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21 The electronic version of the workbook, the e-WOW, includes three modules: 1. Module I determines the required staffing level at each position (project engineer, surveyor, inspector, and administrative staff) on a project-by-project basis according to average staffing levels obtained from survey data collected by the research team. Project characteristics such as project type, size, complexity, location (urban/rural), staff âs union status, and use of CEI consultants are also taken into consideration. If an STA has established its own standard project staffing levels, users may self-specify individual project staffing needs based on agency guidance. 2. Module II allows the user to import a list of scheduled construction projects. Required construction staff calculated by Module I or defined by users can then be loaded into project schedules. The module then calculates month-to-month construction staffing requirements by aggregating all scheduled projects. Peak and nonpeak staffing requirements can be identi- fied given individual project schedules, which would allow STAs to shift projects with flexible schedules in order to effectively use available staff. 3. Module III contains the electronic version of Construction Staffing Strategy Matrix. In case of staffing shortages, users can target specific functions or work types to locate potential solutions to reduce required staff. The initial interface of the tool (see Figure 5-1) allows users to select from these modules. The modules are linked to provide decision support from one to the next. The Project Level FTE Calculator module provides the user decision support in the input of project variables such that an FTE calculation and range would be provided with a breakout by position. These calculations are driven from the project database collected during the study. Along with the calculations, the overall averages found in the study are provided for comparison and can be used to adjust the calculations as desired for use in the allocation module (see Figure 5-2). The e-WOW also allows the user to save and input individual projects from the Project Level FTE Calculator module into the Program Level Staff Allocation module. The Program Level Staff Allocation module provides decision support to the user to either import projects from the previous module or provide direct input. Modification is also possible as desired by the user. The input of the program of projects has an output similar to that seen in Figure 5-3. The e-WOW further provides decision support to the user to work through the risk-based work types (as seen in Table 3-2) in determining the highlighted areas of FTE need and risk during inspection of understaffed projects. The remaining part of Module III of e-WOW can be used to access the staffing strategies highlighted in Chapter 4, according to their applicability given a specific project type and risk-based work type. The transition from the Program Level Staff Allocation module to the Construction Staffing Strategies Matrix involves e-WOW auto- matically presenting the user with the staffing strategies deemed most appropriate given the inputs of the previous modules. C H A P T E R 5 The e-Workforce Optimization Workbook
22 Workforce Optimization Workbook for Transportation Construction Projects Figure 5-1. Initial interface of e-WOW. Note: Insp. = inspection; RE = resident engineer. Figure 5-2. Example e-WOW FTE calculation module.
The e-Workforce Optimization Workbook 23 Figure 5-3. Example e-WOW staff allocation module.
