Determination of the research of computer-based technologies for urban traffic systems some experiences in project organisation and management

Research and development activities concerning urban traffic systems are the subject of a long-standing program at the German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology. A fairly recent field of investigation is the deployment of computer-based technologies in urban traffic situations. The German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology has sponsored a study to determine a comprehensive middle-term research-program for these technologies.
The study contained the following steps of investigation:
(1) Determining possible areas of deployment for computer-based technologies.
(2) Selecting deployment areas from those generated.
(3) For the deployment areas selected, deriving the required research activities, coordinating and consolidating them into a research program.
Because of the comprehensive nature of urban traffic the know-how and results from many and diverse scientific disciplines had to be incorporated into the study.
As the study has significant real-life consequences for the direction and funding of urban traffic research by the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology it had to be ensured that its outcomes were operational.
To arrive at an operational research program, the study required inputs from areas, in addition to the scientific disciplines:
(a) politics (traffic policies in general, research and funding strategies etc.)
(b) industries (manufacturers of vehicles, electronic parts etc.) and traffic operating authorities.
Some experiences gained in managing the project are reported in this paper. They pertain to the study described. Hopefully, they can be put to use in some other projects of comparable structure and objectives.