A Data Collection Plan is the best way to organise our thoughts and engage with other stakeholders. The Data Collection Plan establishes the:
Project purpose
Business and project goals and objectives
Scope and expectations
Roles and responsibilities
Assumptions and constraints
Project management approach
Project budget
Project timeline
The conceptual design of new technology
First up, we need to identify the project scope. This will include identifying the objectives, and defining the steps we need to take to achieve them. Scoping the project is the most important part of the Data Collection Plan. This first step is also the place where the potential to collaborate and save money is identified. Every aspect of the project should be explored here right at the beginning.
5 Tips for a Great Data Collection Plan
1. Engage with other departments and identify all possible stakeholders before you begin
Engage with all Stakeholders – including other departments to ascertain if there is any element of the data collection that could be slightly modified to add extra value and benefit to other departments. This is a good opportunity to work together to get the data everyone needs.
For example, the Infrastructure Services Department teamed up with OPAL (A Community based healthy lifestyle program) to deliver the Drinking Fountains Data Collection and Condition Audit Project. After discussions between the two departments to determine what was required, it was a simple case of including a few extra fields of data to be collected. The result was that the one data collection provided all the data that both departments required. There will be many data collection projects that could be modified slightly to provide added value and provide valuable data that will be of benefit to other departments within the organisation. All that it requires is a bit of thoughtfulness and communication, and the organisation can save money by requiring only one data collection rather than two.
2. Identify the data you want to collect - Identify the outputs people will be requiring from the data
If you’ve engaged with all possible stakeholders, you should have a very good idea of the project scope and what the data will be used for. One data collection could provide information for many different outputs, for example:
Specific reporting (Asset Management Plans, Budget and Capital Works Forecasting, Maintenance Planning, etc.)
Valuation purposes
Condition and attribute data used to manage and maintain infrastructure assets
3. Ensure you have included all the data fields you need.
If the data is going to be used for valuation purposes, make sure you include the relevant dimensions with which to calculate the value, depreciation, expiry date, remaining life, standard life, etc. Usually the Standard Life and Unit Rates will already be determined and will not be part of the data collection, but it’s worthwhile bearing them in mind when preparing the Plan.
Condition Data – The condition matrix should already be established before the data collection begins. The surveyors must have a good understanding of what each condition rating means. I have found photographic representation to be useful in establishing a benchmark.
Collecting Defects – Depending on the Asset Class, and how your Asset Management system is set up, you may collect defect data to calculate the Asset’s condition. Alternatively, with some Asset Classes, the defects will not have any bearing on the condition of the Asset but will be used to help plan future maintenance projects. This is another aspect of the Data Collection Plan that should be established at the project scoping stage.
Spatial Element – most council owned assets will require location information, especially Stormwater, or Open Space Assets.
4. Post Processing – How easy will it be to prepare the data for upload into the corporate systems?
The data collection plan should detail the steps required to prepare the raw data, configure the system (if it hasn’t already been set up), and import the data.
Do you have the required resources, knowledge, and expertise for this in-house? If not, who will you engage to do this work? Consider the additional costs involved.
5. Is there an opportunity here to explore new technology?
The advances in technology, especially mobile technology provides us with a greater choice than ever before, and at competitive prices. It is worthwhile investigating all possibilities, bearing in mind all the points above.
As I've said many times before, good data is key to being able to manage the Assets efficiently and cost effectively, and it's worthwhile taking time to prepare a Great Data Collection Plan.
Jill Singleton: iamdata@internode.on.net | www.iamdata.solutions
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