Introduction
The current project aims to introduce Intelligent Traffic Systems, or Smart Traffic Lights Systems, as an innovation that would help to improve road traffic situation in cities and suburban areas. The implementation of this system is expected to lead to a number of positive outcomes. First, it will decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehicle idling time. Second, it will minimize idle intersection time, which will increase throughput. Finally, it will be compatible with existing traffic light automation control systems, which makes it possible to incorporate this system into current infrastructure with minimal invasion (Lee & Chiu, 2020). To establish this change, Agile model can be applied as one of the most effective change methods in APM.
Change Management in the Agile Approach
Agile approach is widely applied in change management due to the fact that it allows the projects to evolve in a flexible and time-efficient manner. Some of the main areas of focus in this model are time and cost constraints that need to be set by the business. Depending on these factors, project managers and change managers produce a solution that meets those needs. As a result, Agile model helps to deliver changes on time and to cost. The philosophy behind these strengths of the approach is based on the fact that in Agile, features are the main variable. The power and dynamics of Agile are achieved by prioritizing each element or aspect of the feature and delivering them as the business’s critical functions, or Must Haves. Features and their aspects that are considered to have lower priorities fall in the Should Have and Could Have categories; developers make less commitment to them, focusing on the elements of the highest priority.
Intelligent Traffic Systems and Agile
It can be argued that intelligent traffic systems could be introduced according to this approach. Thus, the Must Haves of the project would include strategical placement of sensors at the intersections. In addition, the highest priorities would be applications such as “emergency vehicle signal preemption (EVSP), public transport signal priority (TSP), adaptive traffic signal control (ATSC), eco-driving supporting” (Lee & Chiu, 2020, p. 508). Meanwhile, message broadcasting would be in the Should Have category, and Could Haves would include other features connected to the development and improvement of the prioritized elements.
Another way in which Agile would make the introduction of this change possible is through creating a flexible and cohesive workflow management processes in the teams that will be working on the project in APM. Iterative development will allow using protocols, such as modelling and testing, in a way that encourages improvements that are informative and enriching before the final version of the product is produced. In regard with the smart traffic systems, safety is the matter of utmost importance. Therefore, testing is a crucial step to ensure that all the systems and applications are developed according to the safety protocols. This is made possible due to the fact that the delivery team in Agile is generally a small, multi-skilled group that constantly engages with each other and with the receiving organization. In this project, the organization will be represented by the municipal administration. As a result, the Agile strategies used to implement this change will ensure that the organization’s environment is favorable, processes are stable, and stakeholders are accountable.
Impediments to the Introduction of Smart Traffic Lights Systems
A major impediment to the introduction of Intelligent Traffic Systems is the fact that many vehicles on the roads are not able to communicate with the systems used by authorities to regulate traffic lights. The solution to this problem would be promoting the smart traffic lights application and encouraging more drivers to use it on their cell phones. Another challenge related to the introduction of Intelligent Traffic Systems are the “errors in the accuracy of sensing congestion during multiple and simultaneous vehicular honking”, which restricts the technique of using sensors at specific locations (Ravish & Swamy, 2021, p. 173). The solution to this problem is the development of improved, machine-learning sensors that collect data which can be used for detecting traffic congestion, mitigating and preventing it.
The third challenge is presented by the inaccuracies in predictions of travel time. Recent research and the experiments conducted on predicting travel time in smart traffic lights systems have shown that the percentage of these errors is still relatively high (Ravish & Swamy, 2021). To solve this issue, Ravish and Swamy (2021) have identified three types of approaches: parametric, non-parametric, and hybrid solutions. These approaches can help to identify what traffic systems are more appropriate for different locations.
Conclusion
Traffic-related issues are currently among the topical problems in many cities and suburban areas. Vehicle congestion, traffic jams, and pollution are some of the interconnected outcomes caused by the inefficient traffic management. The smart traffic lights system introduced by the project in question will allow minimizing and in certain cases eliminating these major traffic-related challenges. Agile change management approach can be applied to ensure successful implementation of the change, because it is a flexible model that allows continuous improvement and development of the systems.
References
Lee, W., & Chiu, C. (2020). Design and implementation of a smart traffic signal control system for smart city applications.Sensors, 20(2), 508-526.
Ravish, R., & Swamy, S. R. (2021). Intelligent Traffic Management: A Review of Challenges, Solutions, and Future Perspectives.Transport and Telecommunication, 22(2), 163-182.