The Operations Academy Senior Management Program

1. The Operations AcademySenior Management Program

2. Operations AcademySenior Management Program • Emphasis on Surface Transportation Management and Operations • 2 week “Total Immersion” course with one week of pre-study • Intended for practitioners desiring advancement & recognition in Operations • Focuses on the unique aspects of surface transportation M&O

3. Program Objectives Individuals completing the program will be able to: • Describe the impact of M&O on mobility and safety • Manage an organization whose primary mission is M&O • Advocate the creation of an operational focus within their agencies • Demonstrate knowledge of the technical tools of M&O and the conditions under which they can be effectively applied

4. Additional Benefits • For the individual • Networking with peers from other jurisdictions • National recognition • CEUs and certificate of completion • Recognition from employer • To the agency • Individuals trained in operations • Ability to develop an operations focus • A constructive analysis of the agency’s current focus on management and operations

5. Student Profile • Mid to high level managers whose existing or future responsibilities include management and operations of the transportation system. • Examples • Manager of traffic operations • District/division engineer • Regional Director • Director of Maintenance • Transportation Operations Center Manager • Manager of traffic engineering in a state or local jurisdictions • Senior transportation planner in a state or local jurisdiction or MPO • Personnel (typically at State or Federal levels) responsible for review, approval and/or support of management and operations activities

6. Underlying Concepts • The relevance of operations and what we are trying to achieve. • Operations of systems -Understanding operations, and how to influence mobility, safety, security • Customer service orientation • Performance measures • Communications and coordination within organizations and with others • Managing people, resources, and organizations

7. Pre-study • Needed to ensure “no student left behind” • Required time depends on the student’s background • Educational home-study material will be provided • Pre-study occurs over a two month period • Final exam • Summary of Subjects: • Traffic management • Incident management • Emergency management • Freight • Traffic engineering including a survey of traffic flow theory • Tools of operations (devices and systems)

8. Curriculum (Draft) • Classroom time – 40% • Defining the operations template • Instructors with real-world experience • Workshops – 30% • Real-world problems • Group problem solving including role playing • Reinforcing the operations template • Field studies – 30% • Visits to a variety of state and local sites • Includes analysis of site activities using the operations template • Supplemented by analysis of the student’s sponsoring agency • Graduation – 5% • Recognition of student’s efforts • Attended (if possible) by student’s supervisor • Includes presentation of workshop and field study results

9. Curriculum Structure • Overview – What is operations and why is it unique? • Operations as a system – emphasis on supply-demand concepts, regional & corridor management and conops • Performance measures – how are they used and why are they important • Customer service – Customer needs and communications • Organization – Centralization, stovepiping and organizational relationships • Policy and planning – How does operations fit into the big picture for the nation’s transportation system? • Management – Staff management, planning, project management, contracting, outsourcing, selling internally

10. Application and Costs • Formal application process • Competitive selection based on level of interest, relevance, geographic and functional diversity • Costs including weekend • Course fee - $3,500 • Lodging costs - $1,375 • Limited number of scholarships available from the I-95 Corridor Coalition

11. The Spring Semester was a Big Success • 22 students – all of whom successfully completed the self-study and Academy requirements • Students received hands-on experience with principles being presented • Student evaluations very high including • Classroom presentations • Field studies • Workshops • Lunch and dinner speakers • Facilities

12. Representative Comments • “The Operations Academy brought the philosophy of conceptual operations into clear focus. It will build future leaders that will move into decision making positions.” Tom Blaine, New Mexico DOT • “This was an incredibly comprehensive program. I will be able to apply concepts learned right away, not only from the country’s expert in operations, but from our peer states’ experiences as well. I will recommend the program strongly to others in my state!” – Rob Limoges, New York State DOT

13. Status and Schedule • Spring session 3-12-07 successfully completed • Deadline for fall session applications 6/29/07 • Fall session 11-5-07 • Program for fall session finalized