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Individualized, tailored workflows and processes are spectacular for helping you deliver high value. Individualized, unique deliverables and data, on the other hand, create unnecessary friction and frustration.
While some things should be unique to each team, deliverables need to be standardized. When everyone submits work in the format they think is best based on their priorities, goals, concerns, or understanding, we end up with deliverables that have different naming structures, missing data, and inconsistencies.
Before that data can be used for broadband deployment, reconductoring projects, double wood resolution, or anything else, it has to be standardized. This almost always results in one of two things:
The crew who received the work has to manually go through and adjust everything so it’s standardized.
The application or deliverable is sent back to the sub who did the work.
Manual Fixes
When data and deliverables are varied and inconsistent, someone has to standardize that data before it can be used. Someone has to go through and normalize the data, the names, heights, and formatting to call make ready, engineer new poles, resolve double wood, conduct pole loading analysis, and more.
If only the occasional submission had a few inconsistencies, it might not be a huge task. But with hundreds of applications every week, all of which might have slightly different styles or settings or names… it’s a huge burden. Plus, making all of those adjustments presents its own issues, introducing room for human error.
Send It Back
Instead, utilities may ask the contractor to make the changes and resubmit. However, that doesn’t necessarily solve the real issue. To improve submissions and relationships, we have to communicate what’s wrong and what’s necessary to fix the issues.
Without explaining the why, submissions don’t improve and both parties just get more and more frustrated. Contractors aren’t getting their work through and utilities and their standards department have to keep sifting through applications to make sure the right info exists in the right format.
Simplifying Standards
There is another option. We have to start by changing the way we receive work and the bar for work received.
Standardizing the Submission Process:
Using a portal creates a streamlined flow for applications and responses. Work is managed and completed through one channel so every party knows where to submit work, find statuses, check progress, and more.
Standardizing Submission Requirements:
Configuring attributes for what’s required, what’s not allowed, how data should be formatted, and more helps facilitate the work and approval process. Whether it’s for gathering attachment records, accepting standard and non-standard applications, applying for permits, or running pole loading analysis, a standard set of requirements for various project types helps remove the roadblocks that occur with inconsistent submissions.
Standardized (and Automatic!) QA/QC:
Rather than placing the burden on staff to check for completeness and make all data uniform, automatic QA/QC create checkpoints for completeness before teams even take a look. When contractors are aware of requirements, we can drastically reduce missing data and the need for resubmission.
A standard model and configured attributes help both contractors and utilities win. Contractors know what’s being asked of them and how to deliver high-quality data for their clients. Utilities get the deliverables they expect, the way they expect them, to their quality standards—every time.
Clear expectations and less unnecessary toil make it easier to work towards a common goal: bringing reliable utilities to communities across the country.
Thanks for reading! Katapult Pro Workflow Management lets you set your standards for data and submissions so that you can work from one uniform set of information. Work with our team to standardize your data today.
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