MDOT Construction Manual Content Revision Procedures
Construction Manual Change Process
Suggested revisions to the MDOT Construction Manual are welcome from all users. The more users help improve the content, the more it improves the guidance for all other users.
To make a revision suggestion to the Construction Manual please email MDOT-ConstructionManual@michigan.gov
Types of Changes
Typically there are three types of changes:
- Type 1: Spelling/Grammatical/Error Correction/Clarification Changes– These types of changes will not require additional approval processes or assembly of review teams.
- By clarification the intent is best described in the following example:
- The use of the acronym ITS throughout an article in the Wiki Constructional Manual. Shortly after publishing the article numerous calls come in asking what does ITS mean. The clarification would be a revision to the first occurrence of ITS in the article to appear as Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).
- By clarification the intent is best described in the following example:
- Type 2: Minor Process Changes – These could be updates in a form required for inspection with instructions on how to complete the form. Items to be aware of during inspection of an item of work etc.
- Type 3: Major Changes – Changes that will have a statewide impact to the delivery of the program either monetarily, staffing, equipment, procedural, material and documentation requirements. Type 3 Major Changes are noted in the Major Changes Table on the main page and included in the Construction Manual Quarterly updates sent to the CFS listserv.
Content Changes/Submissions
Changes or suggestions should be submitted to the MDOT-ConstructionManual@michigan.gov resource email.
New content submissions should be drafted per the MDOT Construction Manual Style Guide and formatted to match the standard Construction Manual Content Template. This will help all sections of the Construction Manual have a familiar format and structure for the users.
Content Managers Review Team
The Content Manager will typically set up a review team, consisting of subject matter experts to review the validity of suggested changes. The team can be made up of direct reports, industry partners, FHWA, etc. Essentially the team can be made up of anyone who the Content Manager feels will be able to provide the best review and input for the suggested change.
Review Process
The Wiki format allows for the Construction Manual to be continuously updated to remain current with changing practice. CFS has been communicating information on new and/or updated procedures and processes through Construction Manual Updates (CMU). The process for revising the Construction Manual is based on the impact that the change will have and is defined below:
Type 1: Spelling/Grammatical/Clarification Change
- These changes do not require additional approval processes.
Type 2: Minor Process Changes
- This may require assembly of a team of subject matter experts to review the wording and create any supporting information for the change.
- An independent review by another content manager or other unit within the department should be conducted as a check for understandability of the revision and to verify that the revision is not a major change.
- Approval by the Engineer of CFS is required prior to publishing a type 2 change to the Wiki Construction Manual. The Engineer of CFS will determine if the change should be coordinated with the FHWA and discuss with an FHWA representative before approval if necessary.
Type 3: Major changes that have a statewide impact to the delivery of the program.
- Once a suggested major change is submitted to the content manager, a team of subject matter experts is assembled to review the suggested change for technical merit, economic impact, staffing impact, industry impacts, etc. This same team will provide comments on the content of the update.
- If it is deemed that the change is beneficial or required of the department then the content manager will format the revision following a style that is similar for that section of the Construction Manual.
- The CFS Construction Administration Section will then submit the update for a two week region review period.
- Once all comments are received they will be addressed by the author and provided to the Region Engineer Liaisons to the Bureau of Field Services (BFS), BFS leadership (Bureau Director, Deputy Bureau Director, Engineer of Operations Field Services and Engineer of Construction Field Services), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review and approval. The addressed comment document and the revised construction manual update will also be sent to the Statewide Alignment Construction Team for region knowledge. After approval is received from the Region Engineer Liaisons to BFS, BFS leadership and the FHWA the change is published in the Wiki Construction Manual.