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Business Evolution & Platform Migration
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Migrating to an enterprise GIS
Obstacles/Risks
There are several major obstacles/risks with the enterprise GIS approach. These are associated with:
- Data Accuracy
The GFIS data was digitized from different sources that have different levels of accuracy. As a
result, the absolute accuracy of the data is a concern. Relative accuracy of the data is adequate to
meet the needs of electric distribution. However, higher levels of absolute accuracy are required to
support the needs of Transmission and to utilize a common landbase.
- Multiple Landbase
Many separate land tiormation sources are maintained by different groups within BC Hydro
(Properties, Distribution, Transmission, Environment, Vegetation, Taxation, Aboriginal Relations,
etc.) in many formats. While these groups have different data requirements, they operate in the
same geographic area and share many of the spatial data needs. They need an easy and intuitive
method to access the data. The land data model developed must be capable of meeting all these
needs.
A major concern is whether the different information sources can be assimilated using a common
landbase. If there are significant positional discrepancies between the land sources, the different
land sources may have to be kept in separate layers or the facilities/features data may have to be
re-positioned with reference to the common landbase.
- Multiple Standards
The data from different Business Units have different standards. Incorporating the different
sources in an enterprise GIS will require data standards to be adopted (e.g. field names, sizes, date
sequence, etc.). Getting agreement from the various Business Units, on the data standards maybe
difficult and time consuming.
- Legacy Data Sources
Moving the data to an enterprise GIS may eliminate some of the legacy data sources. However,
some of the legacy systems are not well doeurnented. In the migration process, obsolete fimctions
and data may be perpetuated or required fimetions and data maybe unintentionally dropped.
- cost
The eat and benefits for the enterprise GIS approach are based on certain assumptions. There is
uncertainty about the reality of the costs and the benefits. Before proceeding with a fill scale GIS
project, a method is required to confirm feasibility, costs and benefits.
Approach
Before diving into an enterprise wide GIS that requires large expenditures, BC Hydro is proceeding with a
prototype on a contemporary GIS platform. The advantage of this approach is that the key assumptions
can be tested and verified with minimized risk and lower cost.
The scope of the prototype is to develop several applications to determine how well they meet corporate and
SBU business requirements. An evaluation will be made on benefits, costs (development and operating),
and system fimetionality. The GIS prototype will be evaluated on the following areas:
- Common Landbase
The use of a common Iandbase is key to many of the Enterprise GIS applications. The proposed
system will need to show that it can assimilate gee-referenced data with other data sources into a single
landbase and make the data available to satisfi a variety of applications.
- GFIS Data Migration
The existing GFIS land and electric distribution data will have to be migrated to the new platform. A
small geographic area with representative facilities/features will be used in the prototype. The
proposed system will need to demonstrate that data migration can be accomplished effectively and
efficiently.
- Transmission Line Right-of-Way Applications
Besides the fimctionality to support electric distribution, the proposed system will need to show
applications that support managing right-of-way issues. These will include property rights and asset
management and utilization of complex polygons in managing vegetation, environmental and habitat
programs.
- Out-of-Box Functionality
The contemporary GIS platform will need to show that more built-in fimctionality is available than in
the current GFIS soRware. The prototype will evaluate system functionality related to enhanced
display and reporting features, data version capability, network analysis features, polygon analysis
features, data model flexibility, CAD features and ease of use.
- DevelopmentiOperating Costs
The proposed system will need to show that it has lower development, maintenance, and operating
costs than the current GFIS software. Costs will be collected and compared with those associated with
the existing distribution system. The review process will also re-examine and verifi previously
estimated effort, benefits and cost of migrating to a new platform.
- System Interfaces
The technical issues and benefits of integrating GIS with other BC Hydro information systems and
external systems will be examined, Also, the technical issues and benefits of utilizing portable GIS
viewing systems in the field will be evaluated,
- Implementation Plan
Demos of the GIS prototype modules will be provided to various departments across the company to
assist them in better quanti~g the benefits. Based on the associated costs and benefits, a prioritized
implementation plan will be developed based on the best business cases. This will incorporate an RFP
and evaluation for the sofhvare and hardware requirements.
Results
Budget approval for the Enterprise GIS Prototype Project was received in October, 1996. The prototype
software was obtained in November. Key user staff members have attended training on the vendor
products, Additional workstations were in place during December. The sofhvare and hardware was
obtained on a lease arrangement. The GIS prototype modules are scheduled to be completed by March
1997.
The project plan for the GIS prototype will include the following tasks:
- Design a suitable land data model
- Establish gee-spatial data standards.
- Build the modules to demonstrate the required system functionality.
- Measure the costs in the process.
Identi@ the direct measurable benefits (e.g. development and maintenance savings, hardware usage
savings).
- Demonstrate the fimctionality of the prototype modules to various user groups so they can
accurately access their potential benefits.
- Assemble a project completion report.
- Based on a positive result, develop an Enterprise GIS business case and an implementation plan.
At time of writing, the Enterprise GIS Prototype is in the early development stage. The underground
electric distribution data model and land data model are being finalized. A data translator has been setup
and data from a selected geographic area is being tested. The results to-date from the Enterprise GIS
Prototype will be presented at the AM/FM conference.
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