City of Cincinnati GIS-Based Customer Service Request System

Transcription

1 City f Cincinnati GIS-Based Custmer Service Request System Daniel W. Yung and Raj Chundur ABSTRACT This presentatin will discuss the technical aspects f develping and implementing the Cincinnati Custmer Service Request system. The system was created by the Cincinnati Area Gegraphic Infrmatin System (CAGIS) with assistance frm the Telecm and CINSY sectins f the Reginal Cmputer Center. The system leverages CAGIS's extensive integratin f the GIS with transactinal data stred in an Accela Permits Plus database. Cincinnati is in the middle f a three-year prject t implement the system. As CAGIS wrks with each department n its service requests, data and wrkflw hurdles are identified and analyzed. As a result, new prjects are created t ensure that the visin f prgressive imprvement in custmer service delivery, nt just custmer service tracking, becmes a reality. Supprting prjects underway include the autmatin and enterprise tracking f city-wned prperty and right-f-way, inventry f ples and signage, and imprvement f data t link requests t infrastructure features. Intrductin In April 2002 Cincinnati City Cuncil requested a reprt n the feasibility f a single interdepartmental custmer service request system fr essential city services. This request grew frm the grwing realizatin that the City was experiencing significant prblems in its custmer service delivery. A review f the City s perfrmance in many areas shwed all f the symptms f departments and agencies nt acting like a team, althugh a team apprach was exactly what was required t meet the needs f citizens and the demands f ecnmic cmpetitiveness. By late 2002, City Cuncil had apprved implementatin f a Custmer Service Request (CSR) system t imprve the crdinatin and management f services prvided t City residents, cmpanies, wrkers, and visitrs and between City agencies. Althugh several vendrs CSR systems were evaluated, the decisin was made t develp the system in-huse, t ensure tight integratin with the City s fur primary systems; Accela wrkflw tracking, Maxim and Indus wrk-rder tracking, and the Cincinnati Area Gegraphic Infrmatin System (CAGIS) Gen7 desktp GIS prduct. This prject is a jint technlgy develpment effrt by the CAGIS and CINSY Divisins f the Reginal Cmputer Center. CAGIS is respnsible fr managing and develping, where necessary, the integratin interfaces t the fur primary systems. In additin, CAGIS prvides: system and database administratin; verall prject management; applicatin develpment; cnsulting in change-management and city wrkflws; GIS training; and develpment f GIS prducts in supprt f imprving management service-delivery gals. CINSY staff prvides user needs identificatin and user training.

2 In develping the prject scpe, three gals were identified: 1. View all City wrk at any particular lcatin. 2. Enable an rganizatin-wide view f service requests and respnses s we can better identify ur needs t invest in department respnses and cmmunity initiatives. 3. Create a system that imprves ur intra and inter-department crdinatin in meeting cmmunity gals and service needs. The system prvides City emplyees with the tls they need t manage effectively a service request thrughut its entire life, frm its initial intake t the final utcme. The system als makes it easier fr call takers t respnd t requests fr infrmatin that d nt result in further wrk rders. Key functins f the system include: Autmatin f the intake and ruting f service requests and the resulting departmental activities in ne crdinated system Tracking f service requests frm the public and internal requests frm ne City agency t anther Integratin f these service requests and activities with the existing citywide database f autmated wrkflws (Accela Permits Plus) and the Cincinnati Area Gegraphic Infrmatin System (CAGIS) Online dynamic knwledge base f telephne numbers, department facts, city and reginal events, reference infrmatin, tips and hw-t facts searchable by tpic, categry and keywrd. Autmatic wrk-rder dispatching thrugh existing Wrk Order systems Cmputer and text message capabilities fr field persnnel Autmated creatin f crrespndence, ntices, s etc. Management tls including custm reprts and maps System Cmpnents CSR Administratr The CSR Administratr allws departments t create service requests and grups, enter the questins they feel will best identify the prblem as theirs and prvide the infrmatin needed fr mbilizatin, and create the activities that must be accmplished t effect reslutin. Create departmental grups Register members by assigning grups and security prfiles Create and cnfigure service request types The department that a user is permitted t manage will be autmatically set in the cnfiguratin manager, based n departmental business rules. Create wrk rder linkages t specific service request actins. 2

3 Cincinnati CSR Administratr Knwledge Database Applicatin A Knwledge Database f telephne numbers, department facts, city and reginal events, reference infrmatin, tips and hw-t facts searchable by tpic, categry and keywrd. Database is nt limited t City f Cincinnati prgrams and departments, because City emplyees are frequently asked fr infrmatin abut prgrams and events that are nt directly assciated with any City department. City departments are able t change, update and add infrmatin t this database. Cincinnati CSR Knwledge Database 3

4 Call Intake A call intake screen identifies the service request type, prvides questins t guide the custmer service representative autmatically t the crrect Department/Divisin/ Sectin, cllect all f the data that will enable immediate respnse, and assign the apprpriate pririty. Create, update, stre and categrize requests based n the types f requests that the registered user is authrized t manage. Guides the user t cllect all required and apprpriate data assciated with the request, based n settings made in the Cntrl Panel Applicatin and departmental business rules. Cllects infrmatin abut the peple, cmpanies r bjects assciated with the request, linking caller infrmatin t the database f callers wh have already called int the system and/r new caller ID equipment. Ntifies the call taker autmatically f ptentially duplicate requests, based n type, date, time, date, status and lcatin. Verifies addresses r intersectins entered by the call taker and identifies the nearest address, parcel ID, prperty wner and United States Natinal Grid (USNG) crdinate. Prvides tls fr adding cmments t identify the lcatin f the request. Maps the request alng with ptentially duplicate requests and gathers gegraphic infrmatin (such as neighbrhd, service district, zip cde, inspectin district, zning and census tract) frm the CAGIS map in the backgrund withut the call taker re-entering any data. Enables the call taker t label the current request as a duplicate and add the caller s name as an additinal caller t an earlier service request. Psts the request autmatically t crew calendars fr wrkflws that have been autmated within the City s existing Permits Plus database r ntifies the apprpriate department/divisin/crew that there are services requests. Cincinnati CSR Intake Screen 4

5 Query A Query screen allws users t query service requests previusly entered int the system. This mdule prvides city departments the ability t track the status f services being prvided by all city departments using the CSR system. Capability t query service requests already entered int the system using varius selectin criteria, including name, time, data, type, status, pririty, neighbrhd and census tract. Ability t filter wh can query specific types f service requests, based n security authrizatin and grup memberships. Ability t view detailed infrmatin and jump t the Reslutin / Activity screen fr selected service requests that are returned as the result f a query. View selected service requests n a CAGIS map. Cincinnati CSR Query Screen Acceptance / Ruting An Acceptance/Ruting screen used by departments t identify all newly created service requests that need attentin. Departments can accept and/r rerute each service request and dispatch wrk crews t begin the reslutin prcess. Users have the ability t check n all service requests that have nt been updated r edited, fr all grups f which they are members. This mdule als autmatically refreshes itself t display new service requests created while users are dispatching the wrkers and assigned staff. 5

6 Cincinnati CSR Acceptance and Ruting Screen Dispatch A Dispatch screen that allws Public Services t dispatch and track departmental activities in the CSR system. View service requests waiting fr dispatch r that have been dispatched Search fr pending service requests based n their prximity t available wrk crews, status r length f time in the queue Change the status f a request that is waiting fr dispatch r that has been dispatched Transfer a service request t anther agency View a service request n the map in relatin t ther similar requests. Cincinnati CSR Query Screen 6

7 Reslutin and Activities The CSR Reslutin and Activities mdule is used t prcess and reslve service requests. Frm this mdule, all city departments are able t add and cmplete activities accmplished t reslve the request, print wrk rders and print any crrespndence. A cmplete recrd f reslutin activities is then available t department managers at a glance. Additinally, fllw-up letters t the citizen can be autmatically generated and be available fr printing within minutes after the cmpletin f the request by the departments. Autmatic r manual assignment f assigned staff, inspectrs, r wrk crews by wrk divisin area (gegraphic) Manual assignment f reslutin activities t staff, wrk crews, r vendrs Capture activities that have been perfrmed n the service request (e.g., letters, wrk rders, phne calls) Capability t enter and change service-request infrmatin and status as reslutin activities are prcessed. Change the pririty f an existing service request (i.e. frm Standard t Hazardus ) Generate a pre-frmatted crrespndence r wrk rders n demand Ability t view the transactin histry f assigned transactins Pp-up windw t capture and view images assciated with service request Send an alert fr past due activities Capability t view requests linked t ther cmpanin r fllw-n service requests Add flex questins, edit flex questin answers, and add participants Cpy a service request t create a new ne A tracking feature that enables the user t view a time line f majr milestnes during the life-cycle f the service request Print a summary reprt f the service request View duplicate service requests The functinality t change the service request type and re-rute r transfer it t a different department/agency. GIS Integratin Cincinnati CSR Reslutin and Activities Screen 7

8 The Cincinnati CSR system displays an integratin with the City s GIS that is unusual fr applicatins like this. While similar applicatins are capable f mapping service requests in ArcView r ArcGIS, the Cincinnati CSR relies n tw-way cmmunicatin between the applicatin and the GIS t create, manage and reslve service requests. Examples f this integratin include: The lcatin f a request fr services (either address r nearest intersectin) is verified in the gegraphic framewrk database, prviding standardized street addresses, street names and crdinates. Thrugh gegraphic analysis, the GIS prvides data t the CSR applicatin that wuld nt be available in any ther manner: nearest address, parcel ID, and street segment ID; Public Services, Plice, Fire, Health, Transprtatin & Engineering, and Buildings & Inspectins service districts; zning and special ver-lay districts; an indicatr f Citywned prperties and the department in cntrl; the United States Natinal Grid (USNG) crdinate; zip cde and census tract; and the City f Cincinnati cmmunity The GIS prvides additinal descriptrs f the lcatin f the service request, available nly thrugh gegraphic analysis, which the call taker can add t the recrd in the CSR. Fr instance, a request fr service at 1332 Michigan Avenue returns the fllwing list f additinal, pssible descriptins: MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV At Address 1332 MICHIGAN AV Nearest Address is 1332 MICHIGAN AV 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Frnt Of) 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Rear Of) 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Next T) 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Lwer) 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Upper) 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Acrss Frm) 1332 MICHIGAN AV (Acrss Street Frm) Near Address 1332 MICHIGAN AV in Creek ' W f 1332 MICHIGAN AV ' ^ frm 1332 MICHIGAN AV Segment Lcatin: 1351 MICHIGAN AV 80.96' frm Segment Lcatin: 1351 MICHIGAN AV S f OBSERVATORY AV Just S f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV ' S f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV ' ^ frm MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV On MICHIGAN AV Between HAMPSHIRE AV and OBSERVATORY AV Clse t 1332 MICHIGAN AV EC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV SC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV NC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV WC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV SWC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV SEC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV NEC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV NWC f MICHIGAN AV and OBSERVATORY AV 8

9 The CSR applicatin ntifies the persn entering the request fr service f ptential duplicate recrds based n gegraphic criteria specified by the department that receives that type f request. The three pssible gegraphic criteria are: lcated at the same address, lcated alng the same street segment r lcated within a given distance. The persn inputting the service request can interact with the GIS t fine tune the lcatin f a request and the data that is returned t the CSR system. Fr example, a citizen may be calling t request repairs t the park arund the crner frm where she lives, althugh she des nt knw what the park s address is. The call taker can lcate the caller s address r the nearest intersectin in the system, activate the view in ArcView, and then click n the prper lcatin using a tl that is activated by the CSR system. In turn, the apprpriate GIS data fr the park is returned t the CSR applicatin. A custm CSR ArcView Extensin permits the user t map service requests n-the-fly, based n a variety f criteria. After the recrds are mapped, the recrds are displayed in a dialg bx, frm which the user can pan the view frm ne recrd t the next, label recrds in the view, and pen the selected recrd directly in the CSR applicatin. Technical GIS Issues Fr reasns that are beynd the scpe f this paper, the Cincinnati Area Gegraphic Infrmatin System has nt yet mved its desktp GIS applicatins t ArcGIS. Instead, CAGIS uses a highly-custmized ArcView prject knwn as GEN7, which was develped by GIS cnsultant, Richard Allen, f MAGIC. The CAGIS staff has written additinal ArcView scripts and extensins t receive cmmands frm the CSR applicatin, run Avenue scripts and return data t the CSR applicatin. CAGIS GEN7 ArcView Interface 9

10 The CSR applicatin was created using the Micrsft.NET framewrk and is written in Visual Basic.NET. Althugh the CSR applicatin is heavily reliant n the GIS, it has been designed t be GIS neutral. Its cmmands t ArcView are relatively generic in nature, and the data cnsumed by the applicatin is presented in a standard XML frmat. As changes inevitably ccur in the GIS system, nly relatively minr changes will be necessary in the CSR applicatin itself. Althugh it is easy t cmmunicate with ArcView thrugh DDE, Visual Basic.NET des nt supprt DDE cmmunicatin. T wrk arund this, CAGIS develped a simple Visual Basic 6 applicatin that receives cmmand-line arguments frm the CSR applicatin, establishes a DDE cnversatin with ArcView, and then runs a script that prcesses the cmmand-line arguments. In turn, ArcView cmmunicates with the CSR applicatin either by writing files t a directry that the CSR applicatin mnitrs r by passing cmmand-line arguments directly t the CSR applicatin. Supprting prjects underway include the autmatin and enterprise tracking f city-wned prperty and right-f-way, inventry f ples and signage, and imprvement f data t link requests t infrastructure features. Authrs Daniel W. Yung GISP Cincinnati Area GIS (CAGIS) 138 E Curt St., 10th flr Cincinnati, OH US (513) daniel.yung@cincinnati-h.gv Mr. Raj Chundur Cincinnati Area GIS (CAGIS) 138 E Curt St., 10th flr Cincinnati, OH US (513) raj.chundur@cincinnati-h.gv 10