Abstract
GIS as a Focus for Field Computing Systems Track: Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Author(s): Randal Rios, Thomas Dollente Integration of historically office-bound GIS systems into the field-computing environment promises large benefits for utilities but also high up-front costs, long schedules, and substantial risks. In April 2002, the City of Phoenix Water Services Department (WSD) launched the Mobile Applications Program Solution project, or MAPS, to plan, design, and implement an enterprise mobile solution for WSD's 450 field crews. GIS was envisioned as a focal point that will provide a familiar interface to the myriad of systems and data available at WSD. WSD has focused on incremental deployment of features through a staged implementation schedule. This creates a long project timeline but, on the positive side, has provided WSD time to understand the dynamics of the technology and how it can be best integrated into the organization. This paper will explore the technical and organizational challenges with delivering high-value GIS data into this dynamic and difficult environment--utility field operations. Randal Rios City of Phoenix Water Services Department 6202 North 24th Street Building 2 Phoenix , AZ 85016 US Phone: 602.262.4896 E-mail: randal.rios@phoenix.gov Thomas Dollente Spacient Technologies, Inc. 445 South Figueroa Street Suite 2600 Los Angeles , CA 90071 US Phone: 213.612.7734 E-mail: tom@spacient.com |
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