Session Abstract

Determining criteria to implement an effective and optimized Asset Management Solution

Condition assessment and performance monitoring of assets enables local government organizations to make informed decisions about appropriate maintenance, rehabilitation and renewal of assets. It also provides a mechanism for decision makers to understand the remaining life of an asset or its components. With increasing infrastructure deficits in Canada this process is growing in importance and relevance to the successful operation and improved level of service for a public works department. This presentation reviews the business issues and challenges of implementing an effective and optimized asset management solution for local government organizations. It provides a methodology for establishing guidelines to develop a productive asset management solution – a solution that creates value by overcoming an organization’s key challenges, resolving specific business issues and achieving documented business objectives. The authors outline important criteria for getting started to successfully move a company from reactive maintenance to implementation of a reliable and productive Asset Management System. The session highlights the results of a round table discussion that took place after the GIS and Asset Management Seminar put on by URISA BC, February 13, 2006 and shows how encouraging focus groups to link the value derived from solving an organization’s key challenges to specific business issues and business objectives can be very successful.

Speaker Biography

Karen Stewart

Karen Stewart, B.Tech, GISP, has a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Geomatics, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

She has over 20 years experience in the Municipal/Utility Mapping and GIS fields. She currently holds the title of Manager, Geomatics for the Township of Langley. As a Past President of URISA BC she is currently The Vice Chair of URISA National’s Chapter Relations Committee, the chair of the advisory board for the degree program in GIS at BCIT and a Member at Large for GITA. She also sits on Kwantlen University College’s Drafting/CADD Program Advisory Committee (PAC).

During her career she has been involved in the implementation of many new GIS and CAD technologies, including creating a link between CAD and GIS at the City of Surrey and the Township of Langley as well as setting standards for and implementing Digital Submission Process for Legal Survey Plans and As-built drawings. She looks forward to continuing to be involved in the GIS community and anticipates great advances in future GIS technologies.