METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF A FIELD SERVICE OPERATION BASED ON MULTIPLE SCORING CATEGORIES
Methods, apparatus and systems for computer-aided determination of quality assessment for locate and marking operations based on multiple scoring or grading categories. In one example, information related to a locate and marking operation is electronically analyzed such that a quality assessment is based at least in part on a plurality of quality assessment criteria, wherein each criterion has at least two scoring categories each associated with a scoring value or grade and having an expected data value or range of expected data values.
1 . In a computer comprising at least one hardware processor, at least one tangible storage medium, and at least one input/output (I/O) interface, a method for evaluating a quality of a locate operation using a plurality of quality assessment criteria, wherein each quality assessment criterion has at least two scoring categories, each scoring category being associated with a scoring value or grade, wherein each scoring category has an expected data value or range of expected data values, and wherein the locate operation is performed by a field-service technician to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
A) receiving, via the at least one I/O interface, first information describing at least some aspects of the locate operation as performed by the field-service technician, wherein the first information is generated by equipment used by the field-service technician to perform the locate operation;
B) determining, for each of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, into which of the at least two scoring categories the locate operation falls by comparing the first information to the expected data value or range of expected data values for at least one of the at least two scoring categories;
C) for each of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, assigning to the locate operation the scoring value or grade associated with the scoring category into which the locate operation falls;
D) generating at least one indication of the quality assessment based on C); and
E) electronically storing on the at least one tangible storage medium, and/or electronically transmitting via the at least one I/O interface, the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to provide an electronic record of the quality assessment.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein D) comprises combining the scoring value or grades for all of the quality assessment criteria to generate the at least one indication of the quality assessment.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the scoring value or grade associate with each scoring category is a numerical value, and wherein D) comprises:
combining the scoring value or grade for all of the quality assessment criteria to generate the at least one indication of the quality assessment by summing the numerical values for all of the quality assessment criteria.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises environmental information obtained from at least one environmental sensor in the equipment.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the environmental information comprises at least one of: temperature information indicative of at least one ambient temperature measurement taken during the locate operation; humidity information indicative of at least one ambient humidity measurement taken during the locate operation; and light information indicative of at least one ambient light level measurement taken during the locate operation.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the equipment comprises a computer, and wherein the first information comprises an electronic manifest of the locate operation created by the field-service technician using the computer, the electronic manifest comprising:
at least one image of an area in which the locate operation was performed; and
at least one electronic marking on the image indicating the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the equipment used by the field service technician to perform the locate operation comprises a marking device for dispensing at least one locate mark, and wherein the first information comprises location information for the at least one locate mark.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first information further includes information describing at least one characteristic of the at least one locate mark.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the information describing the at least one characteristic of the at least one locate mark comprises information describing the color of the at least one locate mark.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information includes position information identifying an angle or acceleration of the locating equipment during the location operation.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the equipment comprises a locate receiver and the first information comprises gain and signal strength information from the locate receiver.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one criterion of the plurality of assessment criteria is an approximate location of an underground facility.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scoring value or grade associated with each scoring category is a grade of either pass or fail, and wherein D) comprises:
D1) determining whether, for any of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, the locate operation falls into one of the scoring categories associated with a grade of fail;
if it is determined in D1) that, for one or more of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, the locate operation falls into one of the scoring categories associated with a grade of fail, generating the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to indicate that the locate operation is unsatisfactory; and
if it is determined in D1) that the locate operation does not fall into any of the scoring categories associated with a grade of fail, generating the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to indicate that the locate operation is satisfactory.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
based on the at least one indication of the quality assessment, categorizing the locate operation as one of: approved; satisfactory but warranting follow-up activity; and unsatisfactory.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the act of categorizing the locate operation comprises categorizing the locate operation as satisfactory but warranting follow-up activity, and wherein the follow-up activity comprises coaching the field service technician.
16 . An apparatus for facilitating the evaluation of a quality of a locate operation using a plurality of quality assessment criteria, wherein each quality assessment criterion has at least two scoring categories, each scoring category being associated with a scoring value or grade, wherein each scoring category has an expected data value or range of expected data values, wherein the locate operation is performed by a field-service technician to identify a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
at least one input/output interface;
at least one tangible storage medium to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the at least one input/output interface and the at least one tangible storage medium, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor:
A) receives, via the at least one I/O interface, first information describing at least some aspects of the locate operation as performed by the field-service technician, wherein the first information is generated by equipment used by the field-service technician to perform the locate operation;
B) determines, for each of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, into which of the at least two scoring categories the locate operation falls by comparing the first information to the expected data value or range of expected data values for at least one of the at least two scoring categories;
C) for each of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, assigns to the locate operation the scoring value or grade associated with the scoring category into which the locate operation falls;
D) generates at least one indication of the quality assessment based on C); and
E) electronically stores on the at least one tangible storage medium, and/or electronically transmits via the at least one I/O interface, the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to provide an electronic record of the quality assessment.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein, in D), the processor combines the scoring value or grades for all of the quality assessment criteria to generate the at least one indication of the quality assessment.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the scoring value or grade associate with each scoring category is a numerical value, and wherein, in D), the processor generates at least one indication of the quality assessment by:
combining the scoring value or grade for all of the quality assessment criteria to generate the at least one indication of the quality assessment by summing the numerical values for all of the quality assessment criteria.
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first information comprises environmental information obtained from at least one environmental sensor in the equipment.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the environmental information comprises at least one of: temperature information indicative of at least one ambient temperature measurement taken during the locate operation; humidity information indicative of at least one ambient humidity measurement taken during the locate operation; and light information indicative of at least one ambient light level measurement taken during the locate operation.
21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , in combination with the equipment.
22 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the equipment comprises a computer, and wherein the first information comprises an electronic manifest of the locate operation created by the field-service technician using the computer, the electronic manifest comprising:
at least one image of an area in which the locate operation was performed; and
at least one electronic marking on the image indicating the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , in combination with the computer.
24 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the equipment used by the field service technician to perform the locate operation comprises a marking device for dispensing at least one locate mark, and wherein the first information comprises location information for the at least one locate mark.
25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , in combination with the marking device.
26 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the first information further includes information describing at least one characteristic of the at least one locate mark.
27 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the information describing the at least one characteristic of the at least one locate mark comprises information describing the color of the at least one locate mark.
28 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first information includes position information identifying an angle or acceleration of the locating equipment during the location operation.
29 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the equipment comprises a locate receiver and the first information comprises gain and signal strength information from the locate receiver.
30 . The apparatus of claim 29 , in combination with the locate receiver.
31 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein at least one criterion of the plurality of assessment criteria is an approximate location of an underground facility.
32 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the scoring value or grade associated with each scoring category is a grade of either pass or fail, and wherein, in D), the processor generates at least one indication of the quality assessment by:
D1) determining whether, for any of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, the locate operation falls into one of the scoring categories associated with a grade of fail;
if it is determined in D1) that, for one or more of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, the locate operation falls into one of the scoring categories associated with a grade of fail, generating the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to indicate that the locate operation is unsatisfactory; and
if it is determined in D1) that the locate operation does not fall into any of the scoring categories associated with a grade of fail, generating the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to indicate that the locate operation is satisfactory.
33 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor:
categorizes, based on the at least one indication of the quality assessment, the locate operation as one of: approved; satisfactory but warranting follow-up activity; and unsatisfactory.
34 . The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the processor categorizes the locate operation as satisfactory but warranting follow-up activity, and wherein the follow-up activity comprises coaching the field service technician.
35 . At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor in a computer comprising at least one input/output (I/O) interface, perform a method for evaluating a quality of a locate operation using a plurality of quality assessment criteria, wherein each quality assessment criterion has at least two scoring categories, each scoring category being associated with a scoring value or grade, wherein each scoring category has an expected data value or range of expected data values, wherein the locate operation is performed by a field-service technician to identify a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
A) receiving, via the at least one I/O interface, first information describing at least some aspects of the locate operation as performed by the field-service technician, wherein the first information is generated by equipment used by the field-service technician to perform the locate operation;
B) determining, for each of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, into which of the at least two scoring categories the locate operation falls by comparing the first information to the expected data value or range of expected data values for at least one of the at least two scoring categories;
C) for each of the plurality of quality assessment criteria, assigning to the locate operation the scoring value or grade associated with the scoring category into which the locate operation falls;
D) generating at least one indication of the quality assessment based on C); and
E) electronically storing on the at least one computer-readable storage medium, and/or electronically transmitting via the at least one I/O interface, the at least one indication of the quality assessment so as to provide an electronic record of the quality assessment.
36 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 35 , wherein D) comprises combining the scoring value or grades for all of the quality assessment criteria to generate the at least one indication of the quality assessment;
37 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 36 , wherein the scoring value or grade associate with each scoring category is a numerical value, and wherein D) comprises:
combining the scoring value or grade for all of the quality assessment criteria to generate the at least one indication of the quality assessment by summing the numerical values for all of the quality assessment criteria.