Work Zone Data Exchange Technical Assistance Subgroup Charter

PURPOSE

The Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) Technical Assistance Subgroup will be the lead steward in identifying and prioritizing the technical assistance needs of WZDx data producers and users, and sharing best practices to assist in WZDx adoption. The group will also perform community outreach and engagement activities. This subgroup is open to all Work Zone Data Working Group (WZDWG) members.

AUTHORITIES

The Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) Technical Assistance Subgroup is chartered under the Work Zone Data Working Group (WZDWG), which itself is chartered under the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Transportation Subcommittee.

SCOPE

The WZDx Technical Assistance Subgroup is accountable to and provides recommendations to the WZDWG, which provides leadership and direction in the use and development of the WZDx Specification. This subgroup’s focus is on helping WZDWG members (data producers and users) identify their implementation pain points, and share best practices for addressing those pain points, to lower the barriers to WZDx adoption. The Subgroup will prioritize scalable technical assistance activities and resources that benefit the broader WZDWG membership.

The scope of the Subgroup includes:

1. Develop Documentation

• Share sample RFP language for requiring smart work zone devices, worker presence data, and WZDx data.
• Develop and publish a guideline document or tool to help producers with feed validation.
• Write a document that shares best practices for data security and privacy.

2) Collaborate with Subgroups

• Coordinate with the Worker Presence Subgroup to share information on demonstrations and activities within this area.
• Work with the Smart Work Zone Devices Subgroup to perform outreach to the construction industry.
• Work with the Specification Update Subgroup to develop business rules for the next version of the specification.

3) Facilitate Institutional Buy-In for Consumers

• Collect feedback from data consumer WZDWG members on how they plan to use WZDx and what we can do to lower the barrier to adoption.
• Develop a document (e.g., one-pager, PowerPoint, webpage, video, etc.) which describes the impact, importance, and coverage of WZDx to allow organizations to gain leadership buy-in.  

ACTIVITIES AND MILESTONES

Data Security Documentation

(February 2022)

• Research data security concerns associated with WZDx data feeds and mitigation strategies.
• Develop a one-pager which shares strategies and resources to mitigate data privacy and security concerns.

Sample Request for Information Language

(March 2022)

• Perform outreach to states/jurisdictions that have incorporated requirements for work zone data elements or tools into their RFIs.
• Share generalized text that could be adopted by other jurisdictions along with best practices.

Feed Validation

(April 2022)

• Develop a guide or a tool to assist with feed validation.
• Promote existing feed validation tools.

Consumer Institutional Buy-In Document

(May 2022)

• Develop materials aimed at data consumers to share different uses of WZDx data and to help to lower the barrier to adoption.

Collaboration with Subgroups

(June 2022)

• Work with the Worker Presence Subgroup to share information about activities surrounding pilot projects which include worker presence fields in a WZDx feed.
• Work with the Smart Work Zone Devices Subgroup to perform outreach to the construction industry. Ongoing
• Business Rules
• Work collaboratively with the Specification Update Subgroup to identify and develop business rules for publication alongside specification updates.

 

CO-CHAIRS

The WZDx Technical Assistance Subgroup co-chairs shall be from organizations which are active in the development and application of policies related to the creation, publication, consumption, mapping, and analysis of data relevant to the mission of the WZDWG. The subgroup should have a minimum of two (2) and maximum of four (4) co-chairs that represent both data producers and users.

PROCEDURES

1. Subgroup meetings shall be held at the request of the subgroup co-chairs and conducted as needed to meet subgroup objectives. The tentative meeting dates are posted above.
2. Meetings will be held in-person or virtually.
3. Agenda items will be coordinated with other subgroup members and will be available at least five days in advance of proposed meeting dates.
4. This subgroup charter shall be reviewed and updated as deemed necessary by subgroup leadership.
5. Issues that need to be resolved will be relayed promptly to the WZDWG chair and/or co-chairs for schedule and resolution.
6. The subgroup may establish additional rules and procedures for conducting business.

COORDINATION RESPONSIBILITIES

The subgroup will employ the tools best suited to meet its responsibilities, e.g., the use of teleconferences, GitHub, and web meetings. Subgroup co-chairs will coordinate working group activities with other WZDx subgroups, the larger WZDWG, the FGDC Coordination Group, and other appropriate parties that are necessary to accomplish key activities, effectively growing the geospatial community.

REPORTS

The subgroup shall develop an annual summary of accomplishments and planned activities which shall be presented to the WZDWG Chair.

The WZDWG Chair may request that the subgroup prepare special reports, white papers, technical papers, briefings and the like to address pertinent issues, crosscutting activities, and/or urgent matters consistent with larger FGDC community needs. These requests may come from one or several FGDC offices - the Office of the Secretariat, Coordination Group, or Member Agencies. The Work Zone Data v3 Specification Update Subgroup, through the WZDWG Chair, will submit content for the FGDC Annual Report each year, as requested by the FGDC Secretariat.

The subgroup shall publish information about its activities on the WZDx GitHub wiki page. References may need to be established between independent sites and the FGDC Transportation Subcommittee site.

APPROVALS

This charter will remain in effect for a maximum of twelve (12) months, or until amended, replaced, or terminated by the WZDWG Chair, the Transportation Subcommittee Chair, the FGDC Steering Committee, or the FGDC Coordination Group.

This charter shall be posted on the GeoPlatform Communities web site as well as the Work Zone Data Exchange GitHub wiki page.