How to Use and Comment on the Web Site

Roadmap for Stakeholders to find specific information about their elements

Stakeholders can find specific information relevant to their activities by following these general instructions:

Architecture Interconnect ("Sausage Diagram")
The Architecture Interconnect Diagram (aka the Sausage Diagram) illustrates the ITS subsystems and terminators present in the ITS architecture. The diagram shows a color coded table for each subsystem and terminator, identifying the specific stakeholder entities that are instances of the specific subsystem or terminator.

Inventory by Architecture Entity or Inventory by Stakeholders
The inventory of physical elements in the region ("entities") is made up of each local stakeholders instance of any subsystems or terminators that they operate. The inventory is organized by Stakeholders (so that a stakeholder can easily see each of their assets in the architecture) or by Architecture Entity (so an analyst or other interested person can see all the stakeholder elements in a region of the same type).

Select Inventory by Stakeholder from the web site menu to view a list of elements in the ITS architecture identified for each stakeholder. The stakeholder should then be able to search the alphabetically organized list of stakeholders and find themselves (or their organization). Each of these ITS elements is a hot link, and can be clicked to view an ITS Element page that will allow the user to easily see all the other elements that their element is connected to, and with which architecture flows. Each ITS Element page also contains a link to a Context Diagram. This diagram illustrates all the information exchange opportunities in a region for a single inventory element.

If that element is going to be a project, then this diagram illustrates all the external information exchange opportunities for that element.

Customized Market Packages
Market Packages represent collections of subsystems and terminators that exchange information (illustrated with architecture flows in the market package diagrams) to do a specific service. The market packages are customized to represent the operational concept for service delivery specific to this region. Each subsystem or terminator in a market package diagram is labeled with both its generic National ITS Architecture name and the name of the local stakeholder instance that participates in the customized market package. In this way the market package identifies the information exchange (using architecture flows) between specific stakeholders elements in the region to affect a particular service or set of services.

Select Market Packages by Functional Area from the menu to view market package diagrams grouped by ITS Functional Area (e.g., Traffic Management, Public Transportation, Emergency Management, etc.).

Select Market Packages by Stakeholder from the menu to view market packages for a particular stakeholder, grouped to make it easy to review any market package diagram where a stakeholder's ITS element appears.

Turbo Architecture Database Model
The ITS architecture was developed using the off-the-shelf software program Turbo Architecture (available for purchase from McTrans). Turbo Architecture enables ITS analysts to build an MS Access 2000 model for the regional ITS architecture. The database model can be downloaded by clicking on the hotlink at the bottom of the Region Home Page. The database model file has been zipped, so after downloading, you will have to unzip it. Then you will need to use Turbo Architecture to make use of the model.

How to review the ITS architecture and how to provide comments

The analysis of architecture flows into and out of stakeholders elements is of particular importance, as it defines at a high level the information exchange requirements with other stakeholders that a stakeholders element is involved. Stakeholders should appreciate the benefits of the information exchange. Alternatively, stakeholders may believe that additional information exchange relationships may be required to achieve some benefit. In either of these cases, the ITS architecture may require revision. The simplest way to provide your input is to click on the Send Your Comments button on each of the pages on the web site.