Providing data to the masses in stages
Elaine M. Pettersen
Advantica Stoner
P.O. Box 86
Carlisle, PA 17013-0086
Abstract
Conversion of landbase, distribution, transmission, and customer data can be one of the most
costly and time-consuming tasks in implementing a Geographic Information System (GIS).
It need not be a ‚wait for everything™ approach. To provide a utility with optimum and
immediate use of their critical data, data sets can be added into a ‚live™ GIS in stages. While
there are sound business reasons for transitioning data in ‚chunks™ into a GIS, there can be
many challenges if this path is left uncharted. This paper will discuss the importance of
designing and implementing a plan so that utilities can continue to use and maintain their
data while conversion is in progress. It will look at some of the complexities that can be
encountered when utilities attempt to transition large sets of data into an already functioning
GIS, including: how to keep backlogs of data updates to a minimum while providing already
converted data to users and the conversion group; how to append each new data set into the
GIS; and how to resolve issues resulting from edge matching the data sets.
Introduction
Ideally, a utility would like to convert all of its data before a GIS is operational. However,
data conversion can be the most time consuming and costly aspect of implementing a GIS.
As an alternative, there are many benefits for utilities that choose to do conversion in
increments, converting the most critical data first, then adding the remainder as funds and
time permit. For this type of conversion effort, it is imperative that a course of action be
developed at the start. This paper will describe the benefits of implementing a data
conversion project in stages as well as review some of the issues related to transitioning data
into a functioning GIS. It will also cover several different approaches for managing data
appends into the live environment. Some of the key issues this paper will discuss are:
-
What is the importance of the various datasets being converted?
- How do the datasets interact with each other?
- What is the plan for handling data updates while continuing conversion?
- How much data will need to be returned to the user?
- What is the timescale for converting each dataset?
- How will additional datasets be transitioned into the functioning GIS?
- What is the impact on the user when appending batches of data?
When a strategy is developed at the start of the project, converting data in stages becomes
less risky and affords the utility immediate use of its most critical data. This paper is based
on an approach currently used by a GIS conversion project that is being converted in stages and reflects a general trend in the GIS industry to phase implementation and conversion
projects. One of the goals of this project was to get all of the utility™s assets into a single
database for ease of maintenance. The landbase was converted first then the critical clean
water distribution data. The GIS went live once a substantial subset of the clean water data
was delivered. All subsequent deliveries were made in predefined batches and appended to
the enterprise system when it became necessary for the end user to have the data online. In
addition to over 2 million clean water assets, the utility™s 2 million wastewater assets,
transmission assets, and customer data have all been delivered incrementally and appended in
stages. The original conversion project was completed on time and within budget. The
utility has recently initiated a new project to convert features not in the original project scope.
Business benefits for converting data in stages
For most utilities, their budget acts as the driving factor for the amount of data that is
converted at a given time. There are also sound business reasons for converting the data in
stages; the benefits will be realized at both the corporate and the user level. The business
will begin to reap the rewards as soon as the data is brought on line. As users and managers
alike gain confidence in the data and the applications, the perceived risk associated with a
large conversion project will be minimized. Once paper based data from a record office goes
online, resources can be scaled back, and it will become evident to the business that this was
a move in the right direction.
