Condition and Security Indicators for Interdependent Infrastructure Systems

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The goal of this research is to define multi-attribute infrastructure performance indicators for system condition and security ways using emerging databases and software systems. The indicators will enable identification of inefficiencies and vulnerabilities of three interdependent infrastructures-road transportation, electricity, and water supply. The work initiates a new assessment system for overcoming institutional inertia in publicly- and investor-owned infrastructure systems: one based on interdependencies of regional services. As government- or investor-owned monopolies, road transportation, electricity, and water supply support basic functions of society, but even large, well-managed organizations publish little data about condition and security, and where indicators exist, they are not used much. The project seeks to avoid the overgeneralization problem of infrastructure research by focusing on information-based indicators that apply both within and across infrastructure categories. The hypotheses to be tested include: 1) condition and security measures exist, but are detail-oriented and used mainly in budget processes; 2) the public lacks information about condition and security of infrastructure services; 3) indicators will facilitate detection of problems and inefficiencies, 4) improve coordination and cooperation, and enhance condition and security; 5) better system information will lead to more robust systems that operate better and last longer, with measurement of effectiveness; 5) information for indicators can be made available through new software; and 6) new incentives can stimulate better reporting through computer-based information systems. In the study, indicators will be selected from the large number available and from past failure incidents to be refined in a case study of infrastructure systems in the Northern Colorado study region. A workshop will be conducted in which agency managers will learn how use the indicators and insights will be sought on why indicators are not used more often or more effectively. Based on this case study, multi-attribute indicators will be constructed. The indicators will then be tested on a stakeholder and public audience at a second workshop to determine 1) whether the public judges the information to be relevant for decision making and 2) the management of public infrastructure can be improved if the public has more relevant and easily-understood information about condition and security. The project reports will provide a comprehensive review of infrastructure indicators, evaluate indicators and discuss how to synthesize fewer and more meaningful ones; evaluate the actual status of use of indicators by managers; evaluate public acceptance of the indicators for their decision-making; and present reports with state-of-the-art assessments of use of performance indicators to improve independent and interdependent management of infrastructure systems.