GIS-Centric Asset & Work Management Resources for Government and Utilities
Posts tagged GIS
Integrating GIS with Permits, Licenses, and Code Enforcement for Small and Medium Sized Utilities
Aug 18th
Raise your hand if:
- You’re reading this post and you work for a municipality or utility serving a population of less than 40,000.
- You use more than one application to manage your work orders, permits, licenses, and inspections.
- You’d like to be able to manage all of the above information in a GIS-based environment.
(way to go if you actually raised your hand)
Most people know about the GIS-based work management capabilities found in Elements (service requests, work orders, etc.). However, a lot of small to medium-sized municipalities and utilities are using Elements to manage much more than just service requests and work orders so I thought I’d post a few examples here.
Building Department
The dynamic data management tools in Elements give users the ability to efficiently manage Building Permits, Inspections, Certificates of Occupancy and other construction-related items. Basic features include:
- Customers and contractors can submit permit applications online
- Notify customers and contractors of status changes and application progress via email or text message in real-time
- Monitor interdepartmental approval statuses of each permit application
- Manage fees, building valuations, and footage assessments associated with permits and applications
- Create configurable inspections based on Permit Application types
- Generate permanent and temporary Certificates of Occupancy
- Monitor expiration and activity dates for certificates and inspections
- Manage contractors, certification levels, identification numbers, and other contractor related data
Code Enforcement
Elements offers the necessary tools to manage and enforce municipal code. Users can manage nuisance calls, code violations, case files, and other code-related items including the ability to:
- Monitor status updates for individual case files
- Set follow up dates for code violations
- Visualize code violation locations on GIS maps
- Schedule field inspections and reviews
- Manage fees associated with violations and permits
- Allow customers to submit complaints and violation reports via the web
Licenses, Permits & Other Applications
Manage Business Licenses, Conditional Use Permits, and other applications specific to the unique needs of you organization with Elements. Typical examples of licenses and permits managed within Elements include:
- Business Licenses
- Inspections
- Certificates of Occupancy
- Solicitor Licenses
- Home Occupation Permit
- Alcohol Beverage Control
- Animal Licenses
- Firearms
- Restaurant Licenses
- Fireworks
- Tobacco
- Watercraft
- Sign Permits
If you’d like to see how Elements can help manage permits, licenses, inspections, and code enforcement in a GIS-based environment you can request a live demo here.
3 Quick Tips for Selecting GIS-Based Asset and Work Management Software
Aug 9th
When selecting GIS-based asset and work management software, companies can save a lot of headache (and money) by doing a little bit of homework upfront.
So for those of you who are currently evaluating your options for GIS-based work order and/or asset management software, here are a few quick tips:
“Ready, Fire, Aim!”
There’s only one person in the real world who can consistently find success using this approach:
Seriously, check out those balloon shots at 1:08!
So, unless you’re buying your GIS-based asset management and/or work order software from Bob Munden (featured in the above video), you may want to avoid vendors that don’t aim before they fire. Look for a vendor that will take some time prior to contract signing to carefully analyze your business processes and clarify how their software will address the specific needs of your organization. This takes more than a demo or two – often times this takes several weeks or even months to complete. You may end up paying for this service from the vendor, but the time and money savings down the road will be well worth the extra effort up front!
Surprises are awesome on your birthday; not-so-awesome when you’re buying new software.
Here’s a good example of how awkward things can be (for both parties) when expectations are not clearly laid out ahead of time:
When you buy a new iPod, headphones are in the box – and it’s a good thing, because you need them. Make sure you know what’s “in the box” (and what’s not) before you sign any contracts. Remember, there’s nothing worse than finding out after the fact that the single most important feature you saw in the demo is part of an additional module or third-party application that you need to buy separately… especially when you have to go through the entire budget process (again) to purchase the required module.
Sometimes “no” is the best answer.
Remember the movie Yes Man? Sometimes I think that certain vendors put their sales reps through the magical “Yes” course in the movie:
Believe it or not I’ve had people tell me that they prefer vendors who say no once in a while – as in “no, we don’t have that feature” or “no, we don’t support that type of data” or maybe even “no, our software is not the best choice for your company.” They say it indicates honesty and a trustworthy vendor. Now – obviously if a vendor tells you that their software is not the best choice for your company, I would recommend not purchasing their software. However, if a vendor says “no” to certain features that you may be looking for, I wouldn’t give up hope – I would suggest digging a little deeper and looking to see if the vendor has a possible workaround or maybe a different (possibly better) solution for your problem.
In summary, selecting GIS-based asset and/or work order management software can be a daunting task. Remember to take your time, make sure everything is clearly explained (for both parties) before signing any contracts, and don’t be afraid to hear an honest answer from a vendor.
Have an experience selecting software that you’d like to share? Let us know!
GIS-Centric Asset Management and the ESRI 2010 International User Conference
Jul 15th
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
Jul 7th
The 80’s were great. Two of my favorite things that came out of the 1980’s were:
- ‘Fletch’ in 1985 with Chevy Chase
- ‘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).
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:
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
Jul 6th
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.
Water System Saves Big Money with GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software
Jun 28th
Bountiful, UT – Bountiful Irrigation has recently expanded their GIS-based asset management software to include real-time mobile access and dynamic web-based data forms.
Serving over 12,000 households, Bountiful Irrigation has been using Elements Management Software as their GIS-based work and asset management solution since the product was initially released in 2006. Until recently, Bountiful has used the software primarily to create and view information including phone call logs, jobsite photos, service requests, and work orders in a GIS-based environment.
“We originally selected Elements because it saved us quite a bit of money up front on GIS licenses. It also seemed to have a smaller learning curve and quicker implementation than some of the other packages we evaluated” says Wes White, General Manager.
The company recently expanded their Elements software to push all of their data, including GIS, over the web – giving field operators the ability to access GIS data and complete work orders in real-time while on the go.
“We save a lot of time and money using the software over the web,” continues White “everyone is always on the same page and it’s easy to see how our projects are coming along.”
Bountiful has also implemented novotX’s ‘Envision’ module for Elements, which uses the web to give field workers access to archived plat drawings, photos, and property assessment information dating back over 50 years.
“We’re a small district in terms of employees, so we’ve got to be efficient” says White “…the Elements software has been critical to our success over the past 4 years.”
About Bountiful Irrigation
Located just north of Salt Lake City, Bountiful Irrigation provides secondary water to over 12,000 residents throughout the city of Bountiful. The district was formed in 1959 and has grown to be one of the most efficient pressurized irrigation systems in the state of Utah.
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
Follow novotX on Twitter @ novotX_GIS
Using HTML with Elements GIS-Based Asset & Work Management Software
Jun 25th
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, Asset & Work Management Software, and the Nintendo Wii
Jun 16th
Pop Quiz: How many Wii consoles have been sold compared to PS3s and Xbox 360s? (And what does that have to do with GIS & asset management?)
Simple, affordable, and easy to understand, the Nintendo Wii has outsold both the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Feature for feature both the Xbox 360 and PS3 blow the Wii out of the water. Far better graphics, faster processors, more storage, you name it. The Wii doesn’t compare. However, the Wii has proven a couple of things:
- People like simple stuff.
- People like stuff they can afford.
To illustrate the point: Remember back in the fall of 2006 when the only way to get a Wii was to pay two times the retail price? Remember how you had to buy it from some punk kid who was making a killing that year selling Wiis? …so you gladly let him rip you off while you gritted your teeth and paid like $500 for the stupid thing so your kid could have a one for Christmas? Remember one year later at Christmas time when Wii’s were still hard to find?
Nintendo could not manufacture the things fast enough.
Well, they’ve done it again. This time it’s a 3D video game console (handheld) that works without 3D glasses.
So what does this have to do with GIS and asset management software? More than you might think.
You see, you’ve got Microsoft (Xbox 360), Sony (PS3), and Nintendo (Wii) all playing in the same space here. Microsoft and Sony have been focusing their efforts on making super-powered-all-in-one entertainment hubs while Nintendo has been doing nothing of the sort. Nintendo’s strategy? Stick to what they do best – video games.
And their strategy seems to be working.
Nintendo has sold at least 70.9 million Wiis – compared to only 35.7 million PS3s and 40 million Xbox 360s (even though the 360 has been on the market for almost a full year longer than the Wii).
At novotX, we like Nintendo’s strategy. For those of you who’ve seen our GIS-based asset and work management software you know it’s much like the Wii – simple, affordable, and easy to understand.
For those interested in reading more Nintendo’s 3D device, here’s the source article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hOgruq-9nbyzLje-SdR7w1KKI2hQD9GCELNG1
For anyone interested in checking out Elements, our GIS-based asset and work management software, you can contact us here:
http://www.novotx.com/Contact.aspx
GIS-Based Asset Management, Utility Billing, and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Jun 7th
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.
GIS and Maintenance Management for Small Utilities
May 21st
Utilities and public works organizations often face a daunting task when it comes to efficiently managing maintenance schedules and routine activities that are required to properly maintain public infrastructure.
The video below demonstrates a simple way to integrate maintenance management with GIS to easily keep track of calendar events and scheduled maintenance. We put this short video together to show how smaller utilities can benefit from the built-in calendars and scheduling tools in Elements while leveraging their GIS investment.