Doing more with less: Leveraging your spatial asset data
Larry Kuhl
VP – Partnerships & Business Development
Coherent Networks, Inc. (An Osmose Company)
1 Adler Drive
East Syracuse, New York 13057
Abstract
Utility industry re-regulation, merger activity, more sophisticated competitors, and more
stringent regulatory demands are driving companies to “do more with less.” Having to do
more with less requires innovative approaches to leveraging existing resources—data
assets and employees. Leveraging data is key to achieving the benefits associated with
corporate mergers and acquisitions. The integration of different operation support
systems and the migration of data from one platform to another are necessary steps to
leverage the data. All utilities strive to implement operational enhancements that involve
the integration of existing systems. When systems are integrated, the data that drives
these systems must be migrated and integrated, too. But the required data integration or
migration is not always a success. In fact, 75 percent of respondents in recent IT surveys
report significant problems as a result of defective or poorly integrated data. Before the
applications and processes that draw on this data can be trusted and counted on, the data
itself must be verified as accurate. This paper will examine issues associated with spatial
data accuracy, data sources, target applications, typical errors, and solutions to address
these issues. It will explore techniques for capturing, verifying and validating data to
ensure that it is accurate and complete.
Introduction
The electric utility industry is experiencing re-regulation, the introduction of new more
sophisticated business entities, more stringent regulatory demands, and customers with
expanding menus of energy choices. These are just a few of the factors that have resulted
in increased merger and acquisition activity and that drive utilities to “do more with less”
such as looking for new solutions to improve operational efficiency and meet
constituency expectations. Corporate mergers often result in having different operating
systems that address the same basic need. In many cases, to achieve the anticipated
benefits of the merger, consolidation or integration of information systems is required.
Business expectations drive the need for operational enhancements, improved reliability,
increased customer satisfaction, and cost reduction. In some cases, these are conflicting
goals. The common denominator in all cases, however, is the pressing need to deal
effectively with the data used to drive these systems and to maximize the use and value of
that data.
The merging of different business entities typically requires the merging of different
business processes, inevitably leading to the integration and replacement of existing
systems. When systems are integrated, the data that drives these systems must be
migrated and integrated, as well. But the required data integration is not always a success.
In fact, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 75 percent of respondents in recent IT
surveys report significant problems as a result of defective or poorly integrated data.
Before the processes and corresponding applications that draw on data can be trusted and
counted on, the data itself must be accurate.
This paper briefly explores the issues of data accuracy and consistency, the impact of
quality data on Operations Support Systems, and the corresponding need for operational
applications targeted for the electrical utility industry. Techniques for verifying and
validating data to ensure that it is accurate and complete are reviewed. Methods of
integrating applications using messaging bus and point-to-point solutions are discussed.
An example of how the combination of technologies can be leveraged to benefit utilities
is also presented.
