Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data (2025)
Chapter: Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions
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Appendix B: Detailed Questionnaire Results
APPENDIX C
NCHRP Topic 55-02 Case Example Interview
NCHRP Topic 55-02 Case Example Interview
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
APPENDIX C
Case Example Interview Questions
NCHRP Topic 55-02 Case Example Interview
March 2024
Dear Transportation Professional,
The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) under the sponsorship of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is preparing NCHRP 20-05/Topic 55-02 synthesis on “Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) Data.”
Recently, we distributed a questionnaire to state departments of transportation (DOTs) to survey their practices on collecting, managing, and using lidar data. Your DOT responded with interest in a follow up discussion to serve as a case example related to the use of lidar. Our research team believes you will be an excellent candidate for this interview.
We would like to schedule a 1-hour interview with you to learn more about effective applications and practices your DOT has associated with lidar. To help you prepare, please see the attached list of questions. At your earliest convenience, please complete the following poll to schedule a time for the interview: http://whenisgood.net/dnakiq2
Thank you for your time in providing this information for the synthesis. We will compile our notes from the interview into a short write-up to be included in the synthesis. We will provide you with an opportunity to review the text before publication to verify its accuracy. If you have any questions, please contact me.
Michael Olsen, Ph.D.
Professor of Geomatics
School of Civil and Construction Engineering
Oregon State University
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
NCHRP Topic 55-02 Case Example Interview
March 2024
Section 1: Background
- Record the name/position/division/state DOT of Interviewee.
- Please briefly describe your organization’s experience in utilizing lidar data.
- Please describe any innovative practices or uses of lidar data within your DOT that could serve as a model for others?
Section 2: Benefits and Challenges
- Which application(s) of lidar technology has led to the most substantial benefits for your organization? What are those benefits?
- What are the primary challenges your organization faces in leveraging lidar technology, and how are these being addressed? What is preventing the wider adoption of 3D and lidar technology?
Section 3: Data Management
- How is lidar data managed at your organization? How long are data archived? What IT investments have been made?
- How often is lidar data shared between subgroups within your organization and how is this facilitated?
- What does the process of data mining of lidar data look like within your organization? What automation tools are being used?
- How does your DOT ensure the interoperability of lidar data with other geospatial datasets and systems currently in use as well as to provide data to support initiatives, mandates or reporting requirements (e.g., MIRE, MMUCC, FARS, HPMS, BMS)?
Section 4: Experience Gained
- What are some practices your DOT has found effective to make the business case for the use of lidar data? Are there some specific examples of high Return on Investment that your DOT has seen?
- What Quality Assurance practices are in place with lidar data within your organization and how are those implemented? Are the practices effective in communicating important metadata such as the accuracy of the data?
- What are the top 3 lessons learned by your organization with adoption of lidar technology?
- How does your DOT address the training and professional development needs of staff working with lidar technology to ensure they remain at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field?
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Section 5: Future Plans and Initiatives
- In what ways has your DOT collaborated with academic institutions or research bodies on lidar technology, and what have been the outcomes of such collaborations?
- How does your DOT plan to address the need for scalability in lidar data collection and analysis as the volume of data grows with future projects?
- What topics for future research associated with lidar data would be most beneficial to your DOT?
What other comments would your DOT like to provide?
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications:
| A4A | Airlines for America |
| AAAE | American Association of Airport Executives |
| AASHO | American Association of State Highway Officials |
| AASHTO | American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials |
| ACI–NA | Airports Council International–North America |
| ACRP | Airport Cooperative Research Program |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| APTA | American Public Transportation Association |
| ASCE | American Society of Civil Engineers |
| ASME | American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials |
| ATA | American Trucking Associations |
| CTAA | Community Transportation Association of America |
| CTBSSP | Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program |
| DHS | Department of Homeland Security |
| DOE | Department of Energy |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration |
| FAST | Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (2015) |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| FMCSA | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
| FRA | Federal Railroad Administration |
| FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
| GHSA | Governors Highway Safety Association |
| HMCRP | Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| ISTEA | Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 |
| ITE | Institute of Transportation Engineers |
| MAP-21 | Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012) |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NASAO | National Association of State Aviation Officials |
| NCFRP | National Cooperative Freight Research Program |
| NCHRP | National Cooperative Highway Research Program |
| NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| PHMSA | Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration |
| RITA | Research and Innovative Technology Administration |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers |
| SAFETEA-LU | Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (2005) |
| TCRP | Transit Cooperative Research Program |
| TEA-21 | Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998) |
| TRB | Transportation Research Board |
| TSA | Transportation Security Administration |
| U.S. DOT | United States Department of Transportation |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Case Example Interview Questions." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices for Collecting, Managing, and Using Light Detection and Ranging Data. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/29042.
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