Use of mobile and web geospatial solutions to improve asset management and public welfare Shamsul Abdul Majid Director- Ennoble Consultancy – Melbourne Australia Mob: +61 425 707680 www:http://www.ennoble.com.au Email: smajid@ennoble.com.au Abstract: As IT systems mature, organisations are under great pressure to improve business processes through capable and think outside the square solutions that deliver immediate cost savings by collation of best of breed tools and data. Geospatial information and asset-aware solutions deliver unsurpassed ability for one to visualise static and moving assets over public domain map base such as Google Maps for general viewing and the TM MapBase for more outcome approach. Through the many layers available in the TM Map Base, asset managers are able to appreciate the relationship of their asset to its surroundings. This relationship is extended onto an outcome driven approach where mobility and web-based geospatial tools provide field crews and managers with the right tools to conduct time savings procedures better and faster than ever before. This paper and presentation will highlight the use of geospatial practices by non-geospatial users and managers to deliver better outcomes for governments, private industries and the public. Background As a TM Geospatial partner, Ennoble Consultancy has been actively involved in the development of web and mobile solutions aimed at streamlining workflows whilst setting up proactive reporting of asset maintenance and amenity issues.Most large organisations have service crews that travel on roads, conducting vital work and interacting with various aspects of residential, commercial and industrial properties. As part of the work, service crews often hard-written any issues of attention, such as faults, issues and consumer information. This is a tedious process requiring unstructured data recording and is not practised by all team members. Often, it is vital to ensure that assets that interact with these properties are maintained with information on its lifecycle available at the fingertips. Through many development and consultancy projects, EC has developed a range of geospatial asset management products that have been proven successful and beneficial to its users. These products cover a wide range of assets and through continual understanding and focus on the growing asset management industry, products are continually being developed and improved to suit the changing climate and financial environment. The core of these web and mobile products is the use of relevant map base and asset-centric work flows where it appeals to many layers of an organisation, thus extending the reach of geospatial awareness across the organisation by providing a better way to understand the location, condition and risk implications of assets that underpins good asset management.This document will describe several of those products, highlighting the appeal of geospatial information to non-geospatial users across a typical organisation. Geospatial Asset Management Applications The appeal of using maps to drive better business outcome is particularly evident when dealing with business units and/or organisations that cover a large geographical area. As IT systems mature, people within these organisations have an expectation that data is easily available across the organisation and using the latest means to connect people to systems, such as Wi-Fi and 3G/GPRS mobile networks, managers are beginning to understand that better work outcomes are possible when more staff have access to the right information. Fortunately, geospatial information is easy to use and through minimal training, most levels of an organisation are able to comprehend the benefits of using digital maps and geospatial tools to derive information in a different way. Thus, to date EC has developed geospatial products (listed below) that have been used by many levels of governments and the private sector, some of which will be discussed in this paper to demonstrate the attractiveness of geospatial information.
 Figure 1 - The right solution delivers the flexibility to integrate data between different organisations and groups Easy incident recording capability workflow The Waste Collection system bundled with an easy geospatial incident recording system was designed to make it as simple as possible for the trucks drivers to record information without any additional processes to their already busy work schedule. A digital sensor on the bin collector arm records the collection of each bin with date and time. The system places a green circle at the location of the collection spot with the aid of GPS receiver. This process occurs automatically and the driver does not have to do anything for it to happen. The only time the driver has to do anything is by pressing the buttons of the Incident Recording Box to report on non compliance issues and other notable amenity issues. This box is placed on the dashboard within easy reach of the driver and is linked to a Data Counter/Recorder. Each time a button is pushed, the system places a particular icon on the location on the web and mobile maps representing the item with date and time. The following items are contained in the Incident Recording Box:
 Figure 2 - Incident Recording Box with geospatial linking Tablet PC located in the middle console of the dual drive waste truck and connected to the following devices;
 Figure 3 - Waste collection and spatial incident recording components Outcome from an easy incident recording capability The Spatial Waste Collection System was expected to have features staff is able to utilise with minimal training. These include the following;
 The web-based Tree Management system allows every person with Intranet/Internet access to search for information on local trees with only authorised people can manipulate or change data. One of the most powerful things about geospatial information is the ability to display multiple levels of information on a map, providing instant multi-dimensional data presentation. For example, the tree management system provides the ability to overlay streets, waterways contours, powerlines with voltages, with poles and even service wires or underground power locations. It helps when developing tree pruning and tree planting to know what side of the street and what voltage in each street. Features such as aerial photo overlays and redlining to show location of works and other important information can then be emailed to crew or contractors. The search function allows the user to search on anything collected. For example, find all the Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gums) with a diameter greater than 90cm. Results are presented within seconds with hyperlinks to maps and extended reports on the screen. This can then be exported to Excel for further manipulation and emailed. Such features provide the ability for environmental managers to develop better water recycling programs by understanding the location of certain trees and works done to each tree. Risk Management made easy 
One of the main aspects of the tree management system is the easy to use web and mobile interface for recording of inspection and risk assessment. Risk assessment focuses on the likelihood of assets that may harm the public and through regular field-based assessment done via inspections forms below, risk assessment is done onsite, with direct data integration to the office web-environment for reporting. Asset pickup and delivery system to improve customer service and billing A typical government organisation often need to satisfy rate payers needs and associated billing pressures from contractors, particularly when it comes to amenities issues council assets. Through collaboration between a local government and its delivery contractors, EC was able to deploy an innovative asset pickup and delivery system that is driven by the need to know where to go, what to pickup and repeat the work as many time as possible to reduce costs. The Asset Pickup and Delivery system improves the existing paper-based customer service, where customer requests for asset pickups and delivery have been streamlined significantly through the clever overlays and presentation of map information and electronic booking sheets. Upon booking, the system will notify customer service of the next most suitable pickup date based on the previously assigned pickup regions and capacity of the trucks per day. This information is relayed verbally to the rate payer and electronically to the contractors to be ready for the pickup. Comprising the use of slate tabletpc with mobile maps for field contractors to send and receive bookings together with aid from the GPS to direct towards the closest pickup point, field contractors have been able to save effort and streamline processes thus reducing significant costs. Completed pickups are automatically relayed back to the booking system where invoicing are then electronically prepared. Main features:
Booking sheet on steroids A customer service is the first point of call for most organisations and the ability to provide better customer service outcome is paramount in ensure continual client patronage. In this example, the customer service booking sheet uses several map layers together, providing an instant view into the next scheduled asset pick up whilst picking up client details and asset to be picked up. Improved billings and contractor/client satisfaction Pick-ups that have been scheduled are uploaded to the delivery pickup trucks that will have directions and distance to travel to the pickup point readily available to the drivers. Drivers are able to update the status of the pickup with a single click on the application which gets uploaded to the web-based system, thus closing off the pickup and delivery work and instigating payment and invoicing processes.  Figure 6 - Complete workflow of the Asset Pickup and Delivery System Playgrounds management system for tracking expenditure and resource management Every aspect of playground management including mulching and maintenance schedule, equipment management and capital expenditure is managed through this geospatial web-based solution. Playgrounds are represented as polygons and overlaid over several types of map base data, providing information ranging from proximity to schools to square metre coverage of playground areas to manage equipment and under-surfacing management.  Figure 7 - Show playgrounds based on a number of criteria and conditions Features View playgrounds visually on map and colour coded on any attributes of the playground overlay inspection and work order information on playgrounds assign playground equipments to individual playgrounds create inspection sheets create maintenance records visually track progress of inspection and maintenance export almost any data into MS Excel format search playgrounds on virtually any aspect or attribute of any playgrounds All in one Asset Reporting As maps provide an easy way to visual assets, consumers are expecting that maps are also the focal point of associated asset information. Through easy to use point and click method, consumers are able to bring up detailed reports that combine the use of maps and textual information to generate unsurpassed amount of asset information presented in a single page. In the example below, an operator double-clicks on a playground polygon of the map to generate a report similar to below. Most of the fields in the report is dynamically generated based on the geospatial representation of the playground.  Figure 8 - Detailed playgrounds report linking geospatial data to relevant asset information including photos and inspections records Permits and infringement management system to enable shorter infringement recovery process One of the challenges of promoting geospatial as an improvement to data representation is ensuring that it saves time for all concern. In a recent implementation, EC has enabled the use of geospatial to shorten the time taken to manage the infringement process of a local government. Slate tabletpcs were equipped with digital map base and a very easy to use infringement form, allowing the operator to rapidly drive by a property, selects the property on the tabletpc and selects an associated infringement. With the aid of a GPS, the operator is confident that the correct property has been selected and assigned an infringement. These are then immediately transferred to the web-based infringement system where infringement documents are then printed. Managers and team leaders are able to monitor the tracking and lifecycle of the infringement through the representation of infringement status on maps and on various graphs and dashboards.  Figure 9 - Rapid assignment of infringement to a property  Figure 10 - Properties with various infringements assigned  Figure 11 - Complete workflow of the Permits and Infringement Geospatial System Environment management system to improve water use The use of geospatial also extends to assisting farmers in identifying the most appropriate time to irrigate their farms. This information will help farmers to use irrigation resources wisely for their financial benefit as well to save water for future needs. This system combines the use of scattered weather stations that the web-based system automatically interacts each morning to obtain precipitation, evapotranspiration and other relevant irrigation-dependant data and deliver these information as an aggregated result based on the geographical location of their farms. Other sources of data such as Bureau of Meteorology and local water authorities are also aggregated in real-time. Irrigation information is presented at regular intervals via SMS, Email, and Fax.  Figure 12 - System generated chart based on FAO56 and Hargreaves to calculate current and future evaporative data Main features: Ability to retrieve communication and precipitation data from various DPI Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and Melbourne Water AWS Ability to publish text or graphical information to farmers through fax, SMS and email Ability for farmers to view detail evaporative and precipitation information relevant to their location using graphs and tables Ability to view any specific AWS data through an AWS website, which includes climate data in a set format Asset and vehicle tracking to monitor on travel behaviours Vehicle Tracking System is nowadays commonly used by fleet operators for fleet management functions such as routing, dispatch, on-board information and security. When managing a fleet of vehicles, knowing the real-time location of the vehicles allows more efficient management to meet customer needs at lower cost. Vehicle Tracking Solution developed by EC combines the use of GPS (Global Positioning System), GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), and the most widely used Google Maps, to produce a much more powerful all-in-one solution to vehicle tracking, making vehicle tracking more accurate and easier than ever, and enhancing effective and efficient fleet management. With EC Vehicle Tracking Solution, and the use of GPS Tracking Device with built-in GSM module, vehicles can be tracked in real-time with accuracy, using inexpensive devices such as cell phones or personal computers with telephony or internet connection. Vehicle location can be viewed on the user-friendly Google Maps interface through the online application, and the work progress and activities can be accessed in real-time.  Figure 14 - Use geospatial to locate asset and understand travel behaviours Main features:
Rich geospatial websites to reach a wider audience Location and reports of underground water bores – Ballarat University With the maturity of web technologies and introduction of Web 2.0 applications, consumers are expecting to use their web browser to conduct more business activities.  The example below is one that was done to meet the demands of external consultants that service the water authority in this area. The water authority needed a way to reduce the amount of time taken by its staff to resolve queries by these consultants and the public on the location and information of its underground water bores. Each water bore comes with a myriad of information including water reading, previous information and reports and the website below resolved the entire process by extending the typically desktop-bound operations done by the water authorities, to the web without losing any functionality or information.  Explore Australia Travel Website Similar to the water bore example above, fast air and land transportation has enable more people to travel further and more frequency and this opens up enormous commercial opportunity for travel and tourism focused companies to obtain more sales. EC has developed a rich travel website that is actually driven by the content that are published by the freelance content writers and supplemented by the AutoCAD –based cartographers. By simply introducing a rich Web 2.0 travel website, internal processes on managing tourist sites, update the web-maps with detailed maps and engage the public and advertisers to generate revenue, are done through a single rich website.  The EAP travel website stretches the bounds of geospatial websites by being geospatial aware, providing rich content on the map that drives every other text on the website.With the maturity of web technologies and introduction of Web 2.0 applications, consumers are expecting to use their web browser to conduct more business activities. The example below is one that was done to meet the demands of external consultants that service the water authority in this area. The water authority needed a way to reduce the amount of time taken by its staff to resolve queries by these consultants and the public on the location and information of its underground water bores. Each water bore comes with a myriad of information including water reading, previous information and reports and the website below resolved the entire process by extending the typically desktop-bound operations done by the water authorities, to the web without losing any functionality or information. Geospatial building and facility management to driver audit and compliance Geospatial data often misses out the exposure to people with focus on building and indoor assets. Through strong understanding of CAD, EC has been able to combined CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings, often in DXF/DWG format with the focus on geospatial asset management to deliver PDA applications that are easy to use in indoor areas. Assets, indoor or outdoor are susceptable to the same public exposure that demand assets to be well taken care of. Clients in the facility management industry, covering universities, casino and other types of building facility management have begin realising the benefits of using geospatial representation through CiMAS - Computerised Information Management Access System. CiMAS is a sophisticated PDA data collection and audit/inspection dissemination tool that harnesses the combined power of wireless handheld technology and the mobile network, including the Internet. Using a web server together with PDA-based forms that represent any types of facility management tasks such as Occupational Health and Safety Audits, Cleaning assessment and presentation, CIMAS is useful for data to be accurately collected over small confined physical areas, such as factories, warehouses, refineries, shopping centres, public transport networks and so on. Because it is wirelessly connected to the Internet, data can be uploaded at any time and automatically made available to any number of registered CIMAS users. One of the key benefits of CIMAS is its flexibility. It can be used across multiple industry sectors for a diverse range of tasks, including:
The user can also download and upload required forms depending on their requirements. As the forms are summarised by industry type, it makes it easy for the user to select a report that’s suitable for them. The system incorporates sophisticated security capabilities, enabling the creation of individual user profiles. Conclusion One of the major strategies in improving the use of geospatial products and map base is exposure to people whom are yet to realise the benefits of using geospatial information. Often, these are decision makers and field crews who face daily work challenges that could easily be simplified by using geospatial tools and digital maps. One of the key challenges ensuring the right information is delivered to the appropriate person at the right time, using the combination of maturing communication infrastructure, computer hardware and layers of geospatial information. Geospatial data needs to be used by the masses and akin to emails, when one masters and is familiar with the use and approach of the geospatial discipline, greater outcome is inevitable. |