Evaluation of largis application in planning, acquisition and maintenance of utility servitudes : an Eskom case study.

Abstract

GIS has been used for quite some time by utility organisations while the demands for their services by the public have also increased exponentially. This has prompted many utility organisations to constantly review their systems in operation for any potential problems associated with their use in order to propose possible and suitable improvements necessary to maximize their production. This study evaluates the performance of Land and Rights Geographic Information System (LARGIS), a GIS based information management system employed by Eskom to manage its servitudes’ land rights information. LARGIS has been analysed in terms of its application to planning, acquisition, registration and maintenance of servitudes land rights information. Information on LARGIS was collected using a questionnaire administered to Eskom personnel that work with the system while interviews were used to obtain more information not obtainable from the questionnaire. Obtained information was analysed using a relational matrix of data sets and processes in order to identify subsystems making up LARGIS. Information flows and processes in each of the subsystems were then analysed using Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) supported by associated Data Dictionary (DD) so as to identify possible shortcomings in information flows and information processing. The information collected was also used to identify institutional, legal, economic and additional technical shortcomings. The study revealed that LARGIS had made a positive impact on the way Eskom previously managed its servitudes by using a single system to plan, acquire, register and maintain land rights associated with servitudes. However, the study also identified shortcomings for which recommendation have been proposed so as to make LARGIS much more responsive to Eskom`s demands for servitudes land rights information management.