Transform AEC Projects with GIS and BIM

Exercise
Explore an operations dashboard

Section 4 Exercise 3
October 3, 2022
 Transform AEC Projects with GIS and BIM

Explore an operations dashboard

Time to complete
20 minutes

Technical note

1. You will make full use of web mapping services throughout this course. You will need a
robust web connection to complete this exercise.
2. Use the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft
Edge. Other web browsers may not display your maps and apps correctly.

Note: For information on supported web browsers for ArcGIS Online, see ArcGIS Online
Help: Supported browsers (https://links.esri.com/SupportedBrowsers).

Introduction
In the Section 1 video BIM-GIS use cases for AEC projects, as well as David Reeves' The
benefits of sharing data video in this section, you saw the example Construction Logistics
Dashboard using ArcGIS Dashboards. In this final exercise, you will explore this dashboard,
which was created to help with construction logistics of a large-scale project. You will learn
how an operations dashboard can provide a comprehensive operating picture of an AEC
project throughout its life cycle.

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A dashboard is a view of geographic information and data that allows you to monitor events,
make decisions, inform others, and see trends. Dashboards are designed to display multiple
visualizations that work together on a single screen. They offer a comprehensive view of your
data and provide key insights for at-a-glance decision-making. There are many reasons to
create or use a dashboard, and there are many types of dashboards that you can create.
Dashboards allow you to do the following:

• See—in one view—all the data that you need to be informed or to make decisions for
your project.
• Monitor the most important information about your day-to-day operations.
• Ensure that all your colleagues are focused on the same goal through viewing and using
the same information.
• Monitor in real time the health of a project, product delivery, organizational team, or
logistics.
• Create a personalized view of a larger set of data to show all the metrics that matter to
you or your team.

The type of dashboard that you need is based on who the intended audience is and what
type of information that you want to convey. Some dashboards are operational in nature and
are designed to tell you what is happening now while matching the quickly changing nature of
incidents, events, and other activities. Some dashboards are more strategic and are ideal for
executives and other senior managers interested in monitoring their organization's key
performance indicators (KPIs) or other metrics. Some dashboards are more analytical and are
used to identify data trends or other interesting data characteristics. Lastly, some dashboards
are simply informative and are used to tell a story with the data.

Exercise scenario
The construction project of Building E on the Esri campus in Redlands, California, is more than
halfway complete. The project team created the Construction Logistics Dashboard to monitor
progress and job status of utility inspections. You will explore this dashboard so that you can
report the progress to stakeholders and the overall state of the project and job site.

Step 1: Examine CAD features in a dashboard

In this step, you will explore a dashboard and its initial configuration. All dashboards are
different, but many contain similar elements. The presentation of this information provides for
quick and easy assessment of your AEC project.

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After you configure the layers for easy visualization, you will look at a few elements from a
CAD file of Building E.

a Click Construction Logistics Dashboard to open this dashboard in your web browser.

The dashboard contains a number of different elements, including a map of the Redlands,
California, area and the Building E job site. You can control how this map is visualized by
configuring the visibility of the layers in the map.

b In the map element, click the Layers button to see a list of layers in the map.

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c On your own, in the Layers window, click the Hide Layer button and Show Layer button

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on several layers to see how the GIS and CAD layers are represented.
You can manually control which GIS and CAD data are shown and hidden as hosted feature
layers, but this map in the dashboard is set so that visibility of individual layers are shown or
hidden based on the scale and adjust automatically. In other words, as you zoom in and out,
the visibility of certain layers changes.
Hiding and showing Water (Existing), URD Gauss (Existing), URD Electric (Existing), and
Electric Transmission (Existing) are the best place to start at the present map scale. GIS and
CAD data on the construction site may be difficult to discriminate at this scale without
inspecting any configured pop-up attributes. After examining the GIS utilities layers, you can
zoom in to explore the Building E construction site.

d Close the Layers window.

e In the map, zoom in until you see the imagery of Building E appear.

Hint: You can use the scroll wheel on your mouse or the Zoom In button and Zoom Out
button in the bottom-right corner of the map.

f In the map element, click the Layers button .

g In the Layers window, scroll down and hide all drone layer groups.
The November 2019 drone imagery shows a later phase of construction and thus obscures

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some of the foundation features visible during the early stages of the Building E construction.

h Show the September 2019 Drone layer group.

i Close the Layers window.

In addition to the GIS layers for utilities, this map also includes the CAD data for the
foundation of Building E. ArcGIS Pro reads CAD files as GIS-formatted datasets to add them
to maps and scenes. This data can then be shared to ArcGIS Online as hosted feature layers
and incorporated as a layer in a map element in a dashboard. In most maps, there is little to
no visual distinction between CAD and GIS data when they are combined in a map. It is up to
the map or dashboard creator to communicate to the user that certain layers originate from
CAD data. CAD data can sometimes be distinguished by their file extensions (DWG, DGN,
DXF) if it is included as an attribute of the hosted feature layer. This context can be helpful
when viewing the built and geographic environments for the project.
In this example, the CAD data attributes are included as attributes of the hosted feature layer,
and the map and dashboard are configured to show this attribute in a pop-up.

j On your own, zoom in to visually examine some of the CAD elements.

You can view the attributes of these CAD data in a manner similar to how you can view the
attributes of the GIS data.

k In the map element, zoom in to the southwest corner of the foundation.

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l Click the Wide Flange Column symbol to select it, as indicated in the following graphic.

A pop-up opens with the attributes for this particular CAD element.

m Review the information in the pop-up.

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1. What is the name of the CAD file that this feature is drawn from?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

n Close the pop-up.

o On your own, explore other GIS and CAD features in the map.
Hint: You can hide all the drone imagery layers to see the GIS and CAD features more clearly.

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For more information on CAD data and its use in ArcGIS Pro, see ArcGIS Pro Help: What is
CAD data and ArcGIS Pro Help: CAD data as ArcGIS Pro layers.
For more information on CAD data properties and essential terminology when working with
CAD in ArcGIS Pro, see ArcGIS Pro Help: CAD data file properties and ArcGIS Pro Help:
Essential CAD vocabulary.
Now that you have explored some of the features in the map, you can see the value of
integrating CAD and GIS throughout the project life cycle. In the next step, you will explore
GIS features in the dashboard.

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Step 2: Explore GIS features in a dashboard

In this step, you will explore the GIS layers in your map and see the relationship to other
elements within the dashboard.

a In the map element, click the Layers button

Open layer list button

.

b If necessary, hide all the drone imagery group layers.

c Show all the GIS and CAD layers.

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Note: There are two Workforce Assignments layers, so be sure that you show both of them.

d Close the Layers window.

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Dashboards are composed of configurable elements, such as maps, lists, charts, gauges,
indicators, and tables. In this dashboard, the left side elements contain information on trench
inspections and their status. Next you will explore the features related to these trench
inspections.

e On the left side of the dashboard, in the Trench Status element, click the Not Filled
section of the ring chart.

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The Filled section of the ring becomes subdued, and the Not Filled section becomes
highlighted. In addition, the four Filled trenches in the map are disabled—that is, the visibility
is turned off for those features.

f In the map element, click the Not Filled trench.

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Note: When you point to one of the chart elements, a pop-up with additional information
about the data becomes visible.
2. Is anyone assigned to inspect this trench or is there a day when it is set to be filled?
Why or why not?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

g Close the pop-up.

h On the left side of the dashboard, in the Trench Inspections element, click the list item for
Trench Inspection Date: 4/19/2022, 4:30 PM, as indicated in the following graphic.

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This trench is a filled trench, and because you are only showing the Not Filled trench in the
map, this trench is hidden in the map. However, clicking this feature in the element activates a
flash highlight of the feature in the map. You will need to turn the trenches with the Fill
attribute on to select this feature in the map.

i In the Trench Status element, click Filled on the ring.

j Click this portion of the trench and examine the pop-up.

Hint: Click only the green portion of the trench polygon feature and not the exposed pipe
line feature.

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You will notice that the information in the Inspected field, the Date To Be Filled field, and the
Filled Status field are represented in the Trench Inspections element.

k In the pop-up, click Zoom To .

l Close the pop-up.

The GIS and CAD layers in your map provide a visual link to both the natural and built
environments. Because these layers have attributes, their information can be linked to other
elements in your dashboard. In the next step, you will examine another type of data shared to
ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise that can be incorporated into your dashboard.

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Step 3: Examine a list element in a dashboard

The right side elements of this dashboard also contain information related to the construction
project. The Workforce Assignments list includes information about project assignments and
their priorities that has been shared from ArcGIS Workforce. ArcGIS Workforce is a mobile
solution that uses location-based decision-making for better mobile workforce coordination
and teamwork. It is composed of a web app used by project administrators and dispatchers in
the office and a mobile app used by mobile workers on their devices in the field. These
assignments, like other information available in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise, can be
easily shared to a dashboard.
For more information on ArcGIS Workforce and how it can help transform your AEC project
coordination, see ArcGIS Workforce Help: ArcGIS Workforce FAQ - General.

a On the right side of the dashboard, in the Workforce Assignments element, on the
Workforce tab, scroll down in the list and click WF6754 - High to select this assignment, as
indicated in the following graphic.

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In the map element, a new pop-up opens.

b In the pop-up, click Pan .

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c Scroll through and review the information in the pop-up, and then answer the following
questions.
3. Did the inspector meet the required work order deadline?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

4. How much time did the assigner allow for this task from time of assignment to due
date?

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__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Images and other information from the field can be included as part of the assessment from
the assignee in the field.

d In the pop-up, scroll down and click Photo1.jpg.

This image of the location (laydown area) was uploaded by the inspector and shared in the
dashboard so that others can see area in question. Not only has this assignment been marked
as completed, but the safety concern—or what was left of it—has documentary evidence with
a date and time stamp to show that it was completed and verified.

e Close the pop-up.

On the right side of the dashboard, the Priority bar chart tab shows a breakdown of the
priority of the different assignments in the construction project. There are various ways to
breakdown these Workforce assignments.

f On the right side of the dashboard, below the Priority element, click the Pie Chart
element tab.

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This chart provides stakeholders with a quick breakdown of how many tasks are unassigned, in
progress, and so on. You can expand the chart to make it easier to read.

g Point to the upper-right corner of the Workforce Status pie chart tab and locate the
Expand button , as indicated in the following graphic.

h Click the Expand button to expand the chart.

The pie chart expands to fill your web browser.
You can interact with this chart on its own in a manner similar to when it is shown with the
other elements of the dashboard.

i Click the In Progress section of the ring pie chart.

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Pointing to a section gives you the count as well as the percentage of the overall tasks.
5. What is the percentage of all the tasks are classified as In Progress?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

j Click the In Progress section of the ring pie chart again to deselect it.
You can also exclude certain categories from your project status assessment. If you only want
to see and evaluate the outstanding assignments, you can remove those from your
calculation.

k Below the chart, in the legend, click Completed and click Canceled.

Note: An X appears in these two categories now, showing that they are excluded from the
calculations of project status assessment.
Now you can provide stakeholders with a more realistic statistic on how many working
assignments are in progress.
6. What is the percentage of tasks classified In Progress based on only the in progress,

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assigned, and unassigned projects?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

l Point to the upper-right corner of the Workforce Status pie chart tab and click the
Collapse button to collapse the chart.
The Workforce Status pie chart tab is now docked with the dashboard again. In the next step,
you will explore another one of the elements in this dashboard.

Step 4: Explore tab elements in a dashboard

You can also include information on permits or other relevant information in your dashboard
and attach them for your stakeholders to see. In this step, you will examine another tab in this
dashboard that contains information related to active permits for the construction project.

a On the right side of the dashboard, below the Workforce Assignments element, click the
Permits tab, and then examine the list of active permits assigned to this project.

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Note: Depending on your time zone, your dates and times may vary slightly from the
preceding graphic.
While there are five permits associated with the construction project, only two are shown in
the map as GIS points.

b If necessary, in the map element, navigate to the southwest area of the construction site.

c Click the Permit point symbol, as indicated in the following graphic.

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A new pop-up opens for Permit #CST2000ID. You can see some information for this permit on
the Active Permits tab, but more detailed information is available in the pop-up.

d Review the information in the pop-up.

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e Scroll through the pop-up to examine the various attribute fields, and then answer the
following questions.
7. What is the expected or scheduled inspection date?

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__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

8. This permit is for a re-inspection during construction. What types of things do not
need to be part of this inspection?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

9. Is there a permit condition letter on file?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

f Close the pop-up.

g On your own, explore other the elements and aspects of this dashboard.
Try experimenting with various layer combinations, different drone images, or even include
different basemaps. You can discuss your thoughts about how best you could use a
dashboard in your AEC project in the Forum for this section using the #DashboardDiscussion
hashtag.

h After you have completed your explorations in the dashboard, close your web browser.

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Answers to Exercise Questions

1. What is the name of the CAD file that this feature is drawn from?
This feature is in the Structural Plan - 0 - FOUNDATION.dwg CAD file.

2. Is anyone assigned to inspect this trench or is there a day when it is set to be filled? Why or
why not?
Because these attribute fields are empty, at this point in the project, no one is
assigned to inspect the trench, and there is not a date set for it to be filled. The
owner of this dashboard, and of this data, can update this information when the
inspector and date are set.

3. Did the inspector meet the required work order deadline?

No; the due date is listed as 5/18/2022 by 11:45 a.m. The examination was
completed on 5/26/2022 at 3:21 p.m.

4. How much time did the assigner allow for this task from time of assignment to due date?
The assigner allowed for less than 24 hours. The task was assigned on 5/17/2022 at
12:42 p.m., and the due date was almost 23 hours later on 5/18/2022.

5. What is the percentage of all the tasks are classified as In Progress?

6.9% of all the projects fall into the In Progress category.

6. What is the percentage of tasks classified In Progress based on only the in progress,
assigned, and unassigned projects?
15.38% of the combined assigned, in progress, and unassigned (that is, currently
working projects) are In Progress.

7. What is the expected or scheduled inspection date?

The expected or scheduled inspection date is 7/1/2020. For this example, all times
indicate 1:00 a.m., which is most likely a standard set by default when the permit was
assigned. If a certain time is necessary, that information can be correctly accounted
for at the time of creation.

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8. This permit is for a re-inspection during construction. What types of things do not need to
be part of this inspection?
Wells, Surface Water Management, Discharge Structures, Underdrain Filters or
Exfiltration Trenches, Storage Areas for Treatment and Attenuation, System Grading,
and Diversions Conveyance Easements, and Wetland Mitigation or Restoration Areas
do not need to be a part of this inspection.

9. Is there a permit condition letter on file?

No; there is a URL field available as an attribute. If certain documents are available,
inspection or maintenance staff can log and assign these documents using this URL
field.

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