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Project planning, implementation and management
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Cost effective AM/FM/GIS CAD conversions,on time
Jeff Head
Mid-StatetinSUki311tS,hlC.
1500 North, 200 West, Nephi, UT 84648
Setting realizable goals
The conversion of manual graphic data into CADformats of one type or another is a processthat has been evolvingfor
almost 20 years. Manyfirms have gonethrough severalgenerationsof CADsofbvarein an attempt to realize gains
from automationwhich haveproven elusivefor many. An analysisof howthese systemshavebeen soldand purchased
will showthat in too manycases,due to budgetaryor scheduleconcerns,decisionshavebeen basedon minimal up-front
analysisand the demonstrationsand claims of the vendorsand suppliers,and not on a structuredanalyticalmethod.
With advents in technologyprovidingprocessingand memoryat lowprices, and great strides in data base software,the
potentialfor truly realizing cost effectiveautomationgains has arrived. Byemployingstructuredanalysis
methodologies,the claims of vendorsand supplierscan be filteredto find the successfulsolutionfor virtually any firm.
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Critical nature of defining business and technical goals up-front
There are rnauycritical issuesto be consideredwhen developinga structuredplan for any major conversionprocess.
The foremostof these are the businessand technical goals to be achievedas a result of the conversion. These must be
carefully thought out with regard to their impact to the firm as a whole,and they must be considered well before
conversion begins. They must also be thoroughly documented so they can guide all phases of the conversion project.
- Business Goals
While the graphic data from the engineering and design areas of any firm dealing in AIWFM/GIS could be viewed as
purely a technical issue, those with a broad view know that the potential for integrating significant poxtions of this
data with business data tied to the same features is significant. Issues from cost analysis, to inventory, to billing, to
dispatching and assignments, and many more, can be positively impacted if the design portion of the firm and the
business (accounting,billing, purchasing,etc.) portion of the firm are keying off of common data. Through involving
other areas of the company, greater buy-in and greater positive impact can also be achieved. In order to accomplish
this, a thorough analysis of the issues and their impact on the business process and communication channels within
the firm, and the cost of achieving them, should be completed well in advance of actual data conversion.
- Technical Goals
Technical issues are historically the focus of conversion projects. While this is critical to the engineering, design and
drafting functions, technical goals alone will provide only local, discipline specific gains if not considered in light of
the business considerations outlined above. These local gains can be signiticanly and require careful thought and
consideration well in advance of the conversion, and range from allowing for more accuracy, to quicker turn around of
change, to less change, to better standards, to better maintainability and archival, and to any numberof other
automation benefits. When considering the impact desired, it is important to consider the effect on disciplines and
groups that will interface with the data and how they will communicate with one another after the change. As has
been stated, this can extend into business functions where the impact can bejust as significant.
- The Key to Realizable Goal Settinng for Conversion Proiects
It must be emphasized, significant automation will impact the way you do business. It will impact how various groups
and disciplines communicate and interface with one another. Unless clear goals are developed in this light
significant “ripple effect” can occur between groups and disciplines. The cost of communication and interface
“ripples” in an organization can off-setor negate the expected gains of automation. Without this Perspactive, and the
investment required to develop it, realizable goals become the exception rather than the rule.
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