Kevin Benedict is a TCS futurist and lecturer focused on the signals and foresight that emerge as society, geopolitics, economies, science, technology, environment, and philosophy converge.
Barnes & Noble's and Handheld PDAs - Symbol PDT 3140
New Rugged Handheld PDA - Trimble Nomad
What Don't I Know About Mobile Software Solutions & Deployments?
This is always a difficult question. How can you know what you don't know. Well I guess the answer is you find someone who has been there and done that and learn from them.
This blog article is a good starting point. It identifies 51 questions the helpdesk team will want to have answered before large mobile software deployments.
Let me highlight a few of the questions you will want to have answered:
- Do you anticipate only needing one specific mobile software application, or many mobile applications over time? Can you start with a mobile software platform that supports all of your mobile needs, or will each mobile application be a separate IT project and use different technologies and infrastructures?
- Do you know your exact solution and data requirements in advance, or do you anticipate needing to edit and adjust your mobile application as you learn from your field experiences and users? This will impact both design and schedules.
- Do you have an in-house software development capability, budget and helpdesk infrastructure to enable you to customize your own mobile software application(s)?
- Do you want to contract your mobile software application design, development and deployment to an experienced mobility company, or build it internally?
- Will you be synchronizing your field data with one back-office database, or multiple database applications?
- Do you know how to integrate field data to your database applications? Do you have your own DBA that can do this?
- Mobile solutions are often used on laptops, Tablet PCs, Smart phones, PDAs, etc. Do you know your exact hardware requirements? Will you be supporting just one device, or all of the above?
- If your internal IT staff are developing your mobile solution, do they know how to do the following: support GPS, Barcodes, RFID, Digital Signatures, Digital Image integration, synchronize data across multiple databases, provide helpdesk tools to support large deployments, etc.
- Do you have an IT development team that is experienced in designing, developing and deploying mobile applications, or is this their very first mobility project. Can you afford the steep learning curve, time and money developing a mobile application in-house with no experience?
- Have you considered the support effort required to manage large mobile software deployments? Do you have software in place to manage this?
- The biggest challenge with complex mobile application development is to create the right data model for your mobile application before you start development. Often an appropriate data model for a simple mobile application, is not the appropriate data model once you start adding features in future versions.
Insurance Inspector & Mobile Handheld PDA Inspection Software
Field Services, Work Orders and Mobile Handheld PDAs
Tools, Parts & Mobile Work Order Solutions on Handheld PDAs
HVAC Maintenance and Mobile Handheld PDAs
HVAC Service Orders on Handheld PDAs
Mobilized Work Order System
Mobile Inspection Software, Service Requests & Asset Management
Toilets and Handheld PDAs
More on Mobile Workflow & Business Processes
30 Reasons to Mobilize Your Business
Business Analytics and Mobile Handheld Computers
Mobile Service Orders for Furniture Repair and Delivery
Automobile Work Order Solution for Handheld PDAs
HVAC Maintenance and Mobile Handheld PDAs
"Using a paper form and clipboard I see."
"Yep"
"How do you know what job to do next?"
"They tell me on the radio."
"How many jobs do you do a day?"
"As many as they tell me."
"How do they tell you?"
"I go to the office in the morning and they say - here and hand me a job."
"What about jobs 2-7?"
"I call them on a radio and say I am finished. They say about time now go here or there."
"Do you ever need to review past work orders or maintenance forms?"
"Yep - most of the time the customer has the last one duct taped to the side of the furnace."
"If not?"
"I call the office and ask them to look in the file and read it to me."
"Why three separate forms?"
"One for a service agreement, one is a maintenance checklist and the third is an invoice."
"What happens when you give all that paper work to the office staff?"
"The invoice is put into the computer, the other 2 forms go into a notebook/file folder."
"How long does a service call take?"
"With a customer like you? Too long."
"Sorry...thanks...goodbye!"
I refrained from explaining how we mobilize HVAC operations regularly. It makes so much sense to combine the 3 forms into one mobile software application on a handheld computer. The service agreement, maintenance inspection and invoice could be integrated easily into one electronic form on the rugged handheld computer and the data could be synchronized wirelessly directly to the office computer system.
The service technician could query past visits with a simple online request. Digital signatures and a mobile handheld computer could be used to capture digital signatures and a mobile printer used for the invoice. The invoice could even be emailed to the customer rather than using more paper.
Service orders could be dispatched electronically to the service technicians handheld computer rather than trying to call and read all the information, which the service technician scribbles on a paper tablet while drinking his coffee and driving through the rain in rush hour traffic.
Oh my...I have a lot of work to do.
Auto & Equipment Auctions and Mobile Handheld PDA Inspection Solutions
MobileDataforce has been working on projects in Europe, North America and in Australia/New Zealand that involve inspecting and appraising automobiles and other equipment for auctions and resale. Think about the environment that these activities take place in - mines, construction sites, storage lots, homes, auto dealerships, etc. These environments require one to collect a great deal of data in the field.
Handheld PDAs and mobile inspection software with wireless synchronization back to an enterprise database application in the office provides a huge amount of value. Let's discuss some of it here:
- Standardized inspection forms on handheld computers can ensure inspections are complete, uniform, accurate and readable.
- Business rules included in the mobile handheld inspection applications can validate that the information is accurate. For example scanning a VIN number on a vehicle can automatically fill out much of the vehicle information automatically and ensure the inspection data matches the vehicle description.
- Real time wireless synchronization means the inspection data can be immediately displayed on a website.
- Digital camera integration with your handheld computer can attach photos to your inspection data for immediate display on a website
- Wireless dispatch means your inspectors can be sent information on where they need to go for their next inspection
- In some cases valuation data can be pre-loaded into the handheld computer and aligned with the data collected from the inspection to provide a near real-time appraisal in the field.
Electric & Water Utilities and Inspection Software for Handheld PDAs
In the past week MobileDataforce has been contacted by over 20 electrical and water utilities seeking mobile handheld PDA solutions for inspections. It seems our mobile inspection software fills a significant need for them. Here are just a few of the common mobile software applications that electrical utilities are searching for:
- Power Plant Inspections
- Asset Management - Conditional Assessment
- Meter Repair & Maintenance
- Line & Pole Inspections
- Stray Voltage Inspections
- Health and Safety Inspections
- Pole Inspections
- Weld Tracking
- Construction Management
- Health & Safety
- Facilities Management
- Substation Inspections
- GIS and mobile applications
Inspection Software on Handheld PDAs
- Food Processing Plants
- Bridge construction
- Residential water usage
- Vehicle inspections for resale
- End-of-lease auto inspections
- Mold inspections
- Roof inspections
- Heavy equipment auctions
- Street sign inspections
- many more...
Yesterday I was involved in learning all about the following:
- Eddy Current Inspections
- Non-destructive Testing
- Tube Plugging Tests
- Corrosion Tests
- Ultrasonic Testing
- Concrete Testing
- Soil & Water Testing
- Leak Testing
Our PointSync Mobility Platform is the foundation for all of these inspection software applications. It is a software platform that supports quickly designing, developing and deploying a wide variety of mobile inspection applications for a large number of different mobile handheld PDAs in a quick and cost effective manner.
Mobile Inspection Software and Handheld PDAs in City Government
- City Engineering
- City Land Use
- City Forestry
- City Historic Development
- City "Right-of-Way"
- City Traffic Engineers
- City Building Inspectors
- City Fire Marshall
- City Electrical Inspectors
- City Mechanical Inspectors
- City Plumbing Inspectors
Many of these departments may have multiple inspections they must perform. In the Fire Marshall department alone they have quite the selection:
- Fire Alarm
- Cooking Equipment
- Wall Rating
- Wall Penetrations
- Above Ceiling
- Exit and Emergency Lights
- Sprinklers
- Panic Hardware
- Standpipe
- Emergency Extinguishers
- Many more...
These departments and their associated inspections represent a lot of field data collection activities and internal office data entry. It is easy to see why MobileDataforce provides a lot of mobile inspection software to these agencies and departments.
Business Analytics and Mobile Handheld PDAs
If your company provides a defined list of services, it is easy to include a feature in your "mobile work order" application that will record the start and stop times on a service. Let's say you have 100 field service technicians all performing the same list of services. It will not take long to understand the average length of time it takes to complete that service. Your job estimates will become increasingly accurate, your planning and scheduling processes better defined and accurate and the individual performances of your field service technicians can be monitored based upon your analysis of the time it takes to complete each service that you offer. You can pay bonuses or give raises to service technicians that have above average service performances and that generate above average profits for the company.
These business analytic features can be included in just about any mobile software application for use on handheld PDAs developed on the PointSync Mobility Platform.
Inspection Software for Mobile Handheld PDAs, Service Requests & Asset Management
- A mobile handheld computer is used to perform an inspection on the condition of a building (company asset)
- The information collect from the conditional assessment inspection is synchronized to the enterprise Asset Management system so it can be documented, analyzed and work and budgets assigned to maintain it.
- A service request is dispatched to the handheld computer or PDA of the service technician. The service technician completes the work that was dispatched to him/her and the service request is closed and synchronized with the enterprise Asset Management system
Inspections, Asset Management and Service Orders often go hand-in-hand. All three of these functions benefit from the use of mobile handheld computers and PDAs. The data that is collected is in the field, the company's assets are located in many different areas, the work that is performed is also done in many different remote locations.
MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform is designed specifically to support all of the enterprises connectivity between the enterprise's database applications and mobile field workers.
This link goes to a document that can be downloaded called "28 Reasons to Mobilize".
Mobile Handheld PDAs and Inspection Software
Mobile Inspections on Handheld PDAs and the Web
Most if not all of the field inspection software applications that MobileDataforce have worked on synchronize data from mobile handheld PDAs to a database back at the office. Often we are asked to create web interfaces to this data so project participants and management can quickly login and review the collected inspection data from anywhere in the world via a web browser. We customize a series of reports that display the data in relevant and helpful formats for quick and efficient viewing and understanding.
Mobile Inspection Software on Handheld PDAs
Mobile inspection software solutions are the topic of the week. Why? Many of MobileDataforce's largest global customers are in the inspection services business. In addition, rarely are inspections done in an office cubicle. They are most often completed somewhere away from the office and often out-of-doors. My engineering team has been developing and enhancing the PointSync Mobility Platform for many years specifically for companies that have a need to use a wide variety of different inspection applications and other mobile applications in the field.
The image in the upper right corner of this blog - is a screen shot of the PointSync Developer. This is the application companies use to develop each customized inspection. Once the mobile application is designed, developed and deployed the work can begin.
Because the inspection services industry covers such a wide variety of inspections, MobileDataforce created a mobile inspection platform to support the requirements for quickly changing them. Here is a list of a few of the common inspection applications:
- Building Inspections
- Power Pole Inspections
- Substation Inspections
- Stray Voltage Inspections
- Power Generation Plant Inspections
- Pipeline Inspections
- Health & Safety Inspections
- Scaffold Inspections
- Mold Inspections
- Fire Safety Inspections
- Conditional Assessment Inspections
- Auto Inspections
- End of lease vehicle inspections
- Quality Assurance Inspections
- etc...
The list is endless. No one would buy a separate mobile application for each of the thousands of different possible inspections. Companies want an mobile inspection platform that can support all of these possible scenarios. That solution is the PointSync Mobility Platform for Inspections.
Off the Shelf Mobile Applications vs Customized for Handheld PDAs
Mobile Inspection Software for Handheld PDAs
Mobile Software Solutions for Handheld PDAs and Integration
Mobile software solutions for handheld PDAs have limited value, unless they are synchronized and integrated with business applications back at the office. To that end, MobileDataforce's mobile software applications are integrated with many of the world's most popular database applications including:
- Sybase & iAnywhere
- Quickbooks
- Microsoft SQL
- Microsoft Navision
- Microsoft's Great Plains
- Microsoft Dynamic
- Microsoft Access
- Oracle
- AS 400/DB2
- MRO Maximo
- Many more...
The integration with these database applications enable bi-directional database synchronization between the mobile handheld PDAs and the office business software applications. This empowers the mobile handheld user to have the same kinds of visibility to enterprise data as someone sitting in a cubicle in the office. In addition, the office can receive near real-time data from work being done in the field. The efficiencies that are available through mobilization can be enormous.
Hawaii & Mobile Software for PDAs, Smartphones and Handhelds
Greetings Folks,
I am back from a wonderful and relaxing family vacation/holiday on the Island of Maui, Hawaii. I tried to forget about mobile software, PDAs, handhelds and smartphones for a few days, but alas, there are people carrying mobile handheld computers everywhere I go!
Let me give you an update on some of the mobile software solutions my team has been working on over the last few weeks:
- Paintless Dent Removal - mobile auto/vehicle inspections, services and repair business solutions
- Bridge inspections
- Mobile work order management applications for ATM service technicians
- Electric Utility - mobile inspection & work order applications
- Building inspection applications for a county government
- Clinical trials - mobile applications for healthcare service providers
- Asset management/conditional assessments and preventative work orders
- Much more...
The key value propositions for many of these solutions are the following:
- Accountability of work and workers in the field
- Accountability of company assets and inventory in the field
- Efficient use and dispatch of field service technicians
- Documentation of work completed in the field
- Efficient and timely synchronization of field data to the enterprise database
- Fast processing and invoicing of work completed
- Inspections and documentation of inspections - for just about everything
- Faster and better customer service leading to happier customers and greater profits
Toilets and Mobile Handheld PDAs
This is a first - MobileDataforce is developing an inspection software solution for inspecting toilets using handheld PDAs. Our team in Newcastle, England is working on a project called WaterSmart. This application is for Water Utility companies to use to help homeowners conserve water and save money.
This is how it works:
- Inspectors swarm into a homeowner's bathrooms and start flushing their toilets, using their showers and filling their bath tubs.
- They measure outputs, water pressure, and the overall water use of a house.
- They use handheld PDA applications to collect all of this data and synchronize it back to headquarters
- The data collected results in recommendations for the installation of water conservation equipment in the home, which kicks-off a work order process
- The work order is dispatched to a service technician that travels out to the home and installs things like; balloons in the toilet to reduce the water in the tank, shower heads that reduce water volume to a dribble and many other clever things...
These mobile software applications are used for mobile inspections, data collection, work order dispatch and synchronization. These are very interesting projects and they allow us to play with cool new handheld PDAs and other mobile gadgets.
Auto Appraisals Using Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software
- Mobile dent repair and minor autobody work
- Mobile Auto Detailing/Valet
- End-of-Lease Inspections
All of these business processes are completed on the mobile handheld PDA and synchronized with a web enabled database.
Reporting from the UK - Mobile Automotive Solutions for PDAs, Handhelds and Smartphones
The mobile solution they were demonstrating included a valuation component. A person could scan a VIN code and the description of the car would pop-up and auto fill the the electronic inspection form on the handheld PDA. The dealership would then inspect the car for damage and the final value of the car would be computed from the valuation database and the inspection.
This solution is used for automotive auctions, auto dealers, insurance and automotive lease return companies.
First the Dell Axim PDA Dies & Now the iPAQ Pocket PC???
LXE Using Animation to Market the HX2 Wearable Computer
LXE is using a cartoon character called the "Scan Man" to market their new wearable, rugged computer called the HX2. The HX2 has a screen made from the same material as a fighter-jet's cockpit windshield and is strapped to your arm.
I haven't spent much time thinking about wearable computers as I focus most of my time on mobile handheld PDAs, smartphones and industrial barcode scanners that run on Windows Mobile OS. Maybe it's time. Here are two interesting descriptions on LXE's website:
- Breakaway ring scanner improves operator safety by preventing snags. (Snags is another word for ripping your finger off)
- Voice enabled with ToughTalk technology. (I wonder if this was tested on sailors?)
This computer enables you to point at a distant object and voice order it to be scanned. The voice enabled computer is strapped to your arm and connected to a scanner ring that fits on your finger. Very clever! I wonder if there are any restrictions on which finger you can use to point?
Inside and Outside the 4 Walls with Mobile Software and Handheld PDAs
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