The Data Capture Challenge - Innovative Solutions
Case Study - The Client’s Perspective
Powernet Ltd is a joint venture company which has been formed to manage, but not to
own, the electricity networks in the province of Southland. The province spans 28,000
square kilometres (10,800 square miles) over the lower end of the South Island of
New Zealand. The merger was in response to the reform and deregulation of the
electricity distribution industry in New Zealand and is only one part of a total
restructure of the incumbent electricity companies in Southland.
The shareholders and directors of Powernet recognised that the deregulation of the
electricity industry would lead to a rationalisation of the number of power companies
in New Zealand. This would seem inescapable when you consider that New Zealand
has 44 power companies for 3 million people compared to England which has 12
power companies for 60 million people.
In order to manage the network efficiently, Powernet required accurate and
comprehensive information on network plant and equipment, including an assessment
of its present condition and an increased knowledge of the network customers’
requirements. This information had to be accessible to all parts of the organisation and
be reliable to the extent that it could be used as the basis for better informed business
decisions.
Powernet had inherited paper-based information systems that were deteriorating, time
consuming to maintain and inaccurate. It became obvious that these systems required
major rationalisation to allow the company to meet its fiture information needs.
Powernet therefore decided to embark on a project that would provide a network
information management solution through the employment of AM/FM/GIS
technologies. The project was thus coined the Powernet Information Management
Solution or PIMS. The primary objective of the project was:
“to significantly enhance the content, accuracy and currency of network asset
data, and provide universal access of this information to Powernet and its
associated contractors”.
The key business drivers for the project were:
- Ensuring comprehensive asset management
- Meeting information disclosure regulations
requirements
- Allowing for calculation of optimised deprival
valuation (ODV) of assets
- Providing the required input data for Line
Pricing Model and network analysis programmed
- Providing the required input data for condition
driven maintenance prograrnmes
- Increasing efficiency in work practices through
more accurate and timely information
- Strengthening relationships with network
customers through improved interface and understanding of their
requirements
- Establishing the key component to the total system integration process ie - “the
backbone”.
In addition to meeting the above requirements the solution had to be innovative,
flexible and built for the fiture in order to provide a sustainable, competitive
advantage to Powernet. Establishing commitment from the management, directors and
shareholders to the “vision” and fhture applications of PIMS was a key part of the
business case.
Project Phase
The PIMS project commenced in February 1995 with an aggressive implementation
programme consisting of 4 distinct phases over a 3 year period.
Phase one began with a pilot project which involved the capture of data from an area
approximately 500 square kilometres (200 square miles) containing 7000 poles and
5500 customers. This was a critical phase in the project as it provided an opportunity
to confirm the key benefits to the business and test processes prior to full
implementation.
Phase two involves data capture of the entire network, consisting of approximately
100,000 poles and 8,500 distribution transformers. This phase encompasses an area
approximately 20,000 square kilometres (8,000 square miles) and represents the
largest geographical project of this type ever undertaken by a Power Company in New
Zealand. Part of phase 2 is to extend the PIMS facilities out to a contracted network
maintenance work force predominately for in-vehicle use. All 15 contracting
companies will be users by the first quarter of 1997.
Phase three will involve the development and integration of fiu-ther sofltware
applications to meet Powernet’s secondary functionality requirements.
Phase four will ensure the extension of phase 3 functionality to all users across
Southland.
The PIMS project team spent considerable time defining the data requirements
necessary to meet Powernet’s diverse needs. The data required varied in nature from
plant condition based data, connectivity data, pole attribution data, positional data and
physical landbase features. Potentially as many as 80 variables can be gathered from
any one pole site.
Having specified the data requirements it became apparent that the existing maps for
above ground plant were not suitable. They lacked detail, were inaccurate and not
current. Field inventory was therefore the data capture method of choice. The existing
plans for the underground network, however, were very well detailed and met the
required accuracy standard. Consequently these were digitised.
Key Mimaganmt Processe s
Powernet recognised at the commencement of the project that the key critical success
factor was not the hardware or the software solution that was chosen, but how the
project was managed. For this reason Powernet was determined to manage this project
efficiently over a relatively short implementation time frame and put in place the
following processes and procedures to achieve this end:
- Establishing a unique project team which brought
together the best of breed for skills, expertise and experience
- Partnering with all vendors rather than
traditional vendor/client relationships
- Selecting an expansive and representative Pilot
Project
- Including all key staff in the designing of
requirements and specifications
- Defining contract specifications and tendering
procedures
- Providing fair and reasonable commercial terms
and conditions in all contracts
- Utilising vendor assistance programmed which
included a comprehensive Data Capture Guidebook, in-field training,
joint development of data entry software, Powernet provided industry
experts as required, and other forms of assistance
- Defining criteria for acceptance of data and
software deliverables
- Communicating effectively with stakeholders
throughout the project to maintain a high profile and commitment
- Focusing on a Public Relations campaign with the
general public and affected parties
- Meeting regularly and reviewing the project with all project participants
Case Study - The Contractors Perspective
As previously stated, the prime motivator for the contractor is to ensure completion to
the satisfaction of the client. Hence the client’s specific requirements and the data
capture methodology that is able to meet those requirements are paramount to
successful completion.
The PIMS Data Capture Services Contract was very specific and quantitative in the
two important areas of scope and data acceptance criteria. These requirements
provided the challenges specific for this project and in turn provided the catalyst for
innovation. Specific challenges included aggressive timelines, some difficult and
remote terrain and tight budgetary constraints. The areas of innovation that addressed
these challenges were proprietary data capture software, the use in the field of
physical digital landbases, portability of equipment and quality control methods that
highlighted the effectiveness of digital imagery.
