Utility eVolution - Wind of Change through GIS The utility industry is currently facing disruptive challenges that are arising due to the convergence of several economical, social, technological, competitive and regulatory factors. Existing business models are outdated and must evolve: central generation, transmission and distribution coupled to a unidirectional view of the flow are unable to survive in such a decentralised environment. Customer values and expectations are changing: rapid execution, flawless delivery, zero interruption, social interaction and two-way communication are becoming the norm. Moreover, depletion and scarcity of natural resources are paving the way for new energy sources and efficient conservation programs. To overcome these profound changes that are sweeping the industry, utilities will have to embrace the essence of their own unique stories, manage these daunting challenges and re-invent the utility landscape that will allow them to reshape their own future. In this respect, technology is becoming a key milestone in the utility value chain domain and even the cornerstone towards such a transformational journey. An Enterprise Geographic Information Systems (E-GIS) remains at the core of this eVolutionary strategy. It allows utilities to translate their vision into reality by embracing the digital era and adopting a modern, seamless and cost effective IT Infrastructure that acts as a Smart spatial repository for all their distributed assets. The aim is to improve the reliability of the services provided, streamline access to information across all stakeholders, improve productivity and data accuracy, and lead the digital transformation taking place. In this respect, GIS becomes the seed that will eventually blossom and become the underpinnings of the Utility’s Global IT infrastructure. However, such transformational journey has its own caveats that may completely derail such ambitious undertaking. Fundamental conditions must exist to protect the seed and to ensure its integration within the new environment before germination can occur. Therefore, a complete framework along with its associated programs should be established to ensure a successful venture. The embryo inside the seed should be alive and in healthy condition: the solution should be ready for deployment in terms of human resources, data, software, processes, applications, helpdesk and support on top of a reliable, scalable and fully redundant IT Infrastructure. Accordingly the successful delivery of an Enterprise GIS Project is just the initial milestone towards such an ambitious undertaking and this can only be achieved through a real partnership between the implementer and the organization. Once the seed is in place (E-GIS solution established within the organization), proper environmental conditions must exist for actual germination. Therefore, it is essential to protect the seed from "injuries" due to harsh external conditions. Organization's readiness becomes of essence at this stage: Change management procedures and impact assessment should be in place to facilitate the adoption of the new solution and mitigate the risks associated with resistance to change Executive buy in and Management support are a prerequisite to instil confidence among the different stakeholders New Organization Structure with a strong dedicated team should be setup to ensure Direct involvement from key users from the onset of the project till after the implementation (tender preparations, business requirements, architecture, design, development, testing, deployment, training and support). Such team should take over the new solution responsibilities and facilitate the active participation of the end-users to understand and harness the power of the newly deployed solution Once all these conditions are met, germination can safely occur and the sprouting of a seedling from the seed can take place. Nevertheless, a new conundrum occurs: the seedling is no longer dependent on the seed's energy reserve once exposed to the light. New external conditions are now required to help the seedling reach its full potential. This gives rise to the root and shoot interaction. This is where a complete framework should be put in place to ensure that the stipulated program reaches its objectives. For instance, to be able to move beyond the facility mapping aspects of GIS, it is essential that we go back to the (roots) and work on improving the reliability of the data (in terms of accuracy, completeness and time to update) and the required integration to other Enterprise Solutions in order to benefit from the use of advanced functionalities required for network planning or outage response (shoot). Only by properly nurturing the roots, we can reach the shoot where new leaves (new applications) will develop. Therefore the mere implementation of a technical solution within an organization does not necessarily guarantee a successful road map. It is just a step forward. The real change has to come from within the organization: only then technology can pave the way for a better future. As per Albert Einstein’s quote: "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better".
Taxonomy
- GIS
- Energy Utility
- Enterprise Asset Management