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

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82 Tier 3: Evaluation and Decision Making Components • Evaluate Progress • Reach Deployment Decision C H A P T E R 1 1 Research and/or technology programs having T2, implementation, and deployment as central and identified objectives have worked well in transportation applications. For exam- ple, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (formerly RITA) is charged with advancing the deployment of cross-cutting technologies to improve our nation’s transportation system. Other federal initiatives that include T2 and deployment as components of plans to enhance highway conditions and operations are the Highways for LIFE program, the Technology Partnerships Program, which is a part of Highways for LIFE, and the U.S. Domestic Scan Program. These programs enhance technology deploy- ment, accelerate innovation, and give transportation agency professionals the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of best practices and policies and successful technologies that other states have applied. The tenth and last component of the guided T2 phase of the Innovation Adoption Pro- cess is reaching a deployment decision. At this point in the guided T2 phase of the Innova- tion Adoption Process, the feasible technology for a particular need has been identified, and many, if not all, of the other components of the guided T2 process have been addressed. The champion has likely worked hard to drive the innovation toward deployment. He or she has helped guide the decision-making processes of decision makers and stakeholders, all geared toward moving the innovation toward deployment. At this point, the innovation is known and understood by all relevant parties, and the projected benefits support agency priorities, including its strategic goals. Reach Deployment Decision 1. Have evaluations been completed? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the Evaluation component discussion. 2. Are all T2 components satisfied? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the component discussion. 3. Has an implementation plan been developed? If yes, proceed to the next question. If no or unsure, proceed to the component discussion. 4. Proceed with deployment? If yes, proceed to deployment. If no, document reason for not deploying.

Reach Deployment Decision 83 Decision to Deploy If at the end of the guided T2 effort a decision is made to proceed with full-scale deployment of the technology, a formal way to recognize the decision to move forward is to document it. In addition, the champion, the stakeholders, and the decision makers must be mindful of resources that are required for deployment: • Technical expertise to support deployment and implementation • Resources • Training • Identification of who and what departments will be involved • New necessary work processes • A deployment plan Managing the process of applying the right tools (of those listed above) to reach the right audience is important to successful implementation. If a demonstration project was conducted, the lessons learned will help in anticipating the barriers to deployment and working out how they can be avoided or overcome. If other com- ponents of the guided T2 effort have been well documented, the transition to deployment should be straightforward—the practitioner will not need to “reinvent the wheel.” A deploy- ment plan can be generated quickly using the available resources including relevant pieces of the T2 plan. It is important to have a method for evaluating deployment including performance mea- sures, a delineation of costs/benefits, and documentation of lessons learned and best practices. Documenting successes and failures in the deployment process can ease or even accelerate future innovations because decision makers and stakeholders can see the successes achieved and avoid problems that were encountered. Lastly, it is important to be prepared, when moving forward, to refine the innovation. Full- scale deployment may identify unanticipated problems, and a champion should be prepared, to the extent possible, to take appropriate steps to remedy the issue. Decision Not to Deploy In some cases, during and/or at the end of the guided T2 effort, decision makers may decide not to proceed immediately with the deployment. The decision not to deploy may result from several considerations: • Budgetary shortfalls or other unforeseen changes in resources • Change in agency priorities or strategic goals • Turnover of the champion or technical staff • A different technology satisfied the need • Appropriate applications are not immediately available If the decision is not to proceed with deployment, recognize that the problem to be solved— the need—may still be present. The champion and stakeholders should convene to discuss next steps, including moving back to the research and development phase of the Innovation Adoption Process to identify new feasible solutions. These new solutions can be informed by barriers identified in the guided T2 effort, including the reasons that the original technology was not deployed.

84 Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer Considerations for Reaching a Deployment Decision What Actions Need to Be Considered? Decide whether the innovation is ready for deployment • Is the product still feasible? • Does the product still satisfy the need? • Have guided T2 efforts been successful to date? • Have guided T2 efforts identified any significant barriers to deployment? • Is a full-scale deployment plan necessary? • Have resources been identified for full deployment? • Will education and/or technical assistance be part of the deployment? If the decision is for full-scale deployment, consider the next steps and whether an imple- mentation plan, including the following elements, will be necessary: • Resources • Training • Technical expertise • Personnel needed for involvement • Method for measuring and evaluating deployment If the decision is made not to deploy, return to an earlier phase in the Innovation Adoption Process. What Are Some of the Challenges to Making a Deployment Decision? • Inadequate completion of other steps in the guided T2 phase of the Innovation Adoption Process—not enough information to make an informed decision • Turnover of the champion • Barriers identified during the guided T2 phase not adequately addressed • Barriers due to – Changing priorities that undermine support for innovation in general or for specific tech- nical changes – Economic downturn – DOT changing priorities or strategic goals – Political changes What Are Some of the Tools or Strategies Available for Overcoming the Challenges to Making the Deployment Decision? • Complete missing or incomplete components of the guided T2 effort • Identify a new champion • Continue to engage stakeholders and market the innovation to decision makers • Review other guided T2 components to ensure that they are adequately completed • Be willing and able to modify or refine the product to overcome barriers