of information is critical for the correct advancement of the technology. These materials are available for viewing on the FAA website, and the major means of distributing final ACs and other guidance is through FAA’s AC database. Because there is no legal require- ment to publish either the AC itself or a notice that an AC is final in the Federal Register, the FAA ensures information distribution by being willing to notify anyone who has registered an interest in the subject matter that the final AC is available in the database.

Educate, Inform, and Provide Technical Assistance 69 Information, Content Sharing, and Web 2.0 Web 2.0 is an umbrella term for websites or online applications that are user-driven and emphasize collaboration and user interactivity. Web 2.0 applications used by governmental agencies are sometimes referred to as government 2.0 applications. Web 2.0 applications are also sometimes called social media. Merriam Webster dictionary defines social media as “forms of electronic communication (such as web sites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.” Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are well known social media channels, but they are not alone in the long list of web-based applications that encourage user interaction. The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) national survey of social media use in state governments indicates that social media tools are being actively adopted and used throughout state governments across the country. The TRB Committee on Public Involvement found that over half of all state DOTs are using some type of Web 2.0 appli- cation (TRB Committee on Public Involvement, 2010, as cited in Volpe, 2010). Similarly, in a recently completed survey of state DOTs, AASHTO found that many state DOTs are specifically using social media tools to reach the public; for example, approximately 81% of survey respon- dents reported using Twitter for this purpose (AASHTO, 2010). Regarding guided T2 efforts, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) published a report titled Current Uses of Web 2.0 Applications in Transportation: Case Studies of Select State Departments of Transportation that indicated that state DOTs are using a wide variety of 2.0 tools to accomplish numerous goals, including to provide information to new and broader audiences, streamline internal communication and efficiencies, build communi- ties of interest around transportation, and support collaborative content creation and problem solving. Agencies generally believed that the use of 2.0 applications provided time and cost savings through more efficient resource allocation and reduced inquiries from the media and stakeholders. Overall, these tools can help agencies more effectively address customers’ needs and further business missions (Volpe, 2010). Social media can serve as useful education tools to provide timely updates to stakehold- ers and decision makers, as well as the general public, regarding innovations within DOTs. Wikis—amorphously developed web sites, with little or no specific ownership, which allow anyone to edit content—and shared documents can help with internal knowledge sharing as technical and managerial staff work toward the implementation of an innovation. Social media provides an excellent tool with which to inform the public about projects and engage the public to inform them of new services or innovations proceeding toward deployment. Key findings of the Volpe report salient to guiding T2 include the following: • State DOTs are employing 2.0 tools to provide information to the public – Reach broader audiences – Reach new audiences – Receive public feedback – Respond to the concerns of the public – Develop wikis • Using 2.0 tools is beneficial – Fewer inquiries from an informed media and the public can reduce the time committed to managing such inquiries. • Guidelines for the proper use of 2.0 tools must be developed While state DOTs now have the tools to share travel information with the public, how and when the public will access and use the information need to be considered. Travel informa- tion is most useful during travel, accessed with mobile devices. But this use of technology

70 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer raises the issue of distracting drivers from driving. State DOTs using 2.0 technologies to inform the public must develop guidelines for their end users to mitigate the possibility that these beneficial tools could create latent dysfunctions. In a related topic, TCRP Synthesis 99: Uses of Social Media in Public Transportation offered sev- eral new ideas based on a survey of transit authorities utilizing social media services (Bregman, 2012). Those related to T2 include the following: • Keep social media in perspective • Consider the organizational impacts • Identify the real costs • Respect the strengths of social media What Are Some of the Actions That Must Be Considered? Determine resource requirements • Staff • Technical • Fiscal Choose the appropriate Web 2.0 tools • Twitter enables brief messages that are generally informal • Social media enable comment and response • Wikis enable in-depth information sharing and are generally more formal (Volpe, 2010) What Are Some of the Challenges to Managing Social Media and T2 Issues? Additional resources including additional staff • Web page monitoring and maintenance requires staff availability • Responding to public comments requires staff availability • Staff may be needed to develop user policies or to communicate changes in the technology or business practices • Automated feed systems often require complex set-up and potentially require retrofitting of the previous system • While mashups, or the combination of several applications functioning together, can require a significant time investment up front, they may reduce costs in the long term (Volpe, 2010) Performance measures • Possible ways to quantify the performance of 2.0 sites currently in use are the following: – Number of fans – Number of followers – Number of views Texas DOT Devotes Staff to Enhance Use of Social Media The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) estimates that three employees each devote two hours per week to update its social media sites and that addi- tional staff are sometimes needed to develop user policies, resolve technical issues, and communicate new developments (Volpe, 2010).

Educate, Inform, and Provide Technical Assistance 71 – Number of comments received – Number of tweets that are re-tweeted (TxDOT, in Volpe, 2010) – Reduction in calls to emergency call centers (MDOT, in Volpe, 2010) – Reduction in questions about project schedules (North Carolina DOT, in Volpe, 2010) • A possible way to qualitatively measure the performance of 2.0 sites currently in use is to measure the frequency with which staffers and members of the public engage in active dia- logue using social media (TxDOT, in Volpe, 2010) • Some measures may be misleading, such as counting followers or fans for sites that may be accessed without becoming a follower or fan (Volpe, 2010) Security • Use of social media can increase exposure to cyber threats (Bregman, 2012) Privacy • Third-party social media sites may have different privacy policies than the agency using such sites (Bregman, 2012) Accessibility • Generally, social media websites rely on graphics, videos, and user-generated content • Such content is typically unfriendly to persons with certain disabilities (Bregman, 2012) Records retention • Generally, social media is not subjected to the same records retention policies as paper files or email • Records retention policies will likely be developed as state agencies increasingly rely on social media for communication with the public (Bregman, 2012) Internal access • Some DOTs do not have clear policies on employee use of social media for professional purposes. Access to tools such as YouTube may be restricted. What Are Some of the Tools or Strategies Available for Overcoming the Challenges to Managing Education and Technical Transfer Issues? Link Web 2.0 tools to agency mission • Develop a clear plan • Address staff responsibilities • Consider – Target audience – Information to be communicated – Whether tools accommodate dialogue – Whether security and records retention policies are in place (Volpe, 2010) Consider the value of general applications over proprietary applications • Many applications are free of charge • Specific needs may be accommodated by the development of a mashup built upon free appli- cations (Volpe, 2010) Develop “Use Policies” and address privacy and security concerns • Determine appropriate use of social media for professional use. These media can be powerful communication and T2 tools (i.e., not just for social use), and the development of a policy can outline guidelines for their use

72 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer • Social media “Use Policies” should be written and available to all employees • Determine agency personnel that should or may post information for public consumption • Set rules for participation – Consider the rules for public responses – Consider rules for drivers accessing the information Advertise Web 2.0 sites • Paid advertisement – Television – Radio – Billboards – Gas pump toppers (an MDOT consideration) (Volpe, 2010) • Free publicity – Local newspapers – Word of mouth – Social media – Staff email signatures Evaluate the effectiveness • Establish a test period • Develop an evaluation protocol Initiating Social Media Applications at the NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority Staff at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York took multiple steps to receive all necessary internal reviews and approvals before moving into social media. They worked with in-house counsel to review the legal implications, including censorship and privacy issues. Although MTA does not have a written social media policy, the agency has devel- oped certain agency practices concerning records retention. MTA retains electronic and paper copies of social media posts and staff members summarize social media activities for senior management in monthly reports. Personnel use readily available statistics to track social media activity, to assess the impact of changes, and to identify successful practices. (Bregman, 2012) All Social Media Applications Get a 1-Year Test Period at the Rhode Island DOT The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) requires a preliminary, 1-year test period for all new Web 2.0 applications, thus establishing an agency standard protocol for managing future technological advances. RIDOT believed that this 1-year period would allow it sufficient time to test the effectiveness of tools while ensuring the ability of different applications to achieve agency goals. (Volpe, 2010).

Educate, Inform, and Provide Technical Assistance 73 Technical Assistance Technical assistance is a service whereby engineers or other technical experts are avail- able to a client’s customers for advice on pertinent issues within the offered scope. For T2 activities, technical assistance would be provided regarding the new technology being introduced. For example, within LTAPs and TTAPs, the customers (e.g., local governments or tribal agencies) may contact an engineer for advice on transportation maintenance and safety issues such as correct traffic sign placement guidelines or how to calibrate the chemi- cal spreader on a dump truck for winter maintenance. There are three primary levels of technical assistance: • Research • Telephone/email • On-site Technical assistance is most useful to end users for implementing new innovations. What Actions Should Be Considered? Assess the need for education and technical assistance in T2 • Do decision makers and/or stakeholders require education about a new innovation? • Does intellectual property rights counsel need to be educated about a new innovation? • Can education enhance a demonstration/showcase effort? • Will education and/or technical assistance be part of the deployment of an innovation? Connecticut T2 (LTAP) Center Offers Technical Assistance Including Equipment Loan Program In order to help local agencies in Connecticut gather traffic information, comply with different federal requirements (e.g., minimum maintained retro- reflectivity requirements), and improve safety on their roads, the Connecticut T2 Center at the University of Connecticut initiated an equipment loan pro- gram for municipal agencies. The Center has a sign retroreflectometer with a training video that a municipal agency can borrow to help determine actual retroreflectivity levels on their traffic signs. The Center also loans pneumatic traffic monitoring units for gathering traffic volume, speed, and classification data. Not only does the T2 Center loan the equipment, but it can help generate customized reports on the data collected for the agency. Further, the Center has a Trans Tech Shoulder Wedge Maker to create a safety edge on paving projects. This can minimize the safety concerns of edge drop offs, while at the same time providing a higher density, longer lasting edge on the outside edge of the pavement. Like most other LTAP/TTAP centers, the Connecticut T2 Center offers other forms of technical assistance whereby a local agency can contact the center for techni- cal help regarding a highway safety or maintenance technology. In Connecticut, agencies can contact the center for technical assistance using phone, email, or an online request form on their website. (Interview with Donna Shea, Connecticut T2 Center, on June 14, 2013)

74 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer Determine the form(s) of education that will best enhance T2 • Who is the audience for the education effort? • Is training necessary to educate the audience? • What type of training will be most effective? • Is publishing necessary to educate the audience? • Is technical assistance useful for T2? Assess the organization’s resources for education and technical assistance • Has the research and development process revealed sufficient knowledge? • Does the organization employ trainers, writers, or teachers? • What level of effort is afforded by the organization’s budget? • Is there existing training into which information on this technology can be added? • Is there an existing training infrastructure available such as a Transportation University? • Where can a practitioner get assistance delivering training or technical assistance? What Are Some of the Challenges to Managing Education and Technical Assistance Issues? Organizational shortcomings • A weak system/process or lack of a system/process for knowledge management (information not shared readily across the organization) • Fewer information professionals available within the transportation sector • Information source is unknown or not credible • Innovation process is misunderstood or unestablished • Lack of focus on providing opportunities for exchange and interaction among internal peers and sponsors • Limited communication between the state DOT and outside organizations • Loss of competency of staff promoting T2 and implementation, including T2 and implemen- tation expertise as well as training and technical assistance expertise • Staff turnover • Training opportunities are limited and underfunded Cornell Local Roads Program Creates Tool Kit to Help Agencies Comply with Federal Requirements To assist highway agencies in New York comply with federal minimum main- tained retroreflectivity standards, the Cornell Local Roads Program obtained an Accelerating Safety Activities Program (ASAP) grant from FHWA to review the new retroreflectivity requirements and develop a tool kit for technical assistance to assist highway agencies with compliance. The funds were utilized to hire a summer intern who interviewed and worked with three counties and towns and villages in the counties to determine which method of sign management would be most applicable. The program then created 50 small sign inspection kits for less than $50 apiece that were distributed to more than 30 agencies around the state through distribution upon request, or at various statewide meetings. http:// www.clrp.cornell.edu/techassistance/retroreflectivity/TransFilmCompPanels.pdf

Educate, Inform, and Provide Technical Assistance 75 Challenges in understanding new knowledge • Technical staff cannot communicate the importance of the new technology • Implementers do not understand the technology • Differences in technical terminologies • Technical documents not understood by implementers Challenges presented by the new technology • Steep learning curve for building expertise in technology • Complex topics must be mastered • No technical assistance available from innovation source to facilitate T2 and implementation Process shortcomings • Information does not get to the right audience • Technology not presented to the right audience appropriately • Lack of or insufficient documentation on the technology • Availability of too much information What Are Some of the Tools or Strategies Available for Overcoming the Challenges to Managing Education and Technical Assistance Issues? Training methodologies • Classroom training • Train the trainers • Incorporation of T2 skills into academic programs • Integration of new technology into college curriculum • Training “academies,” i.e., structured programs for continuous learning • Certificate programs (e.g., certificate in Advanced Traffic Control Systems) • Professional organization certification • Private sector sales and marketing (education on new products) • T2 workshop • Topic/issue-focused webinar • Webinars/podcasts/other streaming (possibly live) online instruction • Self-guided/paced online courses (e.g., online, self-paced learning with or without voice- over, computer-based training) • Blended learning courses (combination of online and face-to-face, instructor-led training) • New communication and information technologies and tools used to get the message out • Social media links focused on knowledge sharing established within the organization Training purposes • Internal capacity building for T2 expertise (strengthening the skill set) • Research debriefs with implementers • Training for procurement/request-for-proposal development • Training for designers for how to incorporate T2 in their designs • “Just-in-time” training capability for the field • Training for construction crews in applying new technologies Publishing methodologies • New product evaluation reports • Case studies • Transition playbook

76 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer • Guidebook • Instruction manual • CDs/DVDs • Technical information sheets • Marketing materials such as product brochures • Websites Technical assistance methodologies • Peer exchanges • A listserv where users regularly share ideas • Web portals • Designated point-of-contact for getting answers • Coaching and mentoring • One-on-one technical assistance either by telephone/email or on-site Other organizational/cultural methodologies • DOT information technology systems facilitate knowledge sharing and easy access and sharing of ideas • “Knowledge leaders” champion the growth of expertise in the organization • Senior management encourages and provides resources for strong internal communication • “Continuous learning” seen as an organizational value • Leadership regularly highlights success stories of knowledge sharing within the organization • Partnerships formed with local universities Suggested Readings Bregman, S., TCRP Synthesis 99: Uses of Social Media in Public Transportation. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C. (2012). Accessed July 12, 2013. http://onlinepubs.trb.org/ onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_syn_99.pdf John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Current Uses of Web 2.0 Applications in Transportation: Case Studies of Select State Departments of Transportation. (2010). Accessed July 12, 2013. http://www.gis.fhwa. dot.gov/documents/web20report/web20report.htm#exec National Association of State Chief Information Officers, Friends, Followers, and Feeds: A National Survey of Social Media Use in State Government. (2010). Accessed July 12, 2013. http://www.nascio.org/publications/ documents/NASCIO-SocialMedia.pdf