Last week, in the first post of this series, we discussed how new data management trends are poised to shake up pipeline planning and ROW data management. Big IT trends like tablets and the Cloud are creeping into the pipeline and ROW worlds – creating both new challenges and opportunities for teams managing and gathering ROW data.
This week we’re walking through the 1^st trend – Automating ROW Data Capture in the Field.   Pipeline planning and ROW teams have long used handhelds devices for

GPS, survey, and taking pictures in the field. Now, more and more tablets are showing up at work sites. Tablets have the potential to transform many parts of the ROW data collection process.

With tablets, teams can automate much of the structured data collection that has been captured using paper forms as part of survey, route planning, and project tracking. Some tablets can support GPS and photographs, automatically integrating GPS data and imagery into forms to speed up and simplify ROW record keeping. Since tablets can also capture signatures, they can also be used to automate other paper-form based ROW processes that require approvals.

Of course, teams in the field have a lot of experience in harsh and variable environments, which can be a challenge to using tablets. These include limitations in battery, visibility in sunlight or rain, weight, durability, or the keyhole view that makes it difficult to get the broader perspective of maps or CAD prints. In these cases, many ROW teams are automating data capture using digital pens that instantly digitize data written on paper forms, maps, and CAD prints. Digital pen based solutions can also be used with landowners and multi-part paper forms, for example, when physical pieces of signed paper need to be left with different stakeholders.

Whether it’s a tablet or a digital pen, the key benefits of automating ROW field data capture are the same: faster data processing, reducing the risk of missing data, and eliminating the need for scanning or transcription.

As teams look to these new mobile devices, they need to keep some important considerations in mind to ensure successful deployments. ROW field teams are frequently out of the range of networks, for example, so teams need to ensure that their tablet-based solutions, can be used while devices are online or offline. Since developing custom tablet apps for offline use can be expensive (especially if forms or processes change frequently), teams should look for solutions that can be set up and managed using familiar tools, such as Office. Some mobile form solutions can also be used online or offline in a tablet browser, without having to build a new app.

Teams considering digital pens should look for solutions that also have tablet options, which enable different field team members to select the tool that best fits their workflow. Since paper is often the most convenient way to review and markup maps and CAD drawings, make sure that the digital pen solution can support instantly digitizing markups on GIS maps and prints from CAD systems.

Even when teams are conducting visual surveys to verify routes using GPS devices, they often still markup notes and discrepancies using paper maps. Digital pens can instantly record and send the handwritten map markups back to the GIS system to streamline reporting. This also helps reduce the risk of missing paperwork and the need for expensive flyovers to be repeated.

The same general process can also be used to track changes to pipeline routes and ROWs as they are adjusted to accommodate unexpected obstructions. Markups can be made directly on paper surveys or engineering drawings to document as-built changes and enable faster updating of the original CAD drawings.

When automating a data collection process, deciding how to share and archive the data is just as important as choosing the right collection device. Next week we will discuss the benefits of leveraging a cloud-based server for increased organizational communication and reliability. Check in next week to read about the 2nd trend: Preparing for the Cloud.