We work with a lot of municipal local government clients and have learned over the years that selecting the right GIS asset management solution these days is a critical, time-consuming task. Decision makers can’t afford to make the wrong decision when investing hundreds of thousands of dollars over a period of just a few years. So we thought it would be a good idea to review some basic questions to ask yourself when evaluating which option is best for your organization. As an Esri business partner, Cloudpoint has experience in working with several different asset management providers and sees the value in spending extra time up front to make sure its the right fit. Here are four (4) critical questions that should be in the forefront of your mind.
Does it produce data-driven decisions?
Watch out for solutions that are nothing more than a historical database of work orders or a glorified checklist for task management. You want more out of your system to be able to make decisions in a timely manner and have them answer ‘real’ questions such as:
In which area of the city do we spend the most money fixing water main breaks Why?
Are the pipes that frequently break of a certain diameter or material?
We’re planning to replace sanitary sewer pipes in this area. Is there an easement here
Sewer networks, water distribution, electric, fiber, and gas utilities can all be managed intelligently when using a well-planned asset management solution. In some cases your organization’s GIS can serve as your asset management solution. Taking advantage of tools like Operations Dashboards and Workforce for ArcGIS can provide the essential tools needed saving you thousands of dollars on software and maintenance costs.
Does it play nicely with other systems (API’s)?
There has been explosive growth in the area of app integration of the past couple of years. Companies like Zapier, Integromat, and Snaplogic are boasting powerful solutions for app integration and workflow automation. Its not uncommon to see your favorite apps have a section dedicated to Apps & Integration where you just connect to your other accounts with the “Allow” screen. This is ideal for integrating apps in a userfriendly fashion to get them to “talk” to one another. Your asset management solution should be no different. Ask your potential vendors how their system “talks” to others and if they have future plans to expand on integration with others like accounting systems.
Is it GIS-centric or is the mapping component an afterthought?
As a GIS services provider, we know how important it is to use a native GIS solution to manage your assets. Combining a legacy database system and connecting it to the GIS is the way the majority of asset management solutions approaching things over the years. Now you can take advantage of Esri’s advanced enterprise technology with ArcGIS Server and Portal for ArcGIS to create the foundational components of both your GIS and AM solution. So ask your vendor if their system stores the data in a GIS enterprise environment and how accessible the data is for things such as Esri’s native mobile apps like Survey123 and Collector for ArcGIS.
Does it require an advanced degree to administer the back end?
Be sure to get a good look at the back end requirements for your AM system. What knowledge or expertise is required to administer the back end. In some cases, we’ve seen organizations spend thousands of dollars on a system that no one is willing to tackle administering because of its complex design. In fact some of these providers have created their own “job title” based upon their company name because their system requires a dedicated professional with high-level expertise, legacy expertise that is, with their specific program. Be cautious of this and make sure you know what personnel is required to maintain the system or you might find yourself adding more high-overhead staff just to maintain your new asset management system.
At Cloudpoint, our professional services team can help your organization walk through the proper steps in evaluating a GIS-based asset management solution to make sure its the right fit. In addition, we offer enterprise GIS setup, implementation, and configuration allowing you to have all of the foundational pieces in place to build upon for many years to come. If you would like more information on these services please contact us or call 877-377-8124.
