Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECo) knew that implementing a distribution inspection data system (DIDS) would be a major management issue with its field workforce. To successfully transition from a paper environment to the mobile technology, HECo (Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.) decided it would do whatever it took to have the users accept the field application. This approach enabled HECo to avoid the pitfall of placing too much emphasis on the technology and keep the focus on the people and the work processes it hoped to improve.

Getting Started

A fast-track prototype development process was key to gaining acceptance of the project. To hasten the development process, HECo moderated a workshop with end users. In addition to coffee and doughnuts, the following provisions aided the fast-track process:

• Using an outside moderator and involving customer representatives.

• Providing subject matter expertise and a good background on the inspection process.

• Starting with an application to modify rather than starting from scratch.

Workshop Participation

The initial requirements definition workshop proved to be an interesting exercise. The construction and maintenance (C&M) department participants included representatives involved in inspection work from different merit and bargaining unit positions. In attendance were the OH and UG division superintendent, OH inspectors, OH and UG crew leaders and the company forester. As the discussions progressed, a senior development consultant sat off to the side and generated example screens based on what the participants wanted to see and what they felt was needed. The consultant had already performed some preliminary Visual Basic (VB) coding for some basic data collection screens, and as the discussions ensued, the consultant modified and added components to adjust the “look and feel” of the data-collection screens. After a short while, the consultant changed the projector display and presented a data-collection screen based on the comments and information provided in the discussion. The immediate application of the participants' input and the immediate visual results of their efforts were well received. After the C&M participants saw this responsiveness, they were engaged and willing to voice ideas.

Throughout the DIDS Phase 1 development cycle, C&M personnel willingly and actively participated in weekly development meetings. Overall, C&M personnel recorded more than 700 man-hours in the weekly meetings in the first year of development.

Applications used during the workshop included: access to the geospatial model, a starter inspection application, MS VB and MS Access dB.

What is DIDS?

The production DIDS Application has a much higher degree of functionality than the starter application.

DIDS is a structure inspection and data management system that has both a field application and an office application. The C&M inspectors, planners and supervisors use the DIDS application. At HECo, the C&M department performs all OH and UG structure installation and maintenance. Essentially, C&M manages and maintains about:

• 70,000 OH structures, including poles (wood, steel and fiberglass) and lattice towers.

• 10,000 UG distribution and network vaults and padmounts

• 28,000 transformers.

This system automates manual processes for recording and submitting inspections, and generating work planning documents. Hard copy inspection reports and photos are now captured electronically on laptops, linked to AM/FM features (poles, vaults and manholes) in FieldView, and are then submitted to planners and supervisors electronically. C&M also uses DIDS to review, plan and manage maintenance work using intranet Web sites that provide online query capabilities.

Components of DIDS

The field application is deployed with Panasonic Toughbook Touch-screen laptops and Olympus 10x optical zoom digital cameras. Field application components include:

• VB application modules for pole inspection, vault and padmount inspection, and vegetation management inspection.

• FieldView application for displaying HECo's AM/FM system data.

The office application is deployed with Windows-based PIII & PIV workstations configured with 256 to 512 MB of RAM and 20-GB hard drives. Office application components include:

• VB application modules for Work Packet Generation, Work Packet Reports, Work Order Creation

• FieldView application for displaying HECo's AM/FM system data.

How Does DIDS Work?

Each day, C&M inspectors travel into the field with digital cameras and ruggedized touchscreen laptops to record pole, vault and manhole inspections. After performing the necessary inspection procedures, inspectors enter their inspection data and photos into DIDS. In this process, they link their inspection data and photos with the AM/FM structure (pole, vault or manhole) objects displayed by FieldView.

HECo's AM/FM system does not yet have a complete object inventory of poles, vaults and manholes, so the FieldView application is being used in conjunction with DIDS to allow C&M personnel to “place” a “proposed state” structure if it is not present in the AM/FM data extract. Placement of “proposed-state” structures enables C&M to complete the object and data link.

At the end of the day, inspectors connect their laptops to the network and upload their inspections and photos. At night, the new data (poles objects, inspection data and photos) are processed. This processing includes upload of new proposed-state structures placed in FieldView by C&M personnel. These new proposed-state structures are automatically posted into HECo's AM/FM system. Overnight, processing includes a download data refresh to the laptops. Thus, by the next morning, inspectors can undock the laptops and begin a new round of inspections with all processed inspections and a current AM/FM data extract.

The next business day, planners review new inspections and begin the work-planning process. Work planners verify the inspection reports and use DIDS to initialize work packages used to plan work. The time needed to produce work-planning documents is reduced because the data entered by the inspector does not need to be re-entered into work-planning documents. Work planners verify the data from the inspection, make the appropriate changes and add work-planning information.

After the work-planning information has been entered, work orders can be generated by DIDS in a matter of minutes with the click of a button. Work planners also enter notifications to other departments to request work associated with the planned work. Nightly processes automatically send these notifications and requests to the respective departments. Notifications are also sent to notify departments when work has been completed.

Enhancement Life Cycle

C&M personnel have embraced these new processes and technology, and have realized significant benefits. As a result, C&M has increased the number of inspections per inspector, increased the number of work-planning documents completed, and improved the quality and consistency of inspection and work-planning documents. DIDS also has provided C&M more-efficient ways to communicate with other departments. These benefits were envisioned by C&M in the initial design and have been achieved by partnering with HECo's ITS department and a consultant.

The success of DIDS to this point has created a lengthy and constantly growing list of desired enhancements and modifications. As these new requirements are brought to the table, the development team continually reviews the enhancement plans and establishes client-approved enhancement priorities and strategies. One example of a soon-to-be developed DIDS enhancement is the Purchase Order and Material Requisition Interface. C&M has requested that a DIDS interface be built to automatically generate Purchase Orders and Material Requisitions needed to satisfy work tasks generated by inspections.

Evolution of DIDS

DIDS was born in the users' minds as a field inspection tool. As development discussions progressed and meetings continued, the client participants picked up the ball and began running with it. The development meetings consistently generated new thoughts.

• Why can't we do this? Why can't we do that?

• We want to use FieldView to locate the structures on the maps. Can this be done? What do we do if the structure inspected is not reflected in FieldView?

• It would be great if all inspectors could see the results of all inspections in FieldView the following day. Can this be done?

• Now that we have the field collection piece, what can we do to improve the way we manage the data and initiate related work tasks?

• Why can't we build an office application to help track, schedule and manage the work that is generated from the inspections?

DIDS has evolved to a point where some consider it a mini “work management” application. The field and office applications provide:

• A mobile Windows-based field inspection data tool.

• An automatic means to upload and download inspection data from the laptops to the MS SQL Server DIDS database.

• An automatic way to upload and download current AM/FM system data for mobile deployment.

• Desktop tools to help manage work (prioritize, schedule, track) generated from the inspections.

As a result, the inspection database has become a corporate resource. HECo design and operations personnel can access all inspection data from the LAN. Designers and engineers are now using inspection information and photos as a resource, sometimes even satisfying a field inspection required for design efforts.

HECo has already identified future applications, and interfaces are being scheduled for development. The DIDS solution has generated interest in actively pursuing inspection and data management applications that will compliment an effective asset management solution strategy.

Barney Yoshioka is the IT Program Manager responsible for managing the Electric Facilities Management System (EFMS) program at Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc. The EFMS program is comprised of IT programs and applications that support CADD and AM/FM systems. Yoshioka attended the University of Hawaii, has been with Hawaiian Electric since 1971 and is a member of GITA.

barney.yoshioka@heco.com