Putting the Pieces Together

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• Putting the Pieces Together

Excel Spreadsheet
Base Web Services
HQ Staff
Email
Unit POCS
Co-workers
Photo Graphics Files
Oracle DB
You
Supervisors
Base Network Services
Access DB
Paper Documents
SQLServer DB
Standard AF DB (Gunter)
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• Putting the pieces together

Excel Spreadsheet
Base Web Services
HQ Staff
Email

• How do you bring information together
• Without Redundant Information Gathering ?
• Without Burdening the Information Collectors ?
• With multiple points of Data Entry ?
• With multiple sources of Information ?
• With multiple organizational levels ?
• With automatic checks for obsolete/old Info?

Unit POCS
Co-workers
Photo Graphics Files
Oracle DB
You
Supervisors
Base Network Services
Access DB
Paper Documents
SQLServer DB
Standard AF DB (Gunter)
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Todays IT Environment

• GOAL Get timely information
• PROBLEM
• Different databases
• Different locations
• Different formats
• Different time zones
• CHALLENGE Organize, Store, Sort, Filter, and
  create information to achieve the GOAL

• Different security levels
• Different organizational levels
• Different needs
• Different standards

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Finding Information

• Often the desired information already exists,
  somewhere (probably many somewheres)
• It is the mission of IT to put these pieces
  together
• Locating appropriate data sources
• Organizing, Sorting, Consolidating, and Filtering
  this information
• Create new data sources, as required
• Bringing these information sources together
• Create a means of navigating, searching, and
  displaying your desired information

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Creating New Info Sources

• If the information doesnt exist, take advantage
  of leading technology
• Web-based databases
• Web-based presentation screens and reports for
  both administrative and customer
• Easy to use screens will make information input
  and updates easy and error-free
• Smart navigation, security, search, and report
  displays will provide appropriate access to all
  user levels

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Examples

• Beckwith Consulting has developed several
  applications to provide timely information
• Examples with have
• Problem
• Before Description
• Results and Benefits

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Example (Infrastructure)

• Problem
• Needed standard list and description of AMC
  infrastructure projects for prioritization
  funding
• Before Description
• Infrastructure projects were entered in different
  DBs at various bases with no standards and
  inconsistent update. Many non-ACES projects on
  the books
• Results and Benefits
• Infrastructure application compiles daily update
  from ACES-PM and an internal AMC database to
  allow base, AMC, and AF personnel to see project
  priority, status, and budgeting details. FY
  prioritization and budgeting are now easily
  accomplished

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Example (Infrastructure)
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Example (Infrastructure) Contd

• Results and Benefits (Continued)
• Stoplight Chart is a one page drill-down that
  quickly shows Infrastructure status by base and
  system with get-well information
• ACES-PM project details and photographs are
  easily accessible
• Printable worksheets make FY planning sessions
  quicker and more efficient

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Example (Roofs)

• Problem
• Needed a database to track roofing across AMC,
  specifically, age, description, maint., warranty
  info cost
• Before Description
• Sparse and inconsistent records maintained in
  paper, spreadsheet, and databases at various
  bases
• Results and Benefits
• Infrastructure application is based on ACES-RP
  and allows base and AMC personnel to see building
  and roof details across every base. Application
  also stores photos, warranty information and
  inspection reports. Goal is to budget effective
  maint. replacement of all roof sections

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Example (Roofs)
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Example (5-Year Plan)

• Problem
• Needed standardized 5-year plans for
  infrastructure budgeting
• Before Description
• Only a few bases possessed 5-year plans. Those
  plans were either word processing or spreadsheet
  files with no standardization or reference to
  ACES-PM projects
• Results and Benefits
• The 5-Year Plan application compiles daily
  updates from ACES-PM and an internal AMC database
  to allow base, AMC, and AF personnel to see
  project priority, status, and budgeting details.
  Projects can now be easily added to the 5-year
  plans with a instant 5-year plan available
  on-line.

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Example (5-Year Plan)
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Example (Contracts)

• Problem
• Needed a central reference for service contracts
  within AMC, including Custodial, Grounds,
  Refuse, Service Contracts
• Before Description
• Tracking of contracts was inconsistent between
  bases and even base managers
• Results and Benefits
• The Contract application maintains an overview
  for all AMC custodial, grounds, and service
  contracts. This greatly facilitates both FY
  budgeting and oversight capability.

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Example (Contracts)
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Example (WAR)

• Problem
• Needed to collect Weekly Activity Report (WAR)
  inputs across the AMC/CE staff with supervisor
  approval from branches to division to CE Front
  Office
• Before Description
• Weekly taskers were a tangle of emails
  consolidated by branch and then division
  secretaries, before approval and consolidation by
  Front Office
• Results and Benefits
• WAR Application allow branches and divisions to
  input both bullets and tables. Each division
  approves their input prior to CE Front Office
  approval and publishing.

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Example (WAR)
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Example (AdvDocViewer)

• Problem
• Needed to distribute document, pdf, and graphic
  files to .mil/.gov agencies for review and
  comment.
• Before Description
• Large document and attachment size caused very
  large email attachments or required the creation
  of data CDs for FEDEX or regular postal delivery.
• Results and Benefits
• Advanced Document Viewer allowed users to quickly
  post and update document and graphics files.
  These files are available instantly via the web

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Example (AdvDocViewer)
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Beckwith Consulting

• Formed in July 2001 to consult for AMC/CE.
• Incorporated in Apr 2002.
• Began 8(a) Application in Apr 2003.

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Company Capabilities

• Project Management
• Past experience as manager for 10 programmer
  shop with both commercial and government accounts
• Used managerial and technical expertise to
  achieve successful client management and
  application development
• Training
• Experienced with both formal and OJT training for
  programmers. Several students awarded Allaires
  Cold Fusion Certification test
• Familiar with current usage of web technology

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Company Capabilities (contd)

• Programming Services
• Certified Cold Fusion Developer
• Expert at Cold Fusion and Active Server Pages
• Expert at MS SQL Server and Oracle databases
• Capable of providing other web-related services
  Javascript validation, Flash introduction, domain
  name management, Secure Socket Layer setup, and
  more.

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Summary

• New Information Sources can make personnel more
  efficient at all levelsthe right information at
  the right time
• Implementation of smart web applications can
  leverage the power of the web and existing
  information to provide customized information
  access (read and/or write) to all necessary
  organizational levels
• Elegant applications will provide standardized,
  easy to display information for decision-making
  at all levels