Release Notes for the IHSDM 2006 Public Release

Overview

The IHSDM 2006 Public Release includes significant enhancements to the user interface,
documentation, data hierarchy and functionality.

The graphical user interface (GUI) was redesigned based upon feedback by users, obtained
through both a formal user evaluation and informal feedback. The new interface is intended to be
more intuitive, with Wizards now available to provide more positive guidance in leading the user
through the IHSDM workflow, from establishing projects and importing/entering highway data, to
performing safety evaluations and accessing evaluation results.

Also in response to user feedback, the documentation was restructured, and the content updated
and expanded. Documentation is now accessed via a user-friendly Help Browser, which allows
easy navigation of the extensive contents.

The old User/Project/Analysis/Highway data hierarchy has evolved into a new

User/Project/Highway - Intersection/Evaluation structure. Conceptually, Highways and
Intersections are now on the same level, and include the concept of “versions” to capture the
temporal nature of such data. Through an optional Workflow Wizard, Projects and
Highways/Intersections can be created, and Evaluations established. Evaluations can then be
conducted on Highways/Intersections via an Evaluation Wizard, using the IHSDM safety
evaluation modules (i.e., Policy Review, Crash Prediction, Design Consistency, Traffic Analysis
and Intersection Review). Results are provided in Evaluation Reports (which are almost identical
to the old Analysis Reports). User, Project, Highway, Intersection and Evaluation entities are
represented as “nodes” in the main interface’s navigation tree, which explicitly shows the
relationship between data levels and affords direct access to operations which users can perform on
those entities.

Users of the IHSDM 2004 Release can quickly convert their old (Project/Analysis/Highway) data
to the new (Project/Highway – Intersection) framework via the “File” > “Convert Legacy Data”
option on the IHSDM main menu.
Summary of Changes to IHSDM Software (from 2004 Release to 2006 Release)

IHSDM Data Hierarchy

The old User/Project/Analysis/Highway data hierarchy has evolved into a new

User/Project/Highway - Intersection/Evaluation structure. Conceptually, Highways and
Intersections are now on the same level, and include the concept of “versions” to capture the
temporal nature of such data. Through an optional Workflow Wizard, Projects and
Highways/Intersections can be created, and Evaluations established.

Evaluations can then be conducted on Highways/Intersections via an Evaluation Wizard, using the
IHSDM safety evaluation modules (i.e., Policy Review, Crash Prediction, Design Consistency,
Traffic Analysis and Intersection Review).

The Analysis data level (previously associated with a Project and a Highway) was removed.

User, Project, Highway, Intersection and Evaluation entities are represented as “nodes” in the main
interface’s navigation tree, which explicitly shows the relationship between data levels and affords
direct access to operations which users can perform on those entities.

Appearance (GUI)

The main components of the new IHSDM graphical user interface (GUI) include a Navigation
Tree, a Desktop area, and a Button Panel. The GUI also includes a menu bar – which gives access
to all IHSDM operations and Help/documentation – and a Message Box. All toolbar buttons were
removed from the interface.

 Navigation Tree: An area on the left side of the new user interface that shows the
hierarchical relationships between the main IHSDM data levels. Each node in the tree
represents an element of the data organization framework (i.e. Users, Projects, Highways,
Intersections, and Evaluations).
 Desktop: An area on the right side of the new interface on which the operational interfaces
are displayed.
 Button Panel: displays the operations that may be performed on the currently selected
navigation tree node.

Other changes made to the user interface include:

 Table Fonts and Table Header Fonts: Options for changing these were added to
“Preferences > Start Up.”*
 Properties:
o User Properties: The new "Properties" User Operation provides access to a User
Properties and Default Values interface. The "Edit > Preferences" main menu
option also contains some items previously accessed via the old User Properties.
 o Project, Highway, and Intersection Properties: The "Properties" options in Project,
Highway, and Intersection Operations provide access to project, highway and
intersection level properties and default values, respectively, if set by the user.
o Default values are not editable through the Properties interfaces, but rather by right-
clicking where values are used in the Evaluation Wizard (e.g., the user can change
the default Policy for Policy Review evaluations by right-clicking on the Policy
item in the Set Policy Review Attributes screen of the Evaluation Wizard).
 Module Default Values: The new "Properties" User Operation now contains the module
default values.
 Horizontal Alignment Report: No longer available as a separate option.
 CPM Segment Data Report: No longer available as a separate option.
 Clear Status Area: No longer available.

Workflow

A Workflow Wizard and an Evaluation Wizard were added to guide users through the process of
establishing Projects/Highways - Intersections/Evaluations and evaluating highway designs using
the five IHSDM safety evaluation modules.

 The Workflow Wizard replaces the old Project/Analysis/Highway Wizard. The Wizard
guides the user through the process of creating/selecting Projects, Highways, Intersections
and Evaluations.
 Evaluation Wizard: A set of screens that leads the user through the Evaluation Process. An
Evaluation can be conducted on a highway or intersection.
 The old Project/Analysis/Highway and tab-based modules interface was replaced by the
new user interface (i.e., the "Navigation Tree," "Desktop," and "Button Panel.")
 The old Open Previous option to open the previously loaded Project/Analysis is no longer
needed due to the new data organization.
 View Saved Analysis Graph was replaced by “Tools > Open Saved Graph.”*
 View Highway Graph was renamed as “View Graph.”*

Project

 Manage Projects: Managing a project is now conducted directly via the Navigation Tree
project node.

Highway/Intersection

 Version: The concept of Highway/Intersection Versions has been added to capture the
temporal nature of highway data. When the user modifies any highway or intersection data,
an option is provided to either update the current “version” or save the
highway/intersection as a new “version.” All versions of a highway/intersection are
accessible until deleted by the user. The concept of highway/intersection “versions” is
intended to represent different “snap shots” of the same design alternative. Different design
alternatives are logically represented by different highways/intersections than by different
“versions” of the same IHSDM highway/intersection.
  Current Version: The current version of a highway or an intersection is that shown in the
navigation tree. The highway/intersection operations are conducted on the current version.
 Version History: This operation brings up a list of available versions of the selected
highway or intersection, and allows the user to choose/manage those versions.
 The old Re-import in Edit Highway was made obsolete by the new “Version” concept.
 Data Editing During Evaluation: Data editing interfaces are opened via the Data Issues
screen in the Evaluation Wizard, and the user is now given the option to either “Update”
the current version of the highway/intersection or “Save as new version” of the
highway/intersection.*
 Version Update/Save As New in Preferences: Options were added to “Preferences >
Controls” to either “Always Update Current Version” or “Always Save as New Version”
when data editing interfaces are opened via the Data Issues screens in the Evaluation
Wizard.*
 Copy Network replaced the old Highway Cloning: Copy Network copies all
highways/intersections that are directly or indirectly connected to the selected highway.
 Managing Highway Datasets: now conducted directly via the Navigation Tree highway
node.
 Import Highway/Intersection (under Project Operations) replaced the old Import Highway.
 Export Network (under Highway/Intersection Operations) replaced the old Export
Highway: Export Network exports the data for the selected Highway/Intersection and all
other highways and intersections that are directly or indirectly connected to the selected
highway/intersection. This operation is no longer available through the Highway Editor.
 The old Import TWOPAS Data option is no longer available.

Evaluation

Evaluations are under Highways and Intersections in the IHSDM data hierarchy. An Evaluation is
a container of a set of evaluation module parameters, a set of properties, and a set of default
parameter values.

There are four evaluation types currently available for highways (Policy Review, Crash Prediction,
Design Consistency, and Traffic Analysis) and one type for intersections (Intersection Diagnostic
Review). Each evaluation carries a set of evaluation attributes related to the corresponding
evaluation module.

 To conduct a new evaluation: after selecting a highway on the navigation tree, choosing
“New Evaluation” from the Highway Operations menu/Button Panel allows the user to
begin either a Policy Review, Crash Prediction, Design Consistency or Traffic Analysis
evaluation. Selecting an intersection and “New Evaluation” from the Intersection
Operations menu or button panel allows the user to run an Intersection Diagnostic
evaluation.
 Re-run Evaluation: This operation allows the user to use (copy) the attributes of an existing
evaluation as a starting point for populating attributes of a new evaluation. The user can
then modify the attributes as needed during the evaluation process (via the Evaluation
Wizard).
  The old Missing/Incomplete Data Query was replaced by a "Data Issues" step in the new
Evaluation Wizard, which evaluates available data vs. data required and/or used in the
evaluation process and provides an opportunity to edit missing/incomplete data elements.
 Analysis Report: Replaced by Evaluation Report.
 The old Analysis Report Index, Start A New Analysis Report, Clear Analysis Report, and
View Analysis Log functions are no longer applicable and have been removed.
 The old Use Crash Data option is no longer available in the Intersection Diagnostic
Review Module.

Documentation

 The overall documentation structure and much of the content have been revised. A topic-
driven Help Browser is provided to improve access to IHSDM documentation. The Help
Browser includes a “Contents” panel and search capabilities to allow easy navigation of the
documentation.
 The old User Documentation Summary is no longer applicable and has been removed.

To Use Legacy Data (Projects/Highways) Created using the IHSDM 2004 Public Release Software

 “Convert Legacy Data”: A new data framework has been implemented in the 2006 Public
Release. Projects and Highways created in the 2004 Public Release can be converted to
Projects/Highways-Intersections in the 2006 Release via the “File” > "Convert Legacy
Data" option on the main menu. A wizard guides the user through the automated
conversion process. This option does not convert legacy Analysis Reports into the new
release.

* Update made since the May 2006 Preview Version of the 2006 Public Release