Category Archives: Asset Management

GIS-Centric Asset Management and the ESRI 2010 International User Conference

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The annual ESRI International User Conference is always incredible, but this year novotX was nowhere to be found – no booth, and no people sitting through classes.  Are we crazy?

Maybe.

Online plenary presentations, Twitter, Foursquare, and LinkedIn groups helped us make the decision.  The biggest factor in our decision, however, was our customers.

So where were we?

At our office, working – just like most of you.

The fact is, this year we’ve been absolutely swamped with implementations and new customers coming onboard with our GIS-based asset and work management software.  So, instead of putting our resources into an exhibit hall and buying alcohol for anyone at the conference that could possibly buy our software, we decided to put our money into our existing customers.

Our goal is to keep our customers happy and provide GIS-based asset management software that works.

I’ll be the first to admit – there’s not a better place to see the latest technologies, learn from experts in the industry, and meet new geo-peeps.  These conferences have also proven to provide excellent resources for GIS admins to find information on asset and work management software applications that integrate with ESRI and other GIS products.

So for those of you who made it to the conference, hopefully we’ll see you next year.  For those of us who didn’t make it to the conference?  I guess we can count ourselves lucky that we didn’t have to walk through a crowded exhibit hall full of sales reps trying to Jedi Mind Trick us into buying whatever it is they’ve got to offer.  Exhibit halls are funny places, but I’ll save that for another post.

If you’d like to find conference information related GIS and Asset, Infrastructure, or Work Management (whether you attended the UC in person or not) you can join our newly formed LinkedIn group GIS in Asset, Infrastructure, and Work Management for Government and Utilities.

Elements Management Software integrates with ESRI and other GIS applications, providing GIS-centric asset and work management for government and utilities.  For more information visit www.novotx.com.

GIS, Asset Management Software, and Fred Savage

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The 80’s were great.  Two of my favorite things that came out of the 1980’s were:

  1. ‘Fletch’ in 1985 with Chevy Chase
  2. ‘The Wizard’ in 1989 with Fred Savage

Actually, there are some other pretty great things that came out of the 80’s (like Billy Ray Cyrus and B.U.M. Equipment clothing) but we’ll save those for another post.

Recently I was showing our GIS-based asset management software to a company when I was reminded of a scene from the 1985 hit ‘The Wizard’ starring Fred Savage.

I hope you all remember that movie – if you didn’t see it in 1985 you should definitely check it out as soon as you get a chance.  Here’s the scene I was reminded of:

My favorite is the last line of this clip: “I love the Power Glove, it’s so bad.”  And it was.  The Power Glove was indeed ‘so bad’ – it was terrible.

Does anyone remember that thing?  …that insanely awkward and uncomfortable NES controller that never really worked right no matter how many times you calibrated it and no matter how many times you typed in that stupid game-matching code on the keypad (yes, I owned one, so I’m speaking from experience).

Power Glove

The Power Glove was introduced in 1989 as a revolutionary new NES controller.

So how could it be so bad?  With all of those buttons and that awesome glove it was sure to be incredible, right?  Wrong.  Turns out this controller was way better:

NES Controller

The simple design of the original NES controller proved to be much more efficient and practical than the Power Glove.

The original NES controller was easier to understand, your hand didn’t get all sweaty, you didn’t have to calibrate it, left-handed people could use it too, you didn’t have to type in a bunch of codes for each game you played, and most of all – it worked.  Every single time.

And that’s how we feel about GIS and asset management software.  GIS and asset management should be simple.  Our ‘Elements’ GIS-based asset and work management software is intentionally designed to be under-complicated – it’s simple, quick to learn, quick to implement, and it works.

Just like the original NES controller, our combination of GIS and asset management software provides the same data (and most of the same functionality) as some of the more complicated systems out there, but with a little less stress and confusion.

I guess if I could have tried out that stupid glove before I bought it I would have kept my $100 and put it toward a Wii 20 years later.  So if you’d like to try out our ‘Elements’ GIS-based asset management software you can contact us here and we’ll be glad to set you up with a trial.

GIS in Asset & Infrastructure Management: New LinkedIn Group

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We’ve started a new LinkedIn Group for utilities and governments to share resources and information related to GIS and technologies for:

  • Asset & Infrastructure Management
  • Facilities Management
  • Work Orders
  • Permits
  • Licenses
  • Inspections
  • Other GIS technologies for utilities and government

So if you’re interested, join the group and help us promote industry news, software and hardware solutions, blogs, resources, and the like.  Have fun!

You can join the new LinkedIn group, GIS in Asset & Infrastructure Management for Government and Utilities by clicking here.

Using HTML with Elements GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software

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There’s something to be said about good old HTML.  Nothing new, nothing fancy, just plain old coolness.

Elements harnesses the power of HTML in several areas – configuring record layouts, designing data input forms, setting up web submission forms, and rendering GIS maps.

Yes, that’s right – you can use HTML with your GIS map renderings in Elements.  What I love about HTML is you can pretty much do whatever you want with it; it’s simple to learn, and adds an incredible amount of flexibility to any application.

So here’s a quick map I threw together using basic HTML to render labels on a GIS map showing Work Order locations.  This map is nothing incredibly fancy or over-the-top… but it’s clean, simple, it displays the information I’m looking for, and it took about 2 minutes to put it together.

Basic GIS map showing Work Order locations; using HTML to render labels. (click to enlarge)

The neat thing about Elements is you can do the same thing I did here with Service Requests, Business Licenses, Permits, Inspections, and just about anything else you can think of.

GIS-Based Asset Management, Utility Billing, and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

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I love the sound of an electric guitar.  I’m also a software guy.  So when CUSI invited us to team up in Nashville to show a fully integrated utility billing and GIS-based asset management solution I jumped at the chance.

The plan was simple: we would use our API to combine CUSI’s UMS .NET utility billing software with our GIS-based asset and work management software to provide a clean, GIS-based, fully integrated solution for medium to larger utilities.

Homerun.

The software was a rock star and booth #219 looked like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge on a Saturday night (minus the purple paint).  For those of you aren’t familiar with Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, it’s small – and it’s the most rockin’ place in town.  Stop by on a Saturday night and you can bet it will be standing room only, jam-packed with people spending money faster than they can pull it out of their wallets.

Small, rockin', and jam-packed with people, the CUSI booth at CS Week resembled Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.

Showing the software was a blast and the CUSI staff was incredible.  Product demonstrations ran back-to-back nearly the entire conference and utility systems across the US and Canada were able to see firsthand the advantages of combining utility billing with asset management in a GIS-centric environment.

I would say that showcasing the integrated utility billing and GIS-based asset management software was my favorite thing about CS Week, but like I said earlier – nothing beats the sound of an electric guitar.

Super Mario Bros. and GIS-Based Work Management Systems

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In 1985 Super Mario Bros. was released in United States and was the best-selling video game of all time for over two decades (until Wii Sports outsold it in 2009).

Part of the reason Super Mario Bros. was so successful is because Mario was able to eat those gigantic Mushrooms and double his size – giving him the ability to take an extra hit from most enemies and break those red bricks with ease (he could also shoot fire balls if he ate the Fire Flower, which was pretty cool).

In Super Mario Bros. 2 he gained a different power – you’ll remember that Mario was able to pull up weeds out of the ground (which would turn into bottles of magic potion), and throw those bottles of potion on the ground to create magic doors – leading to an alternate world where he could make himself rich by collecting lots of coins.

Then, in 1990, came Super Mario Bros. 3 – a billion-dollar-plus gross revenue producer that gave Mario his best powers yet:

  1. He learned to fly (always wished I could do that), and
  2. He got a GIS-based work management system.

Apparently sometime between 1985 and 1990 Mario realized he could do his job better if he could see his work on a map.

Marios GIS and Work Management System

Mario's GIS-based work management system

Ironically, it was about that same period that companies began using GIS together with their asset and work management software.  Originally these systems were crude and extremely difficult to implement and maintain – however they’ve come a long way and today’s GIS-based work management systems are much more manageable.

GIS-based work management software

A modern version of Mario's GIS-based work management system

My favorite thing about Mario’s GIS-based work management system is the dancing cacti and cheerful background music.  My favorite thing about modern GIS-based work management systems is the ability for organizations to see where their Work Orders are taking place, use the maps to manage maintenance activities, and visualize work history patterns.

Here’s a quick video demonstrating GIS integration with asset management software:

And just for fun, here’s a video that shows you how to beat Super Mario Bros. 3 in record time (note the dancing cacti and great music that accompany the maps):

…who knows, maybe someday we’ll see dancing cacti and cheerful background music as added features in GIS-based asset and work management software. :)

Small City Hits Big Homerun with GIS & Asset Management Software

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West Point, UT – The city of West Point, UT has recently expanded their GIS and work management software, reducing costs and increasing return on investment.

As one of the fastest growing cities in Utah, West Point adopted Elements Management Software by novotX in late 2006 to integrate their developing GIS with a work management package.   Top priorities for the city included the ability to create work orders, log phone calls, keep track of job costing, and manage maintenance schedules in a GIS-centric environment.

Recently West Point has recently expanded the software to manage business licenses, building permits, inspections, and certificates of occupancy in a GIS-centric environment.

Boyd Davis, City Engineer and GIS Administrator, says the greatest advantage of using Elements is that the software “combines many functions into one user-friendly software package. “

“Our greatest success so far has been implementing the inventory tracking features.   When our public works employees complete a work order they input the amount of time spent on each work order and any parts or supplies that were used during the job.   This makes it easy for us to keep track of where our time and resources are being spent.   The need for asset management and work order tracking is something that every city needs” says Davis.

Since the original implementation of Elements Management Software, additional departments have taken advantage of the technology and the software now reaches far beyond public works.   West Point is currently using Elements Management Software in the following departments:

  • Water Department
  • Wastewater Department
  • Code Enforcement
  • Building Department
  • Permits & Licenses

Plans to expand Elements Management Software into additional departments are currently in the works.

About West Point

West Point is a community of 11,000 situated just 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City, along the shore of the picturesque Great Salt Lake. One of the fastest growing communities in Utah, West Point is fast becoming one of the finest and most vibrant communities in the Beehive State.   Visit www.westpointcity.org to learn more.

About novotX

Located near Salt Lake City, UT, novotX publishes GIS-centric asset and work management software for governments and utilities.     Elements Management Software, the flagship product of novotX, allows integration with any industry-standard GIS platform to provide a simplified, cost-effective approach to GIS-based asset and work management.

For more information contact:

Justin Gough

novotX, L.L.C.

801.682.1400

justin@novotx.com

www.novotx.com

Follow novotX on Twitter @ novotX_GIS

Lessons from MacGyver: Maps, GIS, and Work Management Systems

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Using GIS for asset and work management systems is great.  However, after watching the clip below I realized that there are far better things we could be doing with maps.

According to MacGyver, here are five things you can do with a map (no GIS required):

  1. Unlock a door.
  2. Shoot sharp objects at your enemies.
  3. Beat up bad guys.
  4. Go sledding at the sand dunes.
  5. Patch holes in hot air balloons.

So there you go. Pretty darn incredible.

By the way, if anyone who reads this has used their GIS to patch a hole in a hot air balloon or beat-up armed assailants please leave a comment and we’ll be sure to get you some sort of valuable prize.

Rubik’s Cube vs. GIS-Based Asset & Work Order Management Software

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Raise your hand if you can solve a Rubik’s Cube.  Don’t worry, you’re reading this by yourself and nobody realized that you didn’t put your hand up.  The truth is not many people can solve them (if you solved yours by peeling off and rearranging the last 2 stickers it doesn’t count).

Rubik's Cube

The original 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik's Cube. Working with GIS-based asset and work management software can be a lot like solving a Rubik's Cube.

The original 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik’s Cube was first introduced in 1974 and has since caused hours of confusion and frustration for people all around the globe.

GIS-based asset management software was introduced about 15 years later and has caused equal amounts of confusion and frustration – especially for governments and utilities.  In fact, given the opportunity to choose between figuring out a Rubik’s Cube and figuring out some fancy new GIS-based asset and work management software, I best most people would take the cube.

When properly executed, combining GIS with asset management and work order software provides huge returns on investment for governments and utilities around the world every day.  However if not done properly, attempting to implement a GIS-centric asset and work order management system can quickly turn into the deepest money pit you’ve ever seen.

Here are a few quick tips to avoid potential disaster:

  1. Start with a 3 x 3 x 3 cube. Have you ever seen those crazy cubes that are odd shapes and have many sizes?  Yes, they look fun and exciting – but the more sides and the more twists and turns on a Rubik’s Cube, the greater the challenge.  Same goes for your software – the more bells and whistles you cram into your GIS-based work order software, the more complications you are likely to encounter.  You can always expand as needed – remember to keep it simple (especially up front) and make sure you select something that fits the needs of your organization!
  2. Don’t peel off the stickers. I know, it’s tempting…  Just peel off those last two stickers and be done with the stupid thing.  The truth is the cube will never look the same once you start peeling off the stickers – and the more stickers you peel off, the more likely you’ll never get them back to their rightful places.  With your GIS-based asset management software the same principle applies – don’t cut corners – the more you try to hack things together and make do with the wrong tools, the more likely you are to face complications.  And just like the stickers, once you’ve peeled off enough of those things the only way to fix it is to buy a new cube.  Luckily cubes are cheap, software is not.
  3. Don’t give up! Even the 3 x 3 x 3 cube can be a challenge at first.  But remember, just like the Rubik’s Cube, if you read the instructions (and maybe get a little bit of training) you’ll be just fine (if your software didn’t come with instructions or training you’re in trouble).

As a side note, I’d be interested to see how many people who read this post can solve a 3 x 3 x 3 cube.  If you can solve a cube, leave a comment and I’ll compare that to the number of hits this post receives over the coming weeks and I’ll post the results for anyone who’s interested!