Why? The reasons are many:Continuing deregulation has made
theutilities industry more pricecompetitive. The transmission
anddistribution infrastructure is aging andis in some instances
well past itsplanned service life. The workforce isaging as well,
and qualified people areincreasingly scarce and more expensiveto
hire. Customers are demanding onehundred percent
availability,environmental awareness, accuratebilling and quick
fault resolution.Government and industry complianceregulations are
becoming stricter. All ofthis, and more, is business as usualfor
utilities management.Utility companies have taken greatstrides in
employing the latesttechnology to manage their work forces,assets
and operations. Many haveinvested significantly in enterprise
assetmanagement (EAM) and outagemanagement software, scheduling
tools,remote meter reading systems andproprietary communication
networks. These tools have delivered markedimprovements in
productivity and thequality of many processes, empoweringutilities
to provide a consistent andreliable product. Yet many
utilityorganizations are looking beyondimproving back office
operations andseeking other ways to get more done,collaborate
better and further theefficiency of their day to day
activities.Energy, Utilities and Chemicals the way we do itSmart
Grid Operational ServicesUtility Mobile IT AdoptionTo meet these
challenges and bebetter prepared for the unexpected,companies are
increasingly adoptingmobile solutions as a way to furthercontrol
costs, improve productivity and make better decisions
throughouttheir organizations.This report briefly reviews the state
of mobile adoption among utilities and outlines several high
returnmobilization areas for managers toconsider. It further
discusses criteria for selection of mobile solutions andprovides
some leading practices for their implementation within theutility
industry.Why Now?Electric utilities are enabling ordeploying
mobility mobile because of the technologys two
fundamentalcapabilities to:Reduce cycle time: Mobile
technologyallows such repetitive and/or timeconsuming activities as
inspections,repairs, meter readings and installationof equipment to
be completed moreefficiently. This reduction in processcycle time
delivers significant benefits incustomer satisfaction, cost
reduction and efficiency.Facilitate the exchange of
information:Mobile technology is extremelybeneficial to
organizations whose dataeither resides outside of the enterpriseor
is needed and inaccessible in thefield. This bilateral flow of
informationgreatly improves the decision makingability of both
field employees andmanagers back at the office.As we will discuss
later in this report,mobile technology finds many uses inthe
utility industry, and most of thembelong in the above
categories.When we talk about adoption of mobiletechnology by
utilities, it is important tonote that this process is happening
intwo distinct phases. The industry wasrather quick to adopt
communi-cationsAccording to the USDepartment of Energy, 70percent
of the nationstransmission lines andpower transformers are now25
years or older, and 60percent of circuit breakersare more than 30
years old.This makes preventativemaintenance a top priorityand
creates tight costpressures for assetmanagement operations.and
remote office solutions such aswireless e-mail, mainly because
theywere widely available and delivered aclear set of benefits. The
second phase isthe adoption of mobile applicationsdesigned
specifically for the utilitiesindustry. These can bring
exponentiallylarger benefits than general usehorizontal tools, and
they are quickly gaining acceptance because of changes in the
external environment.First, the utilities industry is facing
thedual challenge of aging infrastructureand aging workforce. Over
the pastdecade, most investment was directedtoward constructing new
facilities tomeet demand, rather than torefurbishing existing
equipment.According to the US Department ofEnergy, 70 percent of
the nationstransmission lines and powertransformers are now 25
years or older,and 60 percent of circuit breakers aremore than 30
years old. This makespreventative maintenance a top priorityand
creates tight cost pressures for assetmanagement operations. By the
sametoken, some industry surveys reportthat less than 10 percent of
utilityworkers are under the age of 35, andthat most utilities will
lose an average of20 percent of their staffs over the nextfive
years, and some will lose up to 40percent. This trend exacerbates
the needto get more done with fewer people, cutcosts, transfer
knowledge andstandardize processes. Secondly, at the infrastructure
level, isthe emergence of mobile platforms that can interface with
several back-end systems simultaneously andcost effectively deliver
intuitiveworkflow solutions.Third is the improvement of
mobiledevice technology. Todays handheldmobile units are vastly
superior to olderdevices, which lacked in battery power,memory,
processing capacity andsupport for the multiple networks
andperipherals that employees needed inUtility Mobile IT Adoption
2With a paper based system, a single work orderrequires an 11-step
processthat involves at least fiveemployees to print, sort,enter
data and perform the actual work. Withmobile technology, workorders
can be automaticallyscheduled, distributed to field employees
andclosed without a singlepaper document. benefit of the collective
intelligenceof the worlds leading utility companiesbehind us. This
gives us greatconfidence in confirming that mobiletechnology finds
its uses in virtually allparts of a utilities providers value
chain.The next several pages of the report will review some of
these applications as well as benefits that companies can
realize.Benefits of Mobile TechnologyIncrease worker
productivityMobile solutions improve workerproductivity by
minimizing idle time,unnecessary travel and redundant dataentry.
Consider the following examplethat compares a paper based work
order process with one that can beachieved with a mobile
workmanagement solution.With a paper based system, a singlework
order requires an 11-step processthat involves at least five
employees toprint, sort, enter data and perform theactual work.
With mobile technology,work orders can be automaticallyscheduled,
distributed to fieldemployees and closed without a singlepaper
document. This cuts out multipletime consuming steps from the
processand results in better visibility andsupervisory control
across the board.Reduce costsReplacing a paper based system with a
mobile work managementsolution delivers considerable costsavings.
Using mobile technology allowscompanies to handle increased
workvolumes without the propor-tionateincreases in staffing levels.
For many companies, this can translateinto significant savings in
hiring,training and salary for new employees.Several other areas
benefit from costsavings as well: Eliminating the need for data
entryand handling of paperwork can reduceadministrative expenses
and allowcompanies to retrain administrativestaff to perform higher
value activitiesthe field. Current generation ruggedizeddevices are
truly multi purpose toolsthat can incorporate location
basedinformation, bar-coding and RFID, voiceapplications, signature
capture, imaging,printing and pairing with calibrationtools in a
small, lightweight device thathas an outdoor readable screen and
canbe worn on a belt. The fourth factor is the improvement ofmobile
application security, which hadpreviously posed a barrier. Finally,
a drastic shift has occurred inhow companies use mobile
technology.Previously, the main use of mobileapplications has been
to get theinformation out into the hands of fieldpersonnel.
Increasingly, however,companies are placing more importanceon the
inward flow of information toenterprise applications such as
ERP,EAM, CIS and SCM. In the ELPindustry, rapid incorporation
ofinformation from the field allowscompanies to optimize
powergeneration, transmission anddistribution through improvements
in planning, scheduling, inventorymanagement, logistics and
otherprocesses. This inward flow ofinformation is nearly impossible
toachieve, with any degree of detail orreliability, with horizontal
solutions,such as wireless e-mail.Mobilize What?Contrary to what
many believe, thebiggest barrier to mobile adoption isntthe
complexity of the mobile technologyor tying it to back-end
software.According to a study by a leadingindustry analyst firm,
two of the largestchallenges that companies have toovercome are
proving the business caseand selecting areas to mobilize. Whilethe
first challenge is rather apparent, thesecond is less obvious. Yet
it is true thatmany applications of mobile in theutility industry
are hard to uncover.At Capgemini, with multiple livedeployments in
utilities, we have theEnergy, Utilities and Chemicals the way we do
it Better management of spare parts andtools inventories reduces
theorganizations costs in handling theseitems and often completely
eliminatesexcessive shipping charges foremergency parts orders
Tightened supply chain capabilities,specifically with raw
materialsforecasting leads to decreasedoperating costs Faster
turnarounds by pairing projectmanagement software with
mobilesolutions can save companies millionsof dollars in lost
revenue and overtimelabor costsStreamline operationsAlthough some
benefits of mobiletechnology can be easily tied to theorganizations
bottom line, many others contribute to the companyscompetitiveness
and long term wellbeing less directly. The improved flow
ofinformation to and from field employeesserves as a key enabler
for companies to: Improve and accelerate decisionmaking by
providing employees withsituational data they need toconfidently
make decisions in thefield: Because the data is continuouslyand
consistently updated by the entireteam, engineers can be confident
that they are making decisions based on trustworthy and up-to-date
information. Improve visibility into work status:Without mobile
technology, the workorder status and information capturedin the
field is often collated only at theend of the shift when all
employeesreturn to the office. Extending back-end systems to mobile
devices allowsmanagers to have instant knowledgeand control of the
work that is being done. Improve scheduling: Enabled with realtime
work status and locationinformation for employees, inventoryand
equipment, supervisors can makevastly better scheduling decisions.
Theadded transparency of operationsBridging the gap between the
field and the office greatly affects a companys ability to react to
unexpected events,shortening outage timesand allowing engineers to
swiftly resolveunforeseen changes inloads and conditions. ensures
that travel times areminimized, that engineers who arrive at job
site have the correctqualifications, and that all necessaryparts
and tools are available at the job site before work begins.
Thiseliminates employee frustration, saveslabor and travel hours
and ensuresthat more work gets done every day.Extend asset
lifeMultiple operational improvementscreated by mobile technology
allowengineers to do a better job at servicingcritical assets.
Improved productivityand scheduling provides more time
forpreventative maintenance of powerplants, the transmission
network,substations and the distributioninfrastructure. In
addition, immediateaccess to historical maintenance andrepair
records allows technicians tobetter isolate current and
potentialproblem areas and perform proper andtimely service on
assets. As a result, firsttime fix rates improve, and the
assetsservice life is extended.Increase responsivenessBridging the
gap between the field andthe office greatly affects a
companysability to react to unexpected events,shortening outage
times and allowingengineers to swiftly resolve unforeseenchanges in
loads and conditions.Adding mobile components to outagemanagement,
work management andscheduling/dispatch systems allowssystem
operations to rapidly disseminatelarge numbers of work orders
andinstructions in response to an outage or an emergency.Improve
employee satisfactionWhen employees have the right toolsand
resources to do their jobs, theirsatisfaction invariably
improves.Afterall, staff engineers and technicians arehired for
their skills in their crafts, notfor their ability to navigate
mazes ofpaperwork and intricacies of formsand procedures. And it
certainly addsmuch to the a standby engineers stressUtility Mobile
IT Adoption 4The goal behindimplementing sophisticatedproject
management,outage management andGIS systems was to improvedecision
making across theorganization, track moreinformation and
improveanalysis and performance in key areas of thebusiness. It
only makessense then, to extend these capabilities to asmany
employees aspossible and to remove paper as thecommunication
mediumbetween information in the field and in the back-end
applications.electricity supply to a residence orbusiness when
payment is not receivedon time, the payment status should beupdated
immediately upon receipt toensure that the customer can have
theirpower quickly switched back on.Similarly, a customer may be
paying hisbill in one of the offices when a servicerepresentative
in the field terminates thecustomers electrical supply.
Withwireless applications, an alert will beautomatically issued to
the field worker and an unfortunate incident will be
avoided.Maximize the Value of Back-End SystemsFinally, extending
core back-endsystems to mobile devices helpscompanies get the most
out of theirinvestments in these applications. Thegoal behind
implementing sophis-ticated project management, outagemanagement
and GIS was to improvedecision making across the organization,track
more information and improveanalysis and performance in key areas
of the business. It only makes sensethen, to extend these
capabilities to asmany employees as possible and toremove paper as
the communicationmedium between information in thefield and in the
back-end applications.Selecting the Right MobileSolution: Leading
PracticesSuppose the areas of the business that should be mobilized
have beenidentified and a strong business case for a mobile
deploymentcan be built.How does a business select a mobilesolution
that is correct for its needs?The following section provides a
briefoverview of areas that must beaddressed to arrive at a
solution thatwill meet demands in the short termand the years
ahead. levels to get out to an unfamiliaroutage site, at night and
under heavyrain, and not even know where theassignment is without
consultingdetailed maps in the truck.Mobile software solutions can
giveemployees improved autonomy andpersonal control over their
work, andthey can streamline the inter-departmental cooperation
that makesmany tasks easier. The results areincreased employee
morale anddecreased absenteeism and turnover.Enhance safety and
securityMobile solutions promote employeessafety by providing them
with theinformation they need to makecompetent decisions in the
field. Forexample, if a switch was broken and isbeing replaced, the
entire team benefitsfrom knowing when it goes back
online.Similarly, having full access toinformation about the
location andcondition of the plant and equipmentallows linemen to
take necessaryprecautions upfront.Reduce regulatory fines and
improve complianceCompliance and reporting for the USDepartment of
Energy, OSHA, and stateand industry agencies can strain
utilitiescompanies time and resources. Inaddition to developing and
complyingwith multiple procedures, companiesmust readily provide
in-depth reportson their operations facing hefty finesfor failure
to do so. By capturinginformation at the point of performanceand
uploading it directly to back-endsystems, companies can quickly
createthe necessary reports and successfullypass the strictest of
audits.Improve customer serviceMobilizing critical parts of
customeraccount management allows utilitycompanies to be more
responsive tocustomer needs and create higher levelsof customer
satisfaction. For example, ifa company has a policy of
terminatingEnergy, Utilities and Chemicals the way we do
itUsabilityNo matter how brilliant the underlyingtechnology or
tangible the businessbenefits, a mobile solution that isdifficult
to use, slow or cumbersome tointeract with, or prone to errors
willinevitably fail. Ease of use and seamlessoperation is paramount
to user adoptionand the success of a mobile deployment.Here are
some things to keep in mind: Intuitive workflow: The
mobileapplication should reflect the way thatemployees work, not
the way that theback-end systems are set up. Thisincludes arranging
fields and forms inthe order of task progression, usingbranching
logic to only displayrelevant information and breaking upa single
form into several screens,tends to improve usability and
shortentraining times. Other usabilityimprovements, such as
providingseveral ways to navigate to the neededscreen, context
sensitive informationentry and drop down menus can alsohelp reduce
process and data entryerrors. The primary goals for a mobile
solution are to gather betterinformation and to be moreproductive.
The software should be setup to achieve these objectives. Device
selection: Selecting the correctdevice for the job plays a major
role inthe speed of adoption and the level ofworker productivity.
For example,using a palm top (instead of a pistolgrip) device in
scan intensiveenvironments, or using a keyboardlesshandheld for
qualitative observationsmay significantly reduce productivityand
prompt complaints from yourworkforce. Selecting a rugged, easy to
use multipurpose tool with anoutdoor readable screen, support for a
variety of networks, integrated GPS,and bar-coding/imaging can
greatlycontribute to ther solutions usabilityand aid adoption
rates. Battery life: It is important to pick
adevice/connectivity/workflowconfiguration that provides theFew
applications deployedby utility companies todayare self contained
tools thatfunction in isolation onworkers devices. Mobilesolutions
are generallygeared at getting data in orout of back-end systemsand
therefore, have to beintegrated into them toexchange
information.necessary duration of uninterruptedusage for employees.
Always-onconnectivity and heavy data entryquickly deplete the
battery, requiringemployees to spot charge the device or carry a
spare. Availability: Good mobile solutions are not completely
dependent onconnectivity. Although it is extremelybeneficial to
update information in realtime, the behavior of the actual
mobileapplication should not vary withnetwork availability.
Always-onapproaches tend to be very sensitive to network bandwidth
and latency,and can leave employees waiting forscreens to refresh
instead ofperforming work. Robust client-basedapplications that
store all pertinentdata and business logic on the deviceoffer great
advantages in this regard.They are always available and
performfaster in all conditions because allscreens and data sets
reside on thedevice, and validation rules andbusiness logic can run
locally.Solution Architecture andIntegration CapabilitiesFew
applications deployed by utilitycompanies today are self contained
tools that function in isolation onworkers devices. Mobile
solutions aregenerally geared at getting data in or out of back-end
systems and therefore,have to be integrated into them toexchange
information.As previously mentioned, the bestmobile solutions can
instantly integratewith multiple systems to provideemployees with
all of the informationthey need as a part of a singleapplication,
and to allow workers to simultaneously update severalsystems based
on information capturedin the field. Such solutions
cansignificantly improve productivity by simplifying information
retrieval and reduce costs by eliminatingredundant information
entry. In effect, a mobile solution can become theinformation hub
for back-end systems.Utility Mobile IT Adoption 6 Integration with
third party mobileapplications: On device integrationwith other
mobile applications isimportant for companies that alreadyemploy or
plan to roll out third partysoftware, such as GIS mappingservices.
When the client sidearchitecture is open, the new mobile
application can be configured to exchange informationwith other
mobile software on thedevice, providing an added measure of
integration.Flexibility and UpgradeabilityIn addition to technology
capabilities, itis important to understand a vendorsapplication
development and softwareupgrade methodologies. Some
criticalquestions to ask include: Can the solution be configured
andmaintained on site by trained staff ordo changes have to be hard
coded bythe vendor? If changes can be made on site, arethey easy to
make? Can they be madein a GUI environment rather thancoding in VB,
.NET or C++? Can a vendors developmentframework be used to
inexpensivelycreate custom applications orapplication modules in
the future? Do devices need to be brought in fromthe field for
upgrades, or can updatesbe sent over the network?The degree to
which a future vendoraddresses these lifecycle managementareas can
have a significant impact onthe total cost of ownership (TCO) of
the mobile solutions.mobile software. It is important thatthe
chosen vendor support a broadrange of devices in order to make
thebest out of your current hardwareinvestments and to provide
flexibilityin the future. Support for multiple peripherals:Although
it is unlikely that your corebusiness processes will
changedramatically in the coming years,technology has a way of
constantlyuncovering new ways to streamlineexisting practices and
introduce newefficiencies. GPS, WiFi, RFID, voice,and high
megapixel integratedcameras are just few examples oftechnologies
that gained wideacceptance in recent years andtransformed many
activities in thebusiness world. Selecting a vendor thatis quick to
integrate such newtechnology can help companies toremain
competitive and efficient. Support for multiple networks: Greatcare
should be taken to understandwhen and where employees needwireless
connectivity. A mobilesolution that supports wirelessnetworks
allows the user to configurethe software to use
differentcommunication methods dependingon availability, cost and
convenienceand to add an extra level of reliabilityto the solution
by allowing the deviceto switch to a different connectivitymethod
if the primarycommunications path is broken.Ideally, support for
these variousnetworks should be driven by solutionintelligence that
defines least costrouting or preferred network routingfor
flexibility and cost management. Security: Security measures may
beavailable at the enterprise, transportand device levels. Although
not allapplications should be equally secure,look for a mobile
solution that allowsone to adjust security measures toaccommodate
the changes to thesecurity profile over time.Traditional mobile
approaches eitherrequired each individual system to havea mobile
extension or integratedmultiple systems before passing
theinformation to the mobile device. Bothof these approaches have
different butrather significant disadvantages. Havingmobile
extensions for multiple systemsrequires separate applications to
bedeployed and managed on mobiledevices, which is expensive
andgenerally does not allow workers to usemore than one system at a
time. On theother hand, integrating multiple systemsbefore sending
information to themobile solution can help achieve theneeded
functionality, but it creates asystem that is very inflexible. A
minorchange in business logic or workflowcan have the domino effect
of having toadjust the entire arrangement, mostoften by employing
expensive on siteconsultants. In contrast, having asolution that
independently interactswith multiple back-end systems
andautomatically aggregates information forthe user makes the
mobile applicationadaptable and eliminates vendorlock in. It also
eliminates the timeconsuming process of rekeyinginformation from
one system to anotheror accessing multiple systems tocoordinate a
single repair trip.Technology CapabilitiesAnother key area to
address indeploying a mobile solution is the depth of functionality
and technologycapabilities that the solution requires.Over
engineering a mobile applicationmay diminish performance
andusability, and can make the mobile tool difficult and expensive
to maintain.However, it is important to ensure that a mobile vendor
addresses the followingareas to guarantee that a solution
isflexible and can meet needs in the long term: Support for diverse
device platforms:Device platforms and operatingsystems undergo
significant upgradesevery two to three years, oftenbecoming
incompatible with currentEnergy, Utilities and Chemicals the way we
do itindustry leading practices andknowledge of mobile gotchas that
canonly come from years of experience.With years of experience
andunmatched execution expertise serving over 750 customers,
Capgeminiassists organizations with mobileworkforces who are faced
with thechallenges of streamlining workflow and improving
productivity. Capgemini delivers quick realization of benefits by
offering rapidlydeployable mobile solutions built on 100-percent
configurable andreliable mobile architectures.Capgemini provides
the fastest path tomobilize enterprise systems. Unlikeother mobile
solution providers,Capgemini simplifies enterprise widedeployments
with a leading strategicarchitecture for one or more
mobileapplications while you concentrateon business processes.
Capgemini also sets the standard for adapting to rapid change and
managing the risks associated with change.Durability of a
SolutionWhen choosing a mobile solution, acompany must carefully
consider theevery day demands to its software andhardware
components. On the softwareside, the system should be
highlyscalable and capable of simultaneouslyprocessing multiple
transactions. For example, when the entire workforceof several
thousand engineers signs in atthe beginning of the shift, the
solutionshould not become sluggish or prone tocrashing. On the
hardware side, it iscritical to understand the rigors of thedevices
everyday lives. Notebooks willbe dropped and stepped on,
handheldswill be left in trucks under damagingsun, screen
scratching signatures will becaptured 50 times a day, and
moistureand dust will be ever present. Althoughconsumer grade
devices may be cheaperto buy at the onset, the overall cost
ofownership for ruggedized devices can beup to 33 percent lower due
to theirdurability and a strong support network.Solution
SetConsider the mobility strategy in thelong term. Does it include
deploying asingle application or potentiallymobilizing several
areas of the business?If so, vendors must be evaluated on
theability to provide ready to deployapplications for multiple
areas in thecompanys value chain. Having suchsolutions dramatically
reduces projecttimes and saves companies significantresources in
application development,integration and customization.In
SummaryUtility companies are quickly adoptingmobile technology to
help driveefficiencies in generation, transmissionand distribution
of electricity. Whethera company owns several steps of thisprocess
or concentrates on a single area,mobile solutions can help to
shortencore process times and facilitate the flowof information
throughout theenterprise. Several high benefit mobilityareas have
been outlined in this report,yet the technology presents
virtuallylimitless opportunities to improveemployees workflow,
maximize thequality of data in the back-end systems and cut
paperwork out of everyday processes.It is important, however, to
carefullyweigh costs against benefits in mobileprojects. Remember:
if a mobile solutiondoes not save time or money, its a waste of
both. Take a holistic approachto scoping out the mobile project and
to selecting a long term technologypartner. To achieve a high
return oninvestment with a mobile initiative,ensure that mobile
tools are easy to use, versatile, durable and scalable.Understand
that the solution will evolve over time, both in size and inscope,
andit is critical to Sselect asolution that can accommodate
this.Think strategically about mobile as apart of the overall IT
infrastructure,security profile and back-end system
environment.Finally, seek advice from mobilespecialists. Look for
comparablecompanies that have deployed multiplesolutions to address
similar challenges.Time and money will likely be saved
indevelopment, integration anddeployment by relying on a set
ofEUC_ITADPTFLR_032409_014www.ca.capgemini.com/smartgridCopyright
2009 Capgemini. All rights reserved. Capgemini, one of theworld's
foremost providers of consulting, technology and
outsourcingservices, enables its clients to transformand perform
through technologies.Capgemini provides its clients with
insightsand capabilities that boost their freedom toachieve
superior results through a uniqueway of working, the Collaborative
BusinessExperience. The Group relies on its globaldelivery model
called Rightshore, whichaims to get the right balance of the
besttalent from multiple locations, working as one team to create
and deliver theoptimum solution for clients. Present inmore than 30
countries, Capgeminireported 2008 global revenues ofapproximately
$12.74 billion and employs over 90,000 people worldwide. More
information is available atwww.ca.capgemini.com/smartgrid. About
Capgemini and the Collaborative Business Experience Gord
ReynoldsPractice LeaderSmart Energy
[email protected]+1 416.732.2200
