Handheld Applications In Power Grid Construction

I work in an industry where the people I support are heroes and modern-day cowboys. I mean that as a compliment. These folks work in a profession that places them outdoors in all circumstances. Whether it is typical 100+ degree days in West Texas, -20 degree days in the middle of a blizzard in North Dakota, or riding out a hurricane in a bunker to step out as soon as it’s safe and start restoring power in south Florida, these guys do what most people can’t do and even fewer are willing to do. They chose to be lineman for a myriad of reasons. But one thing most of them have in common is they don’t want to work indoors on computers. NOPE! Not what they signed up for! And, I get to hear that often. I love it. I enjoy every minute I get to hang out with them.

But the power grid construction and maintenance industry is changing. Their jobs are changing. Today, our customers are asking us for quicker information, more accurate, and more complete. This industry and my company (Irby Construction & Quanta Services) are demanding improved safety in all aspects of our jobs. We have started placing ‘technology tools’ in our field employee’s hands just like impact wrenches and screwdrivers. In the past, a lineman could have been in trouble for having his phone in his pocket while he’s working in the bucket truck. But, we’re creating the technology to make a tool just like all the other tools and his work bucket. Technology is moving from distraction to dictate!

At Irby Construction, we created an iOS application to solve the most complex calculations required of a journeyman lineman. Calculations such as line tension, conductor weight, stringing down force, and others have been simplified and placed at the tip of their fingers. No more guessing or over engineering. Our software development team worked closely with the field operations team and the safety team to develop a system that integrated software, training /documentation, and the needs of our field staff. This is a 360-degree system. All the teams worked together to build an integrated solution. The field operations team shared more knowledge of the ‘why’ around the calculations with the members of their team and everyone has access to these calculators. The safety team updated manuals to include the software instruction and training.

 The software was built to reflect and model the training documents and provide training examples in the application. The development team worked with the safety team to build test cases that stressed the application and insured that the resulting values were accurate. We tested this like you test software for a fighter jet. We made sure that at the end of the day we had done everything humanly possible to protect our heroes out working the Power Grid. I’m proud of the system we built. This system was awarded the Quanta Innovation Award in recognition of the incredible work of these teams.

We built a system for a customer that was used by our crews installing smart grid components. The customer wanted daily updates on progress, installation details, and pictures of the before & after installation. It was a requirement to collect 10 pictures of specific points of interest and asset tags. It may not sound like much. But, they had to be ‘in the bucket’ at the top of the pole to get many of these pictures. They upload these installation details daily. That phone that was once considered a job site distraction is now a valuable tool and required by the customer. It’s not an option.

We need to out of the office in the heat & cold, rain & bright sun, good days & bad to see what we build in action. If you have never tried to read your application on an iPhone screen in 100 degrees of direct sunlight as the screen dims because it’s baking, don’t give to your customer. Put yourself in their shoes every day. You can’t build tools for the ‘real world’ in an office bubble. Get out of your office!

Bottom line, technology may not be their favorite tool but it is a tool. As Technology leaders in our companies, we have to come along side our customers (the guys doing the work) and ask them questions to learn how to build tools that help them do their job safely and efficiently