Issue link: https://resources.esri.ca/i/983012
The Vision of GIS for Utilities Esri Canada White Paper EC5_0364_1805_11A 15 Grid modernization trends have changed utility IT forever. GIS holds a more mission-critical role, because the smarter grid relies on strong management of big data—particularly from smart meters— in the GIS. Increased spatial analysis will enable utilities to better understand customer behaviour in relation to their delivery infrastructure. Better visualization on focused maps will enable fast, clean information dissemination for real-time decision-making. Desktop users will create new GIS content. With ruggedized devices, field technicians will be web enabled. Utilities will find a greater need for server and subscription services to hold the rest of their information in the cloud for mobile access. Summary GIS has evolved into a platform that automates the network documentation workflow. Most utilities have done the hard work: capturing their asset data from paper records and (hopefully) updating transactions to the data. These utilities can transition easily to a modern GIS platform by migrating their complex, multifunctional, custom applications to a suite of simple, focused apps. Most apps working off the Esri ArcGIS platform can be simply and quickly configured from a variety of templates provided free from Esri. Finally, recall that this all stems from a KPI-based approach to the GIS platform. As a corporate- critical technology, GIS can transform utility performance.