With over 25 years of experience in the energy and utility sectors, Bill has built a reputation for delivering advanced technology solutions, particularly in the areas of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and AMS (Asset Management Systems). His career has spanned working with major utilities across the country, helping them deploy cutting-edge solutions that streamline operations, improve decision-making, and increase efficiency. In this conversation, Bill dives deep into his experience, discussing the evolving role of GIS and AMS technologies, the challenges utilities face in adopting new systems, and the critical importance of organizational change management in successful deployments.
Read on whether you’re a fellow industry professional or simply curious about the inner workings of utility technology, as this interview offers valuable insights into the present and future of GIS in the utility space.
Matt Chester: Thrilled to have you as an expert, Bill! This interview serves as a great way to introduce you and your expertise to our members who may want to learn from you, so let’s start with the basics. What is your current role at POWER Engineers and what is your career background in the world of energy and utilities?
Bill Hoisington: I studied GIS in college and for the past 25 years, I’ve been consulting about asset management, work management and GIS deployments since then, focusing primarily on Esri and Trimble technology. My work also expanded into project management and leading technical services.
Currently, I’m a senior consultant and business development manager in POWER’s Advanced Utility Solutions (AUS) division. This group is responsible for technology deployments for Asset Management, GIS, Intelligent Design and Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) solutions. Day to day, I get to talk with a lot of clients. I’m developing proposals, assessing the needs and requirements of projects and putting together teams at POWER to fulfill those needs.
MC: What are some of the most significant projects you’ve worked on in the deployment of GIS and asset management systems? What are the major lessons learned you’ve gotten from your experience in these projects?
BH: One of the longest and most significate projects I’ve worked on is the deployment of a vegetation work management solution for a large West Coast IOU. This project involved developing a comprehensive GIS system for the vegetation in the right-of-way and a library of GIS layers that support the project.
We combined GIS with work management, linking the field activities with GIS assets. To support the utility’s yearly trim cycle workflow, we designed custom tools that streamlined the planning, work, preaudit and audit functions. One of the major lessons that arose from this project is that it’s essential to commit to taking the time to communicate and collaborate.
Originally, we thought this would be a one-year project. Three or four years later, the project was completed based on new requirements from the utility, different groups, and a much better understanding of complexity and detailed requirements. Working with a big IOU introduced us to different security systems, processes, red tape – working through that.
MC: How have GIS and AMS systems evolved over the years, and what are some of the latest advancements you’ve integrated into your projects that have you excited these days?
BH: Both GIS and AMS continue to modernize. The use of mobile products—for field work management itself and the ability to get results into the hands of the end user—continues to be one of largest advancement areas. Utilities have a need for network data and the ability to process work in the field and in map cases disconnected from an internet connection. In many locations where utilities need to work, there isn’t coverage, and we see more frequently where natural disasters may bring disabled infrastructure.
These systems are also doing more with analytics and data reporting, too. This makes diving into the data easier and allows the end user to see different dashboards and project updates, improving decision-making.
MC: What are some common challenges utilities face when deploying these systems, and how do you help them overcome these obstacles?
BH: One of the more common challenges I see is the fear of adaptation and change. Many employees don’t like to switch to new, unknown systems. We’ve seen the need for organizational change management (OCM) services as part of a comprehensive deployment plan for new GIS or asset management systems. OCM provides a framework to manage and address the effects of change on a business. It gauges feedback from users or the people most affected by the change. Because it explains what’s happening, it improves communication and understanding.
To best overcome these fears, it’s important to use a strategic process when adapting to a new system. It prepares employees for the new technology and provides clear workflows and processes. People adapt best when they understand what’s coming, what the requirements are and what’s expected of them.
MC: Why were you excited to dive more into the Energy Central community? What do you hope to get out of the platform and what do you hope you can provide to fellow community members?
BH: I like the focus that Energy Central provides and the community you’ve created. I’m excited to interact with other industry professionals who are facing similar challenges. I hope to help contribute to this community, sharing my decades-long experiences in this industry and learning what others are doing, their insightful lessons learned, and the experiences they have.
MC: Is there anything additional you’d want to be sure to talk about for our utility audience that the above questions didn’t cover? Or any parting word of advice / insight for our utility readers?
BH: I think the next five years will be very active for GIS in the utility industry. Many utilities will be updating their GIS systems to support modern system architectures, operational technology and grid modernization.
This gets a little tough, though. Some utilities have all these systems set, but software providers are requiring a change—updating their systems and making older versions obsolete. That’s difficult. Some clients are wondering why they have to update when the current system works.
The good news, though, is that newer GIS systems have a number of advantages, including better security and improved mobile access. These modern platforms improve functionality and support and offer cloud-based access through secure mechanisms and VPN. The new GIS platforms are supporting ADMS that many utilities are starting to deploy, which is improving control, reliability, resiliency and response time.
The advice I’d offer is to embrace both the change and new technology. It will make systems easier to use, provide better data and increase access in more locations.
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Thanks to Bill for joining me for this interview and for providing a wealth of insights and expertise to the Energy Central Community. You can trust that Bill will be available for you to reach out and connect, ask questions, and more as an Energy Central member, so be sure to make him feel welcome when you see him across the platform.
The other expert interviews that we’ve completed in this series can be read here, and if you are interested in becoming an expert, you can reach out to me or you can apply here.
