Utilities and government face a unique set of challenges when selecting work management software.  Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you go through the selection process:

1. Keep it map-based.

Governments and utilities can maximize their GIS investments and save big dollars by selecting work management software that integrates with the organizations mapping infrastructure.  Several work management software applications allow integration from any industry-standard GIS technology including ESRI, MapInfo, Manifold, Autodesk, and others.

2. Keep it simple.

Avoid work management software that is complicated to understand or that involves an extensive learning curve.  Remember – even though you may understand the technology, many people who will ultimately be using the system may not be so tech savvy.  It may not be a bad idea to have a few of the end-users sit in on a demo or two and see if they think the software is easy enough to understand.

3. Keep it accessible.

Whichever application you select, make sure you can access your data while on the go.  Real-time access (via the web) to GIS and work management data is critical to field workers and remote operators.  By taking advantage of the web and real-time field access, dispatchers and receptionists are also likely to smile a bit more because communication between field and office staff will improve – making their jobs much easier.

4. Keep it open.

Few things are worse than having lots of great data locked down in a proprietary database.  It’s your data – make sure you can get it when you need it!  It’s also a great idea to find something that’s built on an industry-standard open platform (such as the Microsoft .NET framework) so you can integrate with third-party applications if necessary.  Governments and utility systems can greatly benefit by integrating their work management software with utility billing, financials, and other applications.

5. Keep it affordable.

Remember, you get what you pay for.  We’re not looking for free here – we’re looking for a solid application that fits our needs and fits our budget.  Enterprise work management software generally entails a bit of configuration to match the specific needs of your organization.  Also, if you select a firm that knows what they’re doing you’ll likely receive some pretty good consulting and best-practice information along the way.

6. Keep it manageable.

If you don’t have a large IT department and a large staff, avoid work management software that requires those things.  Remember, once the software has been implemented and your staff has been trained, you’ll have to support this thing.  Work management software comes in all sorts of packages, so be sure to consider all of your technological options before you purchase (hosted solutions, software as a service (SaaS), on-site deployments, etc.).

Comments?  Experiences selecting work management software that you’d like to share?  Let us know!