Daniela BremmerDirector of Strategic Assessment

Part 1 - WSDOT’s Experience Measuring Sustainable Transportation Practices

SSTI Community of Practice MeetingSeattle, WA

February 24, 2011

Paula HammondSecretary of Transportation

What is Performance Management at WSDOT?WSDOT’s working definition:• An opportunity to better manage the agency and our state-owned

transportation systems

• An opportunity to tell our story

• Part of our culture –what we do –who we are

WSDOT’s driving forces – Why we do what we do… Making a case for funding (funding and revenue challenges) – Our initial driver

Good management practice / Internal agency initiatives

Strategic and business planning

Competition for limited resources / Investment decision-making needs and trade-offs

Public and political expectations for accountability / Gubernatorial, legislative mandates

Media pressure: National benchmarking and comparisons

ARRA: Federal economic stimulus spending and reporting

Performance-based federal aid program / Reauthorization discussion and expectations

Sustainable transportation practices

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Why did WSDOT turn to performance reporting?The Gray Notebook was a voluntary effort, created in 2001 in response to multiple drivers including:

• Addressing a voter-initiated repeal of the MVET tax, a 30% revenue erosion

• Blue Ribbon Commission and gubernatorial concerns over departmental inefficiency and lack of accountability

• Media/talk show preoccupation with state’s “transportation crisis”

• To pave the way for a revenue ask• Remove perception that WSDOT didn’t

communicate project delivery and results

Tool: WSDOT’s quarterly performance report The Gray Notebook (then called “Measures, Markers and Mileposts”) became the agency’s face and primary communication brand.

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The Gray Notebook addressed a wide range of audiences and their need for information

Members of the Legislature and other state and local elected officials

The Governor and the seven members of the state Transportation Commission

Reporters and columnists: The media Opinion makers in the business community WSDOT employees

More than a quarterly report, the Gray Notebook anchors WSDOT’s management philosophy:

“What gets measured, gets managed” and “No Surprises reporting.”

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Reporting results on all key programs spurs collaborative, One-DOT mentality – up for a challenge

Highway Safety

Highway Maintenance

Highway Congestion and Congestion Management

Highway Traffic Operations

Intelligent Transportation Systems

Project Delivery

Asset management, including bridges, pavement, capital facilities, safety rest areas

Workforce level and training; Worker safety

Aviation

Ferries

All state-owned transportation modes, such as passenger rail, rail freight, commute trip reduction

Environmental programs, such as NEPA compliance, ESA documentation, climate change, and more

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What followed: Tangible results and benefits of performance management and public reporting

Enhanced accountability enhanced agency credibility with the public, media, and Legislature

Subsequently supported the 2003 Nickel -5 cents gas tax revenue increase

GNB expanded, but focused on demonstrating how WSDOT invested 2003 gas tax revenue, highlighting on time and on budget project delivery results

This provided the story background and built support for the 2005 Transportation Partnership Account -9.5 cents gas tax revenue increase

For more information: Bremmer, Daniela & Bryan, James. “Making the Case for Funding” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Ed. No 2079. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2008. pp. 151-2

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2007 & forward: Building a performance-oriented business culture

Transition to Secretary, Paula Hammond (2007), who further emphasized and strengthened accountability efforts Embraces a business culture and model to manage the agency Directs that WSDOT continue to expand its performance

management culture and processes Seizes immediate opportunities to demonstrate the value of robust

performance management and reporting:August 2007: Bridge collapse in Minneapolis – Gray Notebook

reporting on Washington bridges provided new Secretary with instant, quality-controlled and vetted data on local conditions

November 2007: Secretary Hammond pulled the 80 year plus old Steel Electric class ferries from service – Gray Notebook reporting supports explanation on causes and future plans for the Ferries System

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Initiatives in 2007 and beyond: Keeping Current

Redesign and restructuring of the Gray Notebook Alignment with state policy goals and Strategic Plan,

and introduction of quarterly performance reviews (GNB QPRs) Expanded reporting in various program areas,

and focus on Before and After analysis of projects and programs to communicate investment impacts

Refreshed emphasis on No Surprises reporting Meeting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

reporting challenge Defining economic impacts of transportation investments

Measuring sustainable transportation practices

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Recent initiatives: 2008 redesign and restructuring of the Gray Notebook

Beginning with 30th edition, a refreshed focus: • 5 years into enhanced project delivery

reporting; 8 years of consistent key program reporting and still expanding topic areas

• Reorganization into chapters that align with state’s transportation policy goals: Safety, Preservation, Mobility/Congestion Relief, Environment, Stewardship – and added in 2010: Economic Vitality

• More explicit alignment with WSDOT’s Strategic Plan ‘Business Directions’ and with agency’s Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP)

A ‘green’ redesign for the Gray Notebook

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Recent initiatives (continued): Internal focus to sustain a performance-based culture

• Alignment of reporting with Strategic Plan ‘Business Directions’ allowed greater internal focus on plan

• Deployment of internal Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) to better track incremental program performance results against strategic goals

• Executive management promotes an active engagement with programs and offices through quarterly ‘live’ reviews of selected topics from current Gray Notebook: Quarterly Performance Review (QPR) meetings that focus on results and ask tough questions.

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Strong focus on defining Before and After results for all capital and operational projects

Agency directive to capture baseline (Before) data for all projects before deployment to conduct analysis

Before and After reporting to clearly communicate investment impacts and demonstrate system impacts

Expanded Before & After analysis of mobility

improvement projects, 2010 Congestion Report

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Recent initiatives (continued): Enhanced Before and After Project Analysis

Reinforce expectations for project reporting and problem identification

Notify Chief Engineer of significant problems within 24 hours and provide weekly updates

Online project reporting system will publish monthly updates

New bi-weekly Transportation Alert will notify the Legislature and public of potential problems

...“We have tried very hard as an agency to make sure accountability works both ways … You tell the good and you tell the bad. This obviously is something we have not done right. And it is something we are going to fix.”…

Paula Hammond, June 29, 2010 Tacoma News Tribune

Recent initiatives (continued): WSDOT recommits to No Surprises reporting and accountability”

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Recent initiatives (continued): Performance Management culture is flexible, responds to new challenges of ARRA

2009: Gray Notebook gave the agency a strong foundation for newly required Recovery Act/ARRA and future federal reporting:

• Emphasis on intense scrutiny and quality control of data, analysis

• Established relationships and processes• Credibility, candor and transparency already established.

This important internal management and integration tool that elevated agency performance measurement to a high priority at WSDOT meant agency was prepared for ARRA reporting.

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Communicate clear, relevant and easy-to-understand measures and results using Performance Journalism

Demonstrate how programs contribute to agency priorities and state policy goals

Monitor and analyze detailed program and project data Evaluate effectiveness of WSDOT strategies (Before and After) Hold regular problem-solving sessions Allocate resources based on strategies that work - performance

based investment decisions Regularly report to governor, legislature, media and public on

performance – seek and create opportunities to report

WSDOT’s Performance Management philosophy for all programs

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WSDOT’s created a method called “Performance Journalism” The combination of quantitative reporting and

narrative storytelling to share results clearly and effectively

Share the performance of an agency’s complex and diverse programs and projects clearly and concisely in a format that everyone can easily understand and explain to their neighbors.

A collaborative effort between executives, performance analysts, and program experts across the agency is essential: no silos allowed!

7 principles of Performance Journalism: (stories; writing; data analysis; graphics and visualization; content driven design; quality control; good timing)

…and we keep working at getting better in communicating results

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For more information: Bremmer, Daniela & Bryan, James. “Bridging the Gap Between Agencies and Citizens: Performance Journalism as a Practical Solution to Communicate Performance Measures and Results” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Ed. No 2046. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2008. pp. 21-2.

Lessons learned that will apply to measuring sustainability: It is an iterative process!

Start with observation, look at trends, qualitative

measures

Develop quantitative measures; only set

targets if you have and understand trend data

Capture data – Before & After actions

Analyze what you’ve learned

Decide next actions, make good, informed business decisions

Report it out, learn more, repeat…

There is no perfect measurement – the process is incremental, iterative, and evolutionary; start where you are

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More lessons learned – useful in taking on the new task of measuring sustainable transportation Effective, ethical communication is essential when trying to gain public

support. Agencies must tell their own stories in a comprehensible, truthful, sincere, and legitimate manner.

Strong and sustained executive leadership is required to implement and sustain the process.

Resist the temptation to expand beyond what is useful. Not all functions and measures need targets. Manage expectations!

Successful performance management requires attention and coordination – programs have to work together and be flexible.

Everyone needs to be on the same page, and be consistent in understanding of requirements, challenges, and progress.

Maintain passion for quality control at all levels. New and frequently changing reporting requirements require nimble and

dedicated staff, executive involvement, and due diligence.

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But there are still many more opportunities and our efforts continue...

Any questions before moving to Part 2 - Secretary Hammond’s presentation on our efforts in measuring sustainability?

Daniela Bremmer Washington State Department of TransportationDirector, Strategic Assessment Office360-705-7953 Daniela.Bremmer@wsdot.wa.gov

Resources Moving Washington Website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/movingwashington/

WSDOT’s Congestion Website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Congestion/

WSDOT’s Accountability Website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/

Real Time Travel Times Website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle/traveltimes/

Plan Your Commute– 95% Reliable Travel Times Website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Seattle/TravelTimes/reliability/

WSDOT’s quarterly performance report: the Gray Notebook: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Accountability/GrayNotebook/navigateGNB.htm

Performance Measurement at WSDOT, four page folio http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/91089378-E709-49EF-AE42-AE80BC44A91C/0/TRB_Performance_Folio.pdf

WSDOT’s Strategic Plan: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/publications/StrategicPlanWEB.pdf

Performance Journalism: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/685F6B37-9082-47DE-81FC-676EE95C5EE9/0/Bridging_Gap_PJ_TRBprintedvsn.pdf

Making the Case for Funding: The WSDOT Experience (2008, Transportation Research Record) http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/E5D34B36-6662-4464-B4BA-1E858BBD710D/0/2007_TRB_Making_Case_Funding.pdf

Maximizing Highway System Capacity: Measuring and Communicating System Performance in an Evolving Field–(2008, Transportation Research Forum) http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/464B9718-C441-470E-9E83 C9F0D3F1D238/0/2007_TRB_Measuring_System_Performance.pdf

Contact Info:

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