Improving Field Operations Workflows with ArcGIS and a Suite of Applications

ADP Resources LLC was established in 2012 by Phil Garrett and is located in Dallas, Oregon. ADP Resources' main focus is in serving telecommunications, utilities, government, pipeline, Department of Transportation, and land management industries. ADP Resources' primary services have to do with outside plant engineering, geographic information system (GIS) and spatial data management and data delivery, right-of-way survey and permitting, national electric safety code (NESC) poll inspection and permitting, fiber and coax infrastructure design and mapping, system of record audits, inspections and updates, and physical infrastructure risk analysis.

Like many in the industry, ADP Resources leveraged hybrid legacy processes consisting of multiple software platforms for gathering and referencing underground infrastructure. The survey teams were used to these processes; however, they were cumbersome with too many steps and people involved. Even though these tools and processes got the job done, they introduced unnecessary workflow issues and added to the overall time needed for capturing and processing the information.

Problems with the legacy process used for gathering and using underground infrastructure included the following:

• Process times were too long, requiring too many people.
• The multiple platforms utilized required multiple export and import steps, adding potential for user error during conversions and manual entries.
• Lack of a common system of record teams could easily utilize to reference previously gathered data when working current or future projects

To simplify and modernize its operations, ADP Resources deployed ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and Esri's suite of applications and resources. Its field operations teams leverage tools such as ArcGIS Survey123, ArcGIS Collector, and ArcGIS QuickCapture for referencing walkout projects, then gather the necessary field data, such as right-of-way infrastructure and utility pole details, delivering it in real time to ArcGIS Online for the planning and design teams. The planning and design teams then utilize ArcGIS web apps, ArcGIS Pro, and ArcGIS Online to employ the data captured in the field for facilitation of design and permitting tasks. Additionally, ADP Resources team members use ArcGIS Workforce to communicate work to and from the field, allowing for improved workflow management and situational awareness.

ADP Resources also takes advantage of the pervasive access ArcGIS Online provides to create dashboards and web apps as a way to proactively communicate and collaborate with its internal organization and with customers. This provides its team with the capability to focus on production needs and significantly reduces the need for phone calls and meetings.

ADP Resources ability to meet and exceed the needs of its customers was drastically improved through deploying and leveraging the power of Esri field mobile applications and desktop tools. These include the following:

• With the new process improvements, Esri products allowed for the following:
  • Seamless delivery of data collected in the field to ADP Resources system of record in real time
  • Elimination of manual importing and exporting of data across platforms
  • Capability to leverage data quickly and easily for future projects
  • Enhanced flexibility and versatility for the processing and delivery of data to ADP Resources customers via digital delivery or dashboard updates
• Capability to provide situational awareness to clients on project progress
• Streamlined and simplified workflows, which provided the following:
  • Significant reduction in labor expenses
  • Reduction in errors and missing data
  • Drastically improved time to complete fielding portion of the workflow
  • Ability to immediately see if an area is completed before moving on to next project