Transportation Asset Management Today: Communities of Practice in the Transportation Industry

Abstract

Asset management is defined by FHWA as "a systematic process of maintaining, upgrading, and operating physical assets cost-effectively." This emerging discipline is evolving as researchers develop asset management guides, states implement specific components of it, and all units of government work to define what asset management means to them and tailor it to the needs of their organization. To help facilitate communication among these stakeholder groups, AASHTO and FHWA developed a website-based virtual community of practice (CoP). This CoP is a self-defined group of practitioners with an interest in transportation asset management. The website, Transportation Asset Management Today (TAMT), provides access to relevant links and a calendar of events and allows individuals to register for topics that match their personal interests, view reference materials, and post questions and ideas on discussion boards. Why an Internet CoP is an appropriate venue for advancing transportation asset management education and practice is discussed. Also provided are an overview of CoP theory and a description of how CoPs are being used in the private and public sectors to manage knowledge and share best practices. Finally, the history, structure, and content of the TAMT website are discussed, and a preliminary evaluation based on site usage and other observations is offered.