Moving Mobile Forward at Mn DOT Topics

Moving Mobile Forward at Mn. DOT

Topics 1. Why mobile, why now? 2. Considerations and decisions 3. Doing mobile “right” means you need to take a look at your overall enterprise architecture 4. What was proposed/built

Why mobile • Reacting to: – A large mobile and distributed workforce who wants access to information anytime anywhere – Many business areas pushing for mobile applications for field data collection • Asset collection, GSOC, EAB, ADA… – Multiple technologies and approaches were being pushed • Concerns about a maintenance headache – Need to develop a common architecture for deploying mobile apps • Development of a “Mobile Framework”

Why now? • Great new and powerful devices – Smart Phones – Tablets – Ability to integrate with others systems • Increasingly ubiquitous wireless broadband – 3 G/4 G networks – Hot spots and air cards for laptops • Need for productivity gains

Decisions, decisions • What kind(s) of applications? – Mapping & business systems – What are your business needs for mobile? • Disconnected vs connected editing – Data check-in/check-out? • What kind(s) of devices and how many? • “Phone apps” vs “Phone web apps” • What accuracy of GPS? • Existing Infrastructure

What kind(s) of applications? On a phone, GIS/mapping may on the periphery • Business systems? – Email – Timesheets – Work orders • Mapping? – Direction finding – Field inspections – Access to asset information – Feature locating

What kind(s) of devices? • Phones – Are you prepared/able to standardize? – i. Phone, Android, RIM, Win. Phone • Tablets – i. Pad – Android • Laptops & GPS Devices

“Phone apps” vs “Phone web apps” • Pure phone, e. g. , “i. Phone app” – Takes better advantage of phone hardware • Camera, GPS, accelerometer, etc. – But, requires standardization on a single phone • Or, building a different app for each phone

“Phone apps” vs “Phone web apps” • Phone-based web-app – Relies on the phone’s browser app – Web pages, HTML 5, Java. Script • Can be optimized for small screens • “Adaptive design” – Good access to GPS; camera not yet supported (but coming) – Examples of “minified web

What accuracy of GPS? • Phone & car navigation systems: 3 -10 meters - Commercial • GPS devices, cards for laptop/tablets: 1 foot - 3 meters – Mapping Grade – <1 meter with post processing or real-time correction services (e. g. Omni. Star) • Dedicated, high quality GPS devices: Sub-foot – High Precision – Established base stations and RTK

Disconnected vs connected editing • Connected = direct edits to the server • Disconnected = “synching” with server • Will you always be connected to the internet? – If so, then web-based forms are possible – If not, need a mechanism to work while disconnected, and then synch with server “later” – Support for connection disruption (i. e. , “mostly connected”) • Support for fully disconnected editing – Data check-out/check-in – Synchronization upon return to the office – Non-trivial and Esri provides good tools • But some strings are attached

Mobile apps require a solid server and data management foundation • In short, to effectively take your data into the field you need to have your back-end in order • Mobile applications should interface with your “enterprise infrastructure” – Enterprise GIS • Base maps • Business layers and their attributes (e. g. , parcels, utilities) • Web services (both cached and dynamic) – Business systems • For example, work orders, asset management, CAMA, etc.

Mn/DOT Mobile project 5 deliverables 1. Business requirements document – 10 workshops 2. Mobile data framework v 1 – Including a data model and app dev guide 3. Two prototype applications a. Arc. GIS Mobile Framework-based ADA application • • Inventory sidewalk features (e. g. ramps) for ADA compliance Built by partner firm, CDM b. Proof of concept phone-based web app 4. Device matrix

Observations from the business requirements • There are LOTS of requirements • GIS/mapping is not necessarily the driver; great need for business system access and timesheets • Mobile application development is different than enterprise application development – Need for flexibility and agility – Need to deploy rapidly • You may have a field crew (or interns) waiting for the tool – Need to be able to readily make adjustments to the app • You learn how the app needs to change once you’re in the field

Mobile framework and data model • One app framework /one data schema – many apps – App to build an apps – create an app – Add inputs to apps – identify data fields you want to collect – App builds itself in browser based on inputs – Add features to apps- collect data • All data from all apps goes into one database schema – Geometry data, it’s just another field • OGC simple features

Conceptual view of mobile framework (aka The Green Box)

Building a phone app Test_app

ADA - Sidewalk Inventory Traditional app that uses Esri Arc. GIS v 10 mobile framework Allows for disconnected editing, and sync’s data back to the database for quick access back in the office.

Using the app

Support of multiple platforms Can run in full browser mode on a PC, or on a phone Pick-list widget adjusts for phone browser

Project Status • Finished the ADA app • Completing recovery from government shutdown • Completing the build-out of the proof of concept mobile web-app • Working to perfect and deploy an initial version of the mobile framework

Conclusion • There are huge opportunities to capitalize on mobile GIS technology and applications. • There will be increasing volume of activity • Mobile is different and takes some thought and planning for the best approach for your organization • This is something we think can be used elsewhere