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Learn

The Learn section provides a Quick Start Guide to using INVEST and also provides a comprehensive Guided Tour of INVEST by discussing sustainability in general, sustainability for highways in particular, and then dives into  who, how and when to, use each INVEST module. The last section within the Learn section, Using INVEST to Accomplish Your Goals, cites specific examples of how transportation agencies across the US are using INVEST to advance and instill better business practices, facilitate sustainability on projects and programs, educate staff and stakeholders to improve understanding of sustainable practices, and promote internal and external communication and outreach.

Additionally, for resources to create printed materials and presentations on INVEST, an INVEST User Toolkit is available here for download. The user toolkit contains a fact sheet, user guide, and slide presentation. The fact sheet provides basic information about INVEST. The user guide includes a quick start guide, background information, overview of the modules, information on functions such as collaborate, tips on setting up a scoring workshop, and specific examples of how transportation agencies used INVEST criteria to evaluate, score, and improve their level of sustainability. The slide presentation offers an overview of INVEST. You can customize it in order to make your own presentation to your organization or stakeholders.

Quick Start Guide

Step One: Navigate INVEST. Review information in the Learn tab to learn about sustainable highways and about INVEST. Click on the Criteria tab to browse criteria in each of the modules. If you would like examples of how other projects and agencies have used INVEST, check out the case studies and criterion examples, available on the Resources tab. Most of the information on the website does not require registering to view. However, when you are ready to start scoring, you will need to register.

Step Two: Register. Click on the Register link in the upper right hand corner of the home page. Fill in all of the fields in the Registration form and click Continue.

Step Three: Log Into Your Account. You will receive an e-mail acknowledging your registration. It will contain your user name and password. Return to the INVEST home page and click on the Login link directly above the Register link you used earlier.

Step Four: My Workspace. Once you have logged on, you can access the My Workspace page. It will give you two options – Scoring Tutorial and Start a New Project or Program. For more detailed information about navigating the Score tab,  review the Scoring Tutorial.

Step Five: Evaluate a Project or Program. To start evaluating a new project or program with INVEST, select Start a New Project or Program on the Score Tab page. This option will link you to a Program or Project Registration page where you will enter your project or program information. This will ensure your project or program is saved and accessible in your My Workspace page.

Within the registration page, asterisked fields are required; all other fields are optional. In addition to basic information about the program or project, the registration page asks for the INVEST module that will be used  and the preferred scorecard (for Project Development module only).

If necessary, the information provided on the registration page may be edited later. However, it is important for the Project Development module to select the appropriate scorecard. This cannot be changed later without deleting the project and then registering it again. Once the registration information is entered, select Continue, the INVEST website will confirm registration and then direct you to the Scorecard page.

Once the program or project is registered, the user can select Continue an Existing Program or Project on the Score Tab page or select My Workspace on the webpage header bar. Either will take the user to the My Workspace page.

INVEST User Toolkit

The user toolkit contains a fact sheet, user guide, and slide presentation. The fact sheet provides basic information about INVEST. The user guide includes a quick start guide background information, overview of the modules, information on functions such as collaborate, tips on setting up a scoring workshop, and specific examples of how transportation agencies used INVEST criteria to evaluate, score, and improve their level of sustainability. The slide presentation offers an overview of INVEST. You can customize it order to make your own presentation to your organization or stakeholders.

Begin the INVEST Guided Tour

This "Guided Tour" enables users to learn about sustainability and how to use each module of INVEST to evaluate transportation programs and projects. To navigate the “guided tour” in the Learn section, select “next” on the bottom of each page to move through the topics sequentially, or select a topic from the Quick Links on the right-hand side of the screen to jump to a specific topic.

Guided Tour> About Sustainability and Highways