Field-Based AM/FM Data Access Empowers Illinois Power Staff

Introduction
Illinois Power Company uses an enterprise-wide Area Resource Management (ARM) system for managing essential intlastructure data that helps to reduce operating costs and improve customer service. As part of this solution, widespread deployment of the AM/FM/GIS data asset and technology to the field provides a strategic business advantage in an increasingly competitive industry.

Illinois Power Company currently supports the following three mission-critical field applications using a single digital map publishing service product, ids, delivered on CD-ROM.

Distribution/Records Maintenance
Engineering Design
Storm Damage Assessment and Restoration

Capable of running on virtually any Microsoft Windows-based PC, the ids CD-ROM product provides a simple-to-use, fast, powerfhl and low-cost tool that can be readily integrated with the technology and tools already used every-day in the field at Illinois Power.

Deployment Rationale
As the original justification and logistics of a field deployment solution were being developed, Illinois Power considered the data as being “just maps” for viewing by field operations crews and engineering representatives. The users as well as uses of the digital map and associated data quickly broadened though, as other departments at the company were discovering uses for the data as well. Originally, the combined data and solution was treated as a “technology.” Now, it is considered a corporate information asset. We saw that the true value of the information is not fully realized until virtually every employee of the company can readily access it. Consequently, the value of the data as an information asset also increases in proportion to the scope of distribution and the number of users who can access it.

Overview
This presentation first outlines the field technology solutions that were implemented to provide laptop and pen-based PC, mobile communications, GPS and CD-ROM technologies to the field at Illinois Power. A discussion (and demonstration) of each of the three mission-critical field applications then follows. Throughout, “lessons learned” are presented to highlight and summarize important aspects of each component.

ARM Field Technology Implemenation
Field Hardware and Software Components
Providing field access to corporate data assets requires hardware and software tools with very specific capabilities. Fortunately, many powerful off-the-shelf solutions are available at costs that continue to decrease. The following table shows field technology resources and users at Illinois Power as of November 1998.

In-office support functions and staff are essential to successful field deployment of AM/FM/GIS data. To effectively support the field with Dispatch, Engineering, Operations and GIS Maintenance activities requires access to a “common” or consistent view of the digital map data. Corporate management and other personnel in Real Estate, Marketing, Economic Development, Automated Meter Reading, and Asset Tax Accounting have also found new uses for the field product and digital map data.