ESRI Canada Getting Technical
Features
What is Mobile GIS?
Mobile geographic information system (GIS) technology extends GIS beyond the office and promotes collaboration between both the field and office environments. It allows organizations to make accurate, informed business decisions based on access to the latest data.

In recent years, ArcGIS has expanded to support almost all popular mobile devices including ruggedized computers, smartphones and tablets. It has also expanded to support popular operating systems such as Windows, Android and the Apple iOS. As a result, field workers and citizens can now connect directly with organizations, and gain remote access to real-time information from any location.

The ever-expanding presence of mobile GIS is encouraging a two-way flow of communication while empowering a global community of users through trends such as crowdsourcing. Benefits of mobile GIS are wide-reaching and include:

  • Improved efficiency and accuracy of field operations
  • Rapid data collection and seamless data integration
  • Replacement of paper-based workflows
  • More timely and informed decision making


Mobile Solutions to Connect Your Organization
ESRI understands the value of mobile GIS for organizations that require immediate access to real-time information, regardless of location. A range of mobile field mapping applications are available that can help you make more informed decisions in the field, including:

Mobile GIS in Action - Strathcona County Achieves Full Compliance through Mobile Technology
In 2010, Alberta introduced new weed control legislation aimed at better regulating the growth of noxious weeds and invasive plants across the province. The revised Weed Control Act demands greater compliance among municipalities while emphasizing surveillance and early detection. In response, Strathcona County overhauled their existing approach to vegetation management and shifted to a mobile method of data collection. Through a customized mobile solution, the County was able to fully comply with new control measures, improve data accuracy, and vastly streamline the process of vegetation inspection.
>> Read article [PDF]

Case Studies

Field Connectivity Powers Seamless Infrastructure Maintenance
The City of Surrey spans 316 square kilometers, making it geographically one of the largest cities in Canada. Four times a year, the City conducts “sector checks” that require three field crews to inspect visible assets along Surrey's extensive road network and record infrastructure-related issues. To better manage this time-intensive task, the City implemented Cityworks which automates the generation of service requests and work orders, while equipping field crews with the ability to electronically access asset-related data.
>> Read article

Nova Scotia Power Saves $200,000 in Labour Costs through GIS Field Connectivity
With nearly half a million customers to service, Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) embarked on a mission to improve their electric distribution system model through mobile data collection. With over 34,000 square miles to cover, one of the utility's biggest challenges was completing the project on time. Data collection was to occur by foot and vehicle in urban, rural and off-road areas, and needed to be completed within three years.

To overcome this challenge, the utility equipped data collectors with BlackBerry smartphones and Freeance mobile software, built on the ArcGIS platform, enabling the phones to connect directly with NSPI's network. As a result, they saved two hours a day and nearly $200,000 in labour costs.
>> Read article

City of Airdrie Implements a Secure, Realtime and Virtually Paperless Online Census
Airdrie, Alberta left behind their manual, paper-based method of collecting census data to embrace a mobile, online system that has increased productivity by 50% and reduced annual costs by almost 80%. This environmentally sound, completely secure and almost entirely paperless system is serving as a model for neighbouring municipalities looking to streamline and drastically improve the census data collection process.
>> Read article
The City of Nanaimo Sees the Signs of an Effective Asset Management System
Nanaimo is centrally located on the east coast of Vancouver Island with a population of almost 80,000 residents. To meet the growing demands of their community, Nanaimo's Engineering and Public Works departments revolutionized the way they manage their street signs by creating a spatially enabled traffic sign management system. By shifting to a mobile method of data collection, field personnel were able to capture asset information through mobile devices and send it directly to the desktop.
>>Read article

Using ArcGIS Mobile to Coordinate Oil Spill Response and Survey Activities
Response to the Deepwater Horizon incident, the largest oil spill in US history, was aided by an extensive deployment of Mobile GIS. Responders using ArcGIS Mobile followed one simplified process that provided bidirectional situational awareness to all responding agencies in near real time. This represented a milestone in the extension of GIS to the field – simple, focused applications were rapidly deployed and centrally maintained, allowing responders to immediately gather georeferenced data with little or no training.
>>Read article
GIS Cleans Up LA's Routing Operations
The Solid Resources Collection Division (SRCD) within LA's Bureau of Sanitation is responsible for collecting refuse, yard trimmings and recyclables from the 2.3 million city issued containers throughout the city. A paper-based routing and data collection process was creating inefficiencies and data inconsistencies, prompting the Bureau to leverage ESRI's ArcPad. Through ArcPad, the Bureau could push out driver schedules and routes directly to mobile devices while enabling the creation of electronic forms for automated data collection in the field.
>>Read article
New on Campus – There's an App for That
For incoming students at the University of Oregon (UOregon) this past fall, orientation was as easy as reaching for their iPhones. The free UOregon iPhone app, originally developed as part of the annual Week of Welcome, not only helps students find the locations of classes, buildings, and points of interest on the university's 295-acre campus but also keeps them up to date with university events and news.
>>Read article
September, 2011
FEATURES

What is Mobile GIS?

Mobile Solutions to Connect Your Organization

Mobile GIS in Action - Strathcona County Achieves Full Compliance through Mobile Technology
CASE STUDIES

Field Connectivity Powers Seamless Infrastructure Maintenance

Nova Scotia Power Saves $200,000 in Labour Costs through GIS Field Connectivity

City of Airdrie Implements a Secure, Realtime and Virtually Paperless Online Census

The City of Nanaimo Sees the Signs of an Effective Asset Management System

Using ArcGIS Mobile to Coordinate Oil Spill Response and Survey Activities

GIS Cleans Up LA's Routing Operations

New on Campus – There's an App for That
WEB SEMINARS

Mobile GIS Solutions Overview
(Recorded)

Working with ArcGIS on Smartphones and Tablets
November 24, 1-2 p.m. EPT

Working with ArcGIS for Windows Mobile
January 12, 1-2 p.m. EPT

Efficiency Through Freeance Mobile GIS Solutions
(Recorded)
TRAINING

Authoring and Serving ArcGIS Mobile Projects
March 14-15
(Instructor-led Online Training)

Registration for this course will be available shortly. Please stay tuned to esricanada.com/training to learn more and register.

RESOURCES

Brochures:

ArcGIS for Mobile [PDF]

Freeance Mobile 5.0 Now Available [PDF]

Articles:

Free ArcGIS App and API for Windows Phone Now Available

ArcPad 10.0.2 Makes Fieldwork More Efficient

Moving GIS from the Office to Mobile Devices

ArcGIS for iOS Improves Users' Experience

Videos:

Which Mobile Application is Right for You?

Press Releases:

Township of Langley's Mobile Fire
Application Wins ESRI Canada's Award of Excellence in GIS

Podcasts:

Incorporating Mobile into the Enterprise GIS [MP3]

ArcGIS for Windows Mobile GIS Technology [MP3]

How ArcGIS for Windows Mobile and
Server GIS Technology Is Increasing ROI and Adding Value for Clients [MP3]

Mobile Blog:

ArcGIS Application for iOS v2.0 Now Available

ArcGIS Mobile Build 2500 Released

Using ESRI's Online Help Systems on your iPhone or iPad

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