The Iowa Department of Transportation retained HDR to help them develop a high-level strategic plan as their roadmap for the next steps to integrate digital delivery throughout their agency. Digital delivery workflows will enhance the agency’s ability to share information seamlessly across the enterprise, help manage assets effectively throughout their lifecycle, and provide greater value to external users of the digital deliverables, such as construction contractors and suppliers.

Our team interviewed dozens of Iowa DOT subject-matter experts to discuss how digital design workflows change how they do business. Interviews identified data uses and showed the major activities and data exchanges between multiple stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of a project that could benefit from leveraging digital information contained in 2D and 3D models. Findings were synthesized to identify workflows that will benefit from Iowa’s focus on continuing to advance digital delivery.

We then worked with Iowa DOT to prioritize their top tactical goals that may be accomplished within a one-to three-year period, and top strategic goals, which may take more than five years to complete. Tactical goals include creating a communication plan and defining information requirements. Pilot projects will be used to manage and scale the adoption of digital delivery, testing new methods and strategies. Strategic goals focus on areas that may require longer-term efforts such as standards, systems and data transfer processes among systems.

Industry consensus is that before delivery of digital 3D models can become standard practice more must be done to develop standard object-based models and digital information exchange standards, and the industry must develop practical tools to make it easier for field staff to access digital models. Iowa DOT’s Digital Delivery Strategic Plan is the logical next step to incorporate these digital tools into their daily work to benefit from the added functionality of digital deliverables.

The digital delivery roadmap offers a high-level strategy document for the Iowa DOT that includes prioritized goals and implementation timelines. Iowa is now requesting a federal grant to fund execution of this strategic plan.