TURBO ARCHITECTURE

Sponsored by

Hawaii Local Technical Assistance Program

in cooperation with the

Hawaii State Department of Transportation

University of Hawaii’s Department of Civil Engineering

and the Federal Highway Administration

DESCRIPTION:

The Turbo Architecture tool is a high-level, interactive software program to assist transportation planners and system integrators, both in the public and private sectors, in the development of regional and project architectures using the National ITS Architecture as a starting point.

This tool is an aid to the planning and integration of ITS using the National ITS Architecture. There are two ways to initially enter information into Turbo Architecture: via an interview or directly into tabular forms. The interview guides the user through a series of questions and options that result in the creation of an inventory and a set of services. The user may also go directly to the tabular forms to create this initial inventory and set of services. In either case, this information initiates the development of an architecture.

Once this initial data input is complete, the user can begin to customize the architecture, which is a necessary next step. Both the interview and tabular forms help the user identify and extract the pertinent National ITS Architecture pieces they require. In addition, Turbo Architecture allows the user to map and tailor local system names and descriptions to match local needs, services and systems. Multiple useful reports and diagrams are available for display and printing. The user can extend the elements defined in the National ITS Architecture by adding their own information flows and transportation elements for those areas not covered by the National ITS Architecture.

The user can create a file that can contain one regional architecture and multiple project architectures. Turbo Architecture allows a user to:

• Create a regional architecture
• Create a project architecture when no regional architecture exists
• Create a project architecture from an existing regional architecture
• Add a previously-defined project architecture to an existing regional architecture

Turbo Architecture helps the user integrate multiple project architectures both with each other and with a regional architecture. In addition, Turbo Architecture provides an initial start toward both architecture development and consistency with the National ITS Architecture. Turbo Architecture is a Windows application program which produces Microsoft Access 97-compatible data files that the user may further manipulate using Microsoft Access 97.

In order to properly use the Turbo Architecture tool, it is highly recommended that the Turbo Architecture user be familiar with the National ITS Architecture (this tool is not an introduction to the National ITS Architecture). Turbo Architecture will be bundled with a user’s manual and installation guide as well as on-line help, to facilitate ease of installation and productive use. The user’s manual will include case studies and advanced techniques to aid the user.