Mobile applications are fast becoming a significant part of the enterprise in many organizations where field operations play a vital role. Some departments and industry verticals e.g. first responders, public works, asset management, transportation, telecom, gas and utilities, natural resources, event/ crisis management etc. are using or intend to use mobile GIS for their regular business operations. Weston is involved in various mobile GIS opportunities and has been helping the City of Renton recently to roll out their Enterprise Asset Management. After the initial deployment, the City intends to extend GIS application for asset management to the field crew. The City is using ArcGIS Server Mobile as the platform for mobile GIS. Weston is working with the City to help them achieve their GIS and overall strategic goals for the enterprise.

Asset management is typically viewed as a large and fiscally expensive program. It does not need to be. The ability to leverage advances in software and data interoperability create the very real environment for a cost effective and robust asset management program. With a well thought out approach and leverage of past and existing efforts it is possible to do “more with less”.

To achieve this, the program needs to be properly defined, expectations set and managed, and a phased approach built upon previous successes must be utilized. This presentation will begin with defining what asset management is, what an asset management program should be and how the program can be defined and developed specifically for the entity. The presentation will then move to how a strategically and politically driven approach is developed so that quick success can be realized and built upon. The most logical approach may not always be the most advantageous in securing future funding, therefore an approach that allows for some quick returns while supporting the overall strategy can be developed. The presentation will also discuss how past, current and future GIS initiatives can be and should be centric to an asset management program.

Public and private agencies face continuous challenges to accomplish more with less as increases in demand, regulatory requirements, infrastructure deterioration, and political and economic forces have significantly outpaced increases in capital and operating budgets. Many of these agencies are turning to Asset Management to cope with these challenges and improve business performance and effectiveness. This presentation will focus on several aspects of developing an asset management system that could help improve performance, reduce long-term costs, and maximize return on investment in infrastructure assets. Specific topics include: • Strategy and Planning • Mobile Asset Collection Vehicle – Digital Video/GPS • Asset Extraction from Digital Video Logs • Software Solutions Intended Audience: This workshop is intended for utility, transportation, engineering, planning, and environmental managers and analysts of the public and private sectors.

Mobile GIS users are frequently confronted with difficult mapping situations. Mapping the pond lilies in Cheadle Lake, Oregon is an example of mapping project requiring the use of a laser rangefinder, a Pocket PC running ArcPad, and a sub-meter GPS unit. Mapping pond lilies in Cheadle Lake had a direct bearing on jurisdiction of the lake relative to the City of Lebanon and their future plans for turning the lake into a warm water fishing destination. Pond lilies have roots in solid ground and therefore define their location as land ownership. Normally, a lake would be owned up to the high water mark by the State of Oregon.

Mapping vegetation in a lake can be very difficult. Using is boat is feasible, but time consuming, expensive, and difficult. By taking offset GPS points with ArcPad, the process can be greatly simplified and the time required to do the mapping can be significantly reduced.

The project involved using a laser rangefinder to shoot the pond lilies which are barely visible in the water. All offset shots were taken while standing on the shoreline around the lake and from a island in the lake.

ESRI GIS users around the world are challenged to keep current with evolving satellite systems. There are new GPS satellites being launched and new GPS signals being broadcast with more being planned. Russian GLONASS and planned European Galileo satellite systems are experiencing change and advancement. Not only are the satellite systems changing but also GPS augmentation systems such as WAAS, DGPS, EGNOS, MSAS and GAGAN systems. Many ESRI GIS users take advantage of these GPS augmentation systems and should be aware of how they are evolving. Which factors should one consider when using these different satellite systems. What are the current trends and developments that one should consider when preparing GPS mapping hardware budgets in the coming year(s)?