{"id":229712,"date":"2019-05-21T18:46:35","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T01:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=arcuser&p=229712"},"modified":"2021-09-01T13:06:31","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T20:06:31","slug":"moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management","status":"publish","type":"arcuser","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management","title":{"rendered":"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management."},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[791,25012],"tags":[276572],"arcuser_issues":[339722],"class_list":["post-229712","arcuser","type-arcuser","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-digital-transformation","category-managers-corner","tag-public-works","arcuser_issues-spring-2019"],"acf":{"short_description":"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions as a result of its extensive use of digital processes.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"pdf","file":229742},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

In many cities, <\/span>asset managers struggle to keep up with repairs such as fixing streetlights and potholes. Given the sheer number of required inspections and the precision and personnel needed to update records and paper maps, it\u2019s easy to see why many maintenance projects are long overdue or altogether neglected.<\/p>\r\n

However, in Fort Worth, Texas, maintenance jobs are promptly executed. For example, unsightly potholes are replaced by shiny black asphalt within 48 hours. The city makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money. The city\u2019s rapid response results from its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":229882,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Updating GIS from the Field<\/h2>\r\n

Fort Worth covers 349 square miles. Ninety-three percent of its more than 874,000 residents commute to work. Repair and maintenance projects are constantly needed to keep the city operating smoothly. In a city of this size, staff must prioritize work orders based on factors that include traffic volume, public safety, and the efficiency of its crews. Forward-thinking cities like Fort Worth use GIS to ensure that prioritization is based on accurate data.<\/p>\r\n

While the city has used GIS maps and data for some time, staff recently expanded its use of GIS. Fieldworkers now use GIS software on mobile devices to connect with the office. This move has improved communication and helps keep the city\u2019s shared map up-to-date.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

GIS-Based Asset Management<\/h2>\r\n

Elizabeth Young, Transportation and Public Works business process manager for Fort Worth and a GISP, is implementing GIS-based asset management to help improve the city\u2014one pothole, streetlight, and storm drain at a time. In 2009, Young began developing an inventory of assets around the city.<\/p>\r\n

Traditional systems track asset conditions with hand-written paper maps, fieldwork, and intuition, making it difficult for a city to keep asset data accurate. However, Young transitioned Fort Worth to a comprehensive asset management program using GIS.<\/p>\r\n

Having all assets tracked<\/a> and managed in GIS helps improve real-time responses. For many businesses and cities with both fixed and mobile assets, this process can improve operational and predictive intelligence. Assets can be tagged with Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that feed their current status and send failure alerts directly to databases and fieldworkers\u2019 mobile devices. This saves time, reduces errors, and allows managers to track the health of assets in real time.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","image":"","text":"The new processes save the city roughly $9,600 annually in the Stormwater Division in temporary employee costs and overhead.","author_name":"","author_profession_organization":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":229892,"image_position":"left","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

In the decade since it switched to digital maps and gained up-to-date asset information, the City of Fort Worth has reduced its paper waste, according to Young. For example, storm water crews no longer need the more than 2,400 paper maps they previously used to locate storm drain inlet assets. Instead, they access maps and receive routing instructions to their next job on tablets. Teams discontinued paper daily crew reports that showed the breakdown of work accomplished for the day. This eliminated an estimated 1,000\u00a0sheets of paper annually. Storm water crews can now do markups directly on the map to show new or missing assets. Young said that backlogged data entry is no longer an issue. The new processes save the city roughly $9,600 annually in the Stormwater Division in temporary employee costs and overhead.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

Proactive\u2014Not Reactive\u2014Planning<\/h2>\r\n

In Fort Worth, the shared awareness of modern GIS helps city managers make smarter decisions based on what they know about asset conditions. The system provides one access point for viewing, maintaining, and managing all assets.<\/p>\r\n

Before GIS, paper maps bred inefficiencies. For example, storm drain inlets need to be cleaned out, but with paper maps and work orders, the city didn\u2019t always know when the drains had last been cleaned.<\/p>\r\n

According to Young, the city\u2019s long-term goal is to \u201cgo from being reactive to proactive\u201d and prioritize projects better by understanding the condition of the asset so that better decisions can be made based on available funds.<\/p>\r\n

Recently, all Fort Worth schools adopted new start and end times. Young\u2019s team had to update every School Zone sign in the city. Instead of sending several people to drive all over Fort Worth to find the signs, staff members used the data collected and managed in its GIS to identify in approximately 15 minutes the location of each of the 726\u00a0signs that needed to be changed. They then created work orders to spread the work across teams to accomplish this task efficiently.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Hands-On Leadership<\/h2>\r\n

Young immerses herself in almost every aspect of the city\u2019s asset management project. She is a hands-on, walk-in-your-shoes kind of leader. Since all field crews and office staff must learn and adapt to various platforms, software implementations, and information inputs, Young is committed to doing the same. She wants to hear the issues users have and learn how the technology is helping or can be improved.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019ve cleaned inlets. I\u2019ve put on the boots, and I\u2019ve been down there,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve been out there and built rapport with them already and gotten to know some of them\u2014not all of them\u2014but I\u2019m a familiar face.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Young said working directly with fieldworkers lets her better understand the job. \u201cIt helps build a relationship and trust that allows us to better work as a team. It helps me to understand their everyday problems, either with technology or trials they may face while out in the field.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Preparing for Storms<\/h2>\r\n

The correct functioning of many assets managed in GIS, such as traffic signals and storm water collection assets, can be a matter of life or death. Texas weather can be extreme: drought one year, flooding the next. Because Fort Worth is prone to dangerous flooding, Young has focused much of her efforts on collecting asset data for storm water.<\/p>\r\n

Fort Worth started its storm water inventory in 2009 with the goal of recording the location of all culverts, drains, headwalls, weirs, channels, and dams. The inventory\u2014now complete\u2014feeds daily reporting of all repairs and inspections. With this system, Young and her team can see labor reports, equipment usage, and materials used. They can track cleaned inlets and identify those that still need inspection or maintenance.<\/p>\r\n

Cities, especially those with unpredictable weather events, must be ready to contend with nature. Keeping storm drains clear of debris is a key activity that can mitigate risk and possibly avert disaster. Before GIS gave an interactive glimpse of the city\u2019s needs, asset management decisions were made based on intuition and experience. Now, decisions are data driven.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cWe can go back and see where we\u2019ve cleaned, how many times we\u2019ve cleaned it,\u201d Young said. \u201cWe\u2019ve moved from cleaning storm water inlets in the entire city every eight years to every three years. We can report on it and prove it because we\u2019ve got the data behind it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"\nMoving from Reactive to Proactive Management.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money as a result of its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money as a result of its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Esri\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-09-01T20:06:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2019\/05\/uq219_proactive_card.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Esri\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n\t \"@graph\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management\",\n\t \"name\": \"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management.\",\n\t \"isPartOf\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website\"\n\t },\n\t \"datePublished\": \"2019-05-22T01:46:35+00:00\",\n\t \"dateModified\": \"2021-09-01T20:06:31+00:00\",\n\t \"description\": \"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money as a result of its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.\",\n\t \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management#breadcrumb\"\n\t },\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t \"target\": [\n\t \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management\"\n\t ]\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management#breadcrumb\",\n\t \"itemListElement\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 1,\n\t \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 2,\n\t \"name\": \"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management.\"\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/\",\n\t \"name\": \"Esri\",\n\t \"description\": \"Esri Newsroom\",\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t \"target\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t },\n\t \"query-input\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t }\n\t }\n\t ],\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/82e5143bcdebadf8fd64d84e503ca468\",\n\t \"name\": \"Monica Pratt\",\n\t \"image\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2018\/08\/MonicaMug_agol2.jpg\",\n\t \"contentUrl\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2018\/08\/MonicaMug_agol2.jpg\",\n\t \"caption\": \"Monica Pratt\"\n\t },\n\t \"description\": \"Monica Pratt is the founding and current editor of ArcUser magazine, the executive editor of ArcNews magazine, the editor of Esri Globe and head of the Publications team at Esri. She has been writing on technology topics, specializing in GIS, for more than 30 years. Before joining Esri in 1997, she worked for newspapers and in the financial industry.\",\n\t \"sameAs\": [\n\t \"https:\/\/x.com\/ArcUser\"\n\t ],\n\t \"url\": \"\"\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management.","description":"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money as a result of its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management.","og_description":"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money as a result of its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management","og_site_name":"Esri","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/","article_modified_time":"2021-09-01T20:06:31+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2019\/05\/uq219_proactive_card.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Esri","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management","name":"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management.","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-05-22T01:46:35+00:00","dateModified":"2021-09-01T20:06:31+00:00","description":"The City of Fort Worth, Texas, makes smarter decisions based on known asset conditions and saves time and money as a result of its extensive use of digital\u2014rather than paper\u2014processes for inspecting, maintaining, and managing its assets.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/moving-from-reactive-to-proactive-management#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Moving from Reactive to Proactive Management."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/","name":"Esri","description":"Esri Newsroom","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/82e5143bcdebadf8fd64d84e503ca468","name":"Monica Pratt","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2018\/08\/MonicaMug_agol2.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2018\/08\/MonicaMug_agol2.jpg","caption":"Monica Pratt"},"description":"Monica Pratt is the founding and current editor of ArcUser magazine, the executive editor of ArcNews magazine, the editor of Esri Globe and head of the Publications team at Esri. She has been writing on technology topics, specializing in GIS, for more than 30 years. Before joining Esri in 1997, she worked for newspapers and in the financial industry.","sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/ArcUser"],"url":""}]}},"sort_order":"10","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/arcuser\/229712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/arcuser"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/arcuser"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/arcuser\/229712\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=229712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=229712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=229712"},{"taxonomy":"arcuser_issues","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/arcuser_issues?post=229712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}