Condition and Security Indicators for Interdependent Infrastructure Systems

本研究的目标是利用新兴的数据库和软件系统，为系统状况和安全方式定义多属性基础设施性能指标。这些指标将有助于确定三个相互依存的基础设施--道路运输、电力和供水--的低效和脆弱性。这项工作启动了一个新的评估制度，以克服公共和投资者拥有的基础设施系统中的机构惰性：一个基于区域服务相互依存关系的制度。由于政府或投资者所有的垄断，道路运输、电力和供水支持着社会的基本职能，但即使是管理良好的大型组织也很少公布有关状况和安全的数据，而且在有指标的地方，这些数据也不多用。该项目力求避免基础设施研究的过度泛化问题，侧重于在基础设施类别内和跨基础设施类别适用的基于信息的指标。有待检验的假设包括：1)条件和安全措施存在，但注重细节，主要用于预算程序；2)公众缺乏关于基础设施服务条件和安全的信息；3)指标将有助于发现问题和低效，4)改善协调和合作，并加强条件和安全；5)更好的系统信息将导致更强大的系统，运行更好，持续时间更长，并衡量有效性；5)可通过新软件提供指标信息；以及6)新的激励措施可通过计算机信息系统刺激更好的报告。在这项研究中，将从大量可用指标和过去的故障事件中挑选指标，并在北科罗拉多州研究地区的基础设施系统案例研究中进行细化。将举办一个讲习班，让机构管理人员了解如何使用这些指标，并寻求对为什么没有更频繁或更有效地使用指标的见解。在此案例研究的基础上，构建多属性指标体系。然后，将在第二次讲习班上在利益攸关方和公众受众身上测试这些指标，以确定1)公众是否判断信息与决策相关，2)如果公众拥有更相关和更容易理解的关于状况和安全的信息，公共基础设施的管理可以得到改善。项目报告将全面审查基础设施指标，评价指标，并讨论如何综合较少和更有意义的指标；评价管理人员使用指标的实际情况；评估公众对指标的接受程度，以便其作出决策；提交报告，评估如何使用最先进的业绩指标，以改进对基础设施系统的独立和相互依存的管理。

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.