Infrastructure Management Series: ArcGIS Server and the Public Works Information System

Day in and day out, the state of public infrastructure is on your mind. Roads and bridges, sewer and water systems, and many other assets continually need to be designed, built, and repaired. To effectively manage infrastructure, you need tools that allow you to visualize existing and proposed structures, accurately locate assets, view current conditions and project status, and make informed decisions about construction and maintenance. When you establish a public works information system with GIS at its core, you can centralize all your data and enrich applications with critical spatial information that helps you better maintain vital infrastructure.

A public works information system provides complete integration of your GIS and IT resources. GIS allows disparate datasets from across your organization to be brought together to create a complete picture of your infrastructure. During predesign analysis, for example, you can view maps of your project, site photos, computer-aided drafting files, survey measurements, and 3D renderings in one user-friendly system. Then ESRI's ArcGIS Server gives you the power to publish your data, maps, and applications over the Internet to internal and external stakeholders.

ArcGIS interoperability allows you to fuse systems, such as work order management systems, and other enterprise databases with ArcGIS technology to create Web and mobile applications that work in the office and in the field.

In a public works information system, geospatial data is incorporated into work order, asset management, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Making these geospatially enhanced systems available online with ArcGIS Server gives you and your colleagues the ability to stay connected with issues as they develop and maintain a clear picture of the status of infrastructure. Sharing appropriate information with the public online minimizes calls into your department and can offer a place for citizens to learn about your work, offer input, and submit service requests.

When GIS is integrated with business systems, public works departments are better able to visualize and organize maintenance projects. Having all necessary information, such as the accurate location of assets, imagery, and service histories, in a GIS empowers you and other staff members to act fast and work efficiently.

Mobile GIS, based on ArcGIS Server, is another powerful component of a public works information system that allows staff in the field to update data in the geodatabase so that it reflects current asset conditions. Field staff can remotely inspect, verify, and update databases. This near real-time data can then be served to others in your organization who are using any number of GIS-based applications within the public works information system. With ArcGIS Server, staff throughout your organization can update data not only with mobile devices but also through any Web browser, based on permission levels established by your database administrators.

For more information on the public works information system, read Building a Public Works Information System [PDF].

Government Engineering, November-December 2007

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