Effective Integration of Field Inventory and Data Conversion Efforts
David J. Spalding Director Marketing/Development Field Data Services, Inc. M. Todd Rhodes Project Implementation Analyst ASI/Intelligraphics
Introduction
An increasingly competitive environment in the utility industry has been brought about by impending deregulation and the many associated consolidations and mergers. This changing environment has ushered in the increased need for a more modern, accurate and economical means of capturing, storing, accessing and manipulating critical facility data. Depending on the availability and accuracy of existing sources, utilities will be faced with the decision of using traditional methods to convert existing sources, or capture the data in the field. While intelligent and highly persuasive arguments can be made for both approaches, the best balance of accuracy and economy can often be found in the effective integration of field inventory and traditional conversion methodologies. Historical Perspective In the past, there was little integration between the field data capture and the conversion processes. Manual data acquisition in the field and digital conversion of existing sources were largely separate activities, and the use of different media to record the same information frequently introduced numerous redundant operations. Prior to the advent of digital field data acquisition systems, the primary means of data capture in the field consisted of manually recording attribute information onto paper forms and hand drawing the facilities. The paper data was then delivered to the conversion team to be digitized into the target GIS platform. The process of digitizing the information captured in the field, however, was complicated by several issues. Even with exhaustive QA/QC procedures in the field, paper maps were often difficult to read. Congestion of facilities in urban areas made hand drawing facilities very challenging. Legibility of field maps was further complicated by the inability to change the scale of the source map and the susceptibility of the paper to weather and other unfavorable environmental conditions. A secondary scrub process was necessary to combine attribute data captured on forms with the mapped facility information. Not only did the digitizer need to accurately interpret the mapped facilities, he/she had to interpret many styles of penmanship and different interpretations of the “correct” way to draft symbols on a map. In addition to complications and inaccuracies caused by many people handling and interpreting the data prior to it being loaded to the GIS platform, the inefficiency of redundant operations had to be addressed. Because the data was first captured on paper and then input to a computer, the work effort for tasks such as creating ties between data and graphics, placing utility features relative to the landbase, and symbol and text placement was duplicated. Integrating a digital field data acquisition system with advanced data conversion processes eliminates much of this redundancy and the need for the data to be touched or interpreted excessively. Field Inventory Technological Advancements Advancement in field inventory technology is the most significant factor in the development of the digital field data acquisition system. From the outset, data acquisition is tailored to meet the specific requirements of each utility. Pen-based computers are used and if location information is to be captured with geodetic accuracy, Global Positioning System (GPS) laser is added. HARDWARE - The most notable advancement in field inventory technology has been the exponential increase in processing power and storage capacity of pen-based computers. Currently available pen-based computers with 120 MHz Pentium processors and 2 Gigabyte hard drives have begun to keep pace with laptop development. It is the author’s opinion that this notable change in the willingness of leading computer manufactures to invest in pen-based development will continue, and even increase as the market for these products grow. The ability to download digital field information from the pen-computer is also very significant in the successful integration of data captured in the field and data converted from existing sources. GPS is used on projects where the specification requires capturing location information with sub-meter accuracy. While improvements in GPS equipment hasn’t kept pace with advancements in pen-based computers, this may simply be representative of a more mature technology. Introduction of the capacity to receive differential correction information in real time as part of a single integrated unit is one of the most significant enhancements. While in the past this was available as a third party option, it is now part of the manufacturer’s base package. Practical experience has shown that the laser range finder is not just an enhancement to the GPS, it is a requirement for the productive use of the system. In addition to complementing the capability of the GPS, the laser can be used independently to establish point locations based on ties to local coordinates within the base map, such as a road intersection or other significant map feature. The resulting coordinate value is as accurate as the landbase. SOFTWARE - While we accept that hardware will change exponentially and expect to replace current data capture hardware with the best equipment available for each new project, the software used is strengthened by each project. The core software used for data capture was developed by field inventory experts in a non-production environment. By allowing programmers and field personnel to jointly develop software tools, the required underlying intelligence is enhanced while maintaining the critical element of ease of use. Development of data capture software is an ongoing process and must be tailored to meet the specific requirements of each project. Real-time editing to include graphics and circuit trace capability enhances the accuracy of the digital output. Flexible digital files created in the field allow for increased compatibility with the host GIS, reducing the need for excessive file manipulation prior to loading. LANDBASE -To initiate the digital field inventory process, it is necessary to load a land base file to the pen-based computer. Facilities are then added to the landbase in the appropriate spatial relation to the land information. As mentioned previously, this can be accomplished by placing facilities relative to the landbase or by capturing GPS coordinates. The availability of accurate landbase has made gee-referencing, or placing poles relative to the landbase, a viable option for some utilities. The anticipation of relatively inexpensive satellite imagery that can be ordered for any area on the planet and delivered in days or hours leads us to believe landbase will become a logistically uncomplicated issue in the near future. Data Conversion Technological Advanacements Advancements in computer hardware have also had a positive impact on data conversion operations. The increased speed and storage capacity make manipulation of memory intensive data and graphic files easier and more reliable. Incremental improvements in efficiency, which are gained at each stage of the conversion process, can result in significant time and cost savings. The moderate cost of these powerful and cost-efficient machines is in distinct contrast to the days large, proprietary workstations that were required for digitizing. More robust hardware processing power is needed since software applications have become larger and more complex. Compatibility between operating systems have been significant y enhanced during the 1990’s. Because conversion projects have increasingly demanded the capacity to access, manipulate and integrate a variety of legacy data systems, enhanced compatibility has reduced the headaches and shortened the lifecycle for data integration. Open architecture of software has made data translation more manageable. This is significant since data capture is frequently done in one system, and translated to the destination platform for final delivery. As systems have become more powerful, their capability to facilitate robust data exchange has improved. Graphic and attribute data can be moved with relative ease between computing systems. This has made it possible to better utilize existing digital data as well as save time in moving captured data to the deliverable system. A significant advancement in the data conversion process has been the enhanced ability of software to validate or perform quality control on data during import. This development is consistent with the total quality management (TQM) mantra to push control steps upstream in any process. This validation applies to data attribution as well as symbology and spatial relationships. The growing acceptance of standards for data formats and GIS system architectures has enhanced the ease of software customization. Because the data capture methodology, and tools are modified for each unique project, rapid customization can get a project started more quickly and readily. Integration Several factors must be considered in establishing the most efficient integration of traditional data conversion and digital field inventory. Key issues include accuracy and the availability and format of existing sources. The most critical element in determining the best use of existing sources is the accuracy of the sources. We recommend that as many of the people involved in the day to day use and maintenance of the existing data contribute to the development of a source matrix which outlines all sources and their respective accuracy. A valid assessment of accuracy may involve a certain amount of amnesty being granted to concerned parties. It would be unreasonable to expect people to openly address the failure of their department or colleagues to take appropriate measures to maintain or update sources. Convene a meeting where the source matrix is developed and reviewed. Anyone with information or even an opinion relating to the accuracy of each source should be encouraged to provide useful information without fear of retribution. If sources or areas exist where accuracy is unknown or questionable, it can generally be assumed that the accuracy is below an acceptable level for conversion without a field audit. Areas that are presumed to be accurate, but where uncertainty exists as to the level of accuracy, should be statistically evaluated in the field based on a random sample of the data. Once all the existing sources have been identified, and the accuracy of each has been determined, the task of deciding what data to convert in the field becomes much less complex. If there is a backlog of work orders in a given area, converting data in the field can eliminate the need to post this data prior to conversion. If an excessive scrub will be required to capture data from multiple sources, or if data sources conflict, the digital field inventory is the preferred method since all facilities will be captured from the most accurate source, the as-built facilities in the field. There are numerous benefits to integrating the best of data conversion and digital field inventory approaches. Much redundant effort of the old methodology, where field teams captured information on paper, which was then digitized, can be eliminated. Information previously digitized in the conversion shop can now be captured as real time in the field where no off-line interpretation of the spatial and attribute information is needed. Another benefit of effectively integrating the processes is the best use of accurate, existing sources. If the conversion and field inventory teamwork closely together to develop a plan, then the most accurate sources can be converted in the traditional manner while the questionable sources can be converted in the field. A total solution can be implemented that will maximize accuracy and improve the schedule timeline while reducing cost. Frequent and honest communication between the field team, conversion team and utility project team is critical to the continual evaluation of the data. This also determines whether the initial expectations of accuracy and work effort to convert legacy sources are being met. While the conversion process will have minimal impact on the data capture environment in the field, results of the field inventory process which vary significant y from the expectations of the conversion team may have a major impact on their work. In these situations, the field team can expand data capture to encompass those areas that cannot be efficiently and/or accurately converted using traditional methodology. How to Integrate In addition to proactive communication and more refined scope definition, several techniques can be applied to the field data capture process, which will significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of the data conversion work. When developing the project-specific tools and procedures, compatibility of data capture and import routines should be established at the feature level. If the field data capture tools and conversion processes are designed to match from the feature level up, significant time, energy and frustration will be saved. This approach applies to graphic symbol generation and placement routines as well as the incorporation of direct and indirect database relationships. In other words, powerful automated data creation and manipulation techniques, which are routinely used in large data conversion projects, should be readily applied to the field data capture environment. Conclusion Enhancements in computer hardware and software have had a significant and positive impact on every aspect of AM/FM/GIS projects. From digitization, to the look and feel of the end user’s desktop. This is especially true in the field inventory arena. As the field inventory toolkit improves, it has become increasingly viable to move traditional conversion tasks and considerations out to the field. The quality of the data received from the field has improved, primarily because of the reduction of manual handling and interpretation, which positively impacts the project’s bottom line. | ||
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