Matching OD study types to your project goals
When working with the OD Module, the first step is choosing the right OD type for the study objective. Each OD type - whether region-based, selected link/region, or flow links - has been designed with a different perspective in mind. Picking the right study type ensures the analysis answers the questions decision-makers actually care about.
With that in mind, here’s how the four OD study types differ, and the types of studies they are best designed for.
1. Region-based OD study type
iNode’s Region-based OD tool is optimized to analyze trips between user-defined regions. It can be applied at both microscopic and macroscopic levels, for example, in cut-through traffic studies at the neighborhood scale or in large-scale analyses such as transportation master plans.
What it is
- Trips are aggregated between user-defined regions (polygons).
- Produces a trip table (OD matrix) with flows between origins and destinations.
Designed for
Regional & macro-level studies where you want to understand where trips start and end, such as:
- Travel demand modeling (feeding TAZ-based models).
- Long-range planning and land use studies.
- Evaluating accessibility and distribution of trips (e.g., from suburbs to CBD).
- Before/after network changes (new freeway, transit hub, airport).
Output
- OD matrices between regions, trip length distributions, and time-of-day distributions.
2. Selected link/region OD study type
iNode’s Selected link/region analysis is an OD tool that enables you to evaluate traffic flow along a specific road segment or an area within a road network. The algorithms calculate the distribution of inbound and outbound tips connected to the selected segment/region within a radius of 5 to 50 kilometers from the user-selected link; and from 5 to 10 km from the user- selected region.
2.1 Selected link OD tool
Selected link analysis allows you to understand how trips are distributed around a specific road segment of interest. This provides valuable insights into corridor performance, the reach of a roadway, and the travel demand it attracts or disperses within the chosen distance band.
What it is
- Trips are traced based on whether they traverse certain road links (segments).
Designed for
Corridor & facility studies where you want to know who uses this road and where they come from/go to, such as:
- Corridor diversion or bypass analysis.
- Toll road or managed lane usage.
- Bridge/arterial bottleneck impact.
- Safety and congestion management at specific links.
Output
- Number of trips that cross the selected link(s).
- Trip counts of incoming and outgoing segments
2.2 Selected region OD tool
Selected region analysis allows you to understand how trips are distributed around a specific region of interest.
What it is
- Trips are filtered based on entering, exiting, or passing through a user-defined area (polygon).
Designed for
Impact & neighborhood-level studies where you want to know what trips are generated by or attracted to an area:
- Stadium/event center traffic (inflow and outflow).
- Development impact studies (new mall, office district).
- Environmental studies (sensitive areas, residential cut-through).
- Border crossings (who crosses into a jurisdiction and from where).
Output
- Trips entering/leaving the area
- Trip counts on the segments coming to the area and leaving the area
- Alternative routes
3. Flow links OD study type
Flow links is similar to Region-based OD tool, providing you with an OD matrix - the number of trips between a selected origin and destination. However, the Region-based OD tool restricts you to selecting a single via region in the results. Flow links, however, offers enhanced flexibility. You can select multiple via regions or even query all possible trips occurring between a specified origin and destination, including routes passing through various combinations of areas. For instance, consider an area divided into three regions. Flow links can help analyze how many trips occurred between these regions and from these regions to external areas (anywhere outside these three regions). This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of travel patterns, enabling you to see connections not only within the defined regions but also with external regions, providing a more complete picture of regional mobility.
What it is
- Reports trip flows between two or more regions.
- Builds a micro-level trip list.
Designed for
Detailed operational or micro studies where you want detailed movements between zones:
- Analysing trip sequences, including external regions and multiple via points
- Intersection approach-to-approach studies.
Output
- Trip sequence
- Very granular; captures precise directional flows.
Table of contents
- Matching OD study types to your project goals
- 1. Region-based OD study type
- What it is
- Designed for
- Output
- 2. Selected link/region OD study type
- 2.1 Selected link OD tool
- What it is
- Designed for
- Output
- 2.2 Selected region OD tool
- What it is
- Designed for
- Output
- 3. Flow links OD study type
- What it is
- Designed for
- Output