Volpe Center: Volpe Center Highlights

Information Resources

Volpe Center Highlights - May/June 2002

Organizational Excellence

Improving Business Processes with Electronic Document Management (FMCSA)

The primary mission of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. Formerly a part of the Federal Highway Administration, FMCSA was established within DOT in 2000. As a relatively new administration, FMCSA is searching for innovative ways to conduct its business and serve the public. For example, the administration is working toward automating its internal business processes to improve efficiency and customer service.

EDMS: Working Toward a Paperless Work Environment

Electronic document management systems (EDMS) can facilitate efficiency and collaboration in a work process by enabling electronic management of the document lifecycle.
An EDMS allows for the creation, editing, routing, tracking, approval, storage, and retrieval of documents, including word processing, spread sheet, and presentation documents, in a paperless environment.
Files in other formats, such as photographs and sound clips, can also be easily stored and retrieved with an EDMS.

Early in 2001, FMCSA approached Volpe's Computer Center for assistance in identifying requirements for, and then implementing, an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS - see sidebar). Several FMCSA organizations had expressed a need for document management, and FMCSA wanted to ensure that any document management efforts were well integrated, with a plan that covered each organization's needs. Careful planning and development is especially important since FMCSA is rapidly expanding, with more than 1,000 employees based in four Service Centers, 52 Division offices, recently installed Mexican border offices, and at Headquarters.

The Volpe Center recommended the use of a methodology that could quickly scope requirements and set an overall direction for all future efforts. Volpe support has included conducting workshops, interviews, and security and network architecture analyses, and planning for the upcoming pilot. Volpe team members include Ms. Rosemarie Kelly and Mr. Bob Berk of the Computer Center, and Mr. Michael Beyer and Mr. Bob Mallion of WT Chen (a Volpe contractor).

In November 2001, Volpe conducted an initial requirements-gathering workshop with what is now known as the EDMS Core Team. Comprised of FMCSA staff from both Headquarters and the field, the Core Team is responsible for validating user and functional requirements of the EDMS and for choosing an EDMS software package for implementation throughout FMCSA.

From February through April 2002, the Volpe team conducted a series of five information-gathering workshops. Each workshop was attended by up to a dozen employees from FMCSA Service Center regions and Headquarters. Workshop topics included process modeling and data definition for several internal FMCSA processes. The two- and three-day workshops were held close to FMCSA Service Centers in Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Baltimore. The team also conducted security and network architecture analyses at each Service Center.

Typical of Volpe's approach, the Computer Center involved users and stakeholders early in the EDMS development process.

After analyzing FMCSA requirements, Volpe developed a Request for Information that was distributed to EDMS vendors nationwide. Three vendors were chosen to demonstrate their products to the Core Team at a workshop hosted by the Volpe Center during the week of May 13, 2002. The selected vendor will participate in a 12-week pilot in selected geographic and functional FMCSA areas, beginning at the end of June. Following the pilot, Volpe will deliver documentation to FMCSA that will enable it to incorporate lessons learned into the implementation plan for the EDMS solution at all FMCSA locations.

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