Even though you might not have heard the term “FieldTech ecosystem,” if you’re with an organization that collects data outside of an office setting, you have one.
FieldTech is all the technology that you use to perform field-based activities. To give you an instance, let’s look at a water utility’s field operations. With a nod to Hasbro/Parker Brothers, let’s simply call this mythical utility Water Works.
Water Works FieldTech ecosystem
Like most water utilities, the field procures and manages a variety of moving parts to solve field-specific problems. Here’s a quick rundown of technology they might use:
- Data collection mobile apps – to capture data from manhole inspections.
- Sensors – to measure things like water pressure or pump performance.
- Drones – to give a bird’s eye view of conditions.
- 3D cameras and videos – provides advanced visualization of underground infrastructure. (Check out our case study from TREKK Design Group – a client who uses 3D imaging to perform full-visualization manhole inspections.)
- Navigation and tracking – to give the location of gathered data.
Fulcrum helps field organizations bring together all of these FieldTech components. The Fulcrum app guides the person working on valves in the field through their process, containing sensor data, 3D images, and drone imagery to help them know where to be and what to look out for.
And when he finishes his job, Fulcrum contains the full record of the task, the process used to complete it, and evidence (textual, visual, and location-based) that he did it right.
But the field stuff is only part of the story. We now return to the office, the place where decision-makers approve most software subscriptions and make decisions.
Water Works office applications
The Water Works corporate office operates with standard business divisions, including HR, Operations, Accounting, Engineering, Compliance, IT, and more. Each of these departments relies on a suite of specialized three-letter software applications essential for the utility’s smooth functioning. These include Business Process Management (BPM), Field Service Management (FSM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Human Resource Management (HRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and others.
All of these applications are useful in their own right and vital for Water Works’ continued operations. But none of them are made for the field.
And even though the products of this alphabet soup of acronyms can directly affect what is going on in the field, it is nearly impossible for the two sides to talk to each other. They neatly isolate the analyses they create and the guidance they provide from the field within a tech bubble.
In other words, Water Works has a bunch of components built into its FieldTech ecosystem. And then it includes all the tools its office staff uses to complete their tasks.
But do they ever share the data collected by FieldTech or the data parsed and analyzed by office technology? Or does the usability of each side simply end at the Water Works corporate headquarters building door?
Fulcrum in the middle
Here’s where Fulcrum steps in again. Fulcrum takes in the information you already have in-office and assembles it to direct field operations, manage workflows, and guide people on the ground.
Once the field teams complete their work, Fulcrum houses it, enabling Fulcrum to act as the conduit between the field and office-based people and processes, via their office applications. Fulcrum connects what you find out in the field with the people using that information to make decisions.
Making the most of your data
Bridging the gap between office and FieldTech ecosystems isn’t just about the instant sharing of data. It’s also about being able to take the data and put it into formats that can be used for other purposes.
For example, Water Works has access to in-depth property data showing land boundaries. Using Fulcrum, inspectors access this raw data to keep track of where they’re at.
This also works the other way around, of course. The data that’s collected by Water Works field teams (or FieldTech) is made available for other uses, both internally and to outside stakeholders, by the Fulcrum platform. This is without IT intervention, or having to do some big arduous tech workaround. It just works.
Stuck in the middle with you
In conclusion, as Fulcrum, we find ourselves in the unique and enviable position of being right in the middle of it all – integrating the FieldTech ecosystem and bridging it into office operations. And honestly, we couldn’t be happier about it.
Our platform isn’t just about transferring information; it’s about making connections, solving problems, and being a part of something bigger.
So, here’s to being stuck in the middle with you, our clients. Together, we’re creating a seamless, productive, and collaborative workflow that actually works. In this pivotal role, Fulcrum continues to be the essential bridge, managing field operations, harmonizing them with office strategies, ensuring that every piece of data serves a purpose, and every decision is informed by on-the-ground realities.
Explore the Fulcrum advantage
Ready to learn how Fulcrum can help you bridge the gap between your FieldTech and office ecosystems? We’d love to talk! Sign up for a free, no-obligation chat with one of our experts to get started.