Keeping up with technology Diane Linderman, P.E., PWLF APWA President
ometimes, those of us in the public works profession can take technology for granted. We always want the newest, most efficient, best operating equipment on the market—that new front-end loader that we have called out in our budget, or possibly the vactor truck that we finally convinced our boss to buy. But what about the technology that surrounds our personal and work lives every day and yet goes essentially unnoticed? Have you thought about the advances in communication equipment over just the past ten years? Are you old enough to remember when pagers were the latest and greatest thing on the market? Nowadays they have gone the way of the dinosaurs— nearly extinct. I am continually amazed at how rapidly communication and media equipment continues to advance and develop. And I’m not sure that we are truly taking advantage of what is readily available to us. People mistakenly think that because we are involved in the operations side of public service, we must be “behind the times” and unable to master all the new options available to us. It is easy to confuse “belt and suspenders” with being technically obsolete. However, I know differently. I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking with some of the most forwardthinking people in our organization. And I know these visionaries are 2 APWA Reporter
June 2012
ready, willing and able to utilize all the new technology at their disposal. However, what seems to be happening is that technical advances are occurring faster than we can master them and incorporate them into our work lives. Things seem to be moving at light speed these days so that every time you have a plan to harness the latest technology, you find that it’s been replaced by something newer, faster and better. We went from walkie-talkies to pagers to cell phones to Blackberries to iPhones to iPads. Remember when 3G was all the rage? And now, we’re up to 4G. A few years ago, everyone thought that “app” referred to a job application. Now there are more apps for our phones than anyone could have ever imagined—apps designed to address every possible specialty and subject around. And yes, there are apps that serve the public works community as well. If you need to convert data, calculate figures, or review information in the world of public works, there is probably an app to meet your needs. We now have cities creating their own apps for citizens to report problems like potholes, burnt-out streetlights, and downed traffic signs. When will this all end? Hopefully it never will. Despite the challenges associated
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