New software system eases depiction of MTMC data
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (USTCNS) --- The busy phone on Lee Strong's desk often brings the same request.
Military and civilian transporters are calling the Military Traffic Management Command for information of all types.
"It is a combination of people, military and civilian headquarters, installation transportation officers, commercial carriers and people who want to be commercial carriers," said Strong, senior traffic management specialist in the Distribution Analysis Center.
Strong is a logical starting point (and end point) for MTMC metric information. A 23-year veteran of the organization, in recent years, Strong was responsible for the operation of the Personal Property database.
Request-after-request, Strong found a lot of the inquiries were redundant and sometimes vague.
Burdened with a labor-intensive process, Strong went to Information Management seeking an automated solution. He was in for a surprise.
"We had been looking at data warehousing and how it would apply to MTMC," said Desmond Adams, a senior information management specialist. "We had noticed a need for a decision-support system - a method to depict complex material in a variety of easy to understand formats.
"I said Mr. Strong, we have a solution for you."
The two men exchanged ideas in 1998 in the cafeteria of the old Nassif Building.
"We assured ourselves his requirements met the scope of data warehousing solutions," said Adams.
Thus, the idea for MTMC Enterprise Decision Support System data warehouse was crystallized.
Working closely with Pragmatics, Inc., a computer contractor specializing in systems integration, a prototype model of the data warehouse was developed in early 1999.
"Actually, it is still under development," said Adams.
Strong was ecstatic.
"Now people can see the world of MTMC like they could never see it before," said Strong.
When the phone rings on Strong's desk now. Answering the inquiry is a pleasure.
"Information is available," said Strong. "It is depicted graphically, depicted consistently," said Strong. "It is like inventing a library."
An historical trend can be forecast into the future, said Strong.
You can perform analysis on your world right now - you can forecast on your world as it ought to be," said Adams.
Now, when Strong gets questions about the number of shipments of freight, or passenger or personal property that have moved in a certain period - and what did it cost - the answer is available much quicker.
"It is now very quick and easy process," said Strong.
"I have had people say after using MTMC Enterprise Decision Support System to answer their question, 'You have restored my faith in the federal government.' "
The praise is pure music to Adams and his team of developers. They include manager Trish Zwinbaum and Gigi Knoell.
Strong hastens to include the names of other MTMC employees who provided data to make the system a success. They include William Jackson, Betsy Cunningham and Dee Coimbra.
In the near future, Adams sees many, many more satisfied customers like Strong.
The MTMC Enterprise Decision Support System is available to selected users now via a Web browser.
In the near future, the system will be available through MTMC's Intranet and Internet Web sites.
"It will be available to all MTMC employees," said Adams. "It will also be available to our customers."
"World-class service delivered worldwide," said Strong.
In the months ahead, with more customer input, more functionality and capacities will be added to the system, said Adams.
For more information on the system, contact Adams at (703) 428-2919, or adamsd@mtmc.army.mil. (FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
Military and civilian transporters are calling the Military Traffic Management Command for information of all types.
"It is a combination of people, military and civilian headquarters, installation transportation officers, commercial carriers and people who want to be commercial carriers," said Strong, senior traffic management specialist in the Distribution Analysis Center.
Strong is a logical starting point (and end point) for MTMC metric information. A 23-year veteran of the organization, in recent years, Strong was responsible for the operation of the Personal Property database.
Request-after-request, Strong found a lot of the inquiries were redundant and sometimes vague.
Burdened with a labor-intensive process, Strong went to Information Management seeking an automated solution. He was in for a surprise.
"We had been looking at data warehousing and how it would apply to MTMC," said Desmond Adams, a senior information management specialist. "We had noticed a need for a decision-support system - a method to depict complex material in a variety of easy to understand formats.
"I said Mr. Strong, we have a solution for you."
The two men exchanged ideas in 1998 in the cafeteria of the old Nassif Building.
"We assured ourselves his requirements met the scope of data warehousing solutions," said Adams.
Thus, the idea for MTMC Enterprise Decision Support System data warehouse was crystallized.
Working closely with Pragmatics, Inc., a computer contractor specializing in systems integration, a prototype model of the data warehouse was developed in early 1999.
"Actually, it is still under development," said Adams.
Strong was ecstatic.
"Now people can see the world of MTMC like they could never see it before," said Strong.
When the phone rings on Strong's desk now. Answering the inquiry is a pleasure.
"Information is available," said Strong. "It is depicted graphically, depicted consistently," said Strong. "It is like inventing a library."
An historical trend can be forecast into the future, said Strong.
You can perform analysis on your world right now - you can forecast on your world as it ought to be," said Adams.
Now, when Strong gets questions about the number of shipments of freight, or passenger or personal property that have moved in a certain period - and what did it cost - the answer is available much quicker.
"It is now very quick and easy process," said Strong.
"I have had people say after using MTMC Enterprise Decision Support System to answer their question, 'You have restored my faith in the federal government.' "
The praise is pure music to Adams and his team of developers. They include manager Trish Zwinbaum and Gigi Knoell.
Strong hastens to include the names of other MTMC employees who provided data to make the system a success. They include William Jackson, Betsy Cunningham and Dee Coimbra.
In the near future, Adams sees many, many more satisfied customers like Strong.
The MTMC Enterprise Decision Support System is available to selected users now via a Web browser.
In the near future, the system will be available through MTMC's Intranet and Internet Web sites.
"It will be available to all MTMC employees," said Adams. "It will also be available to our customers."
"World-class service delivered worldwide," said Strong.
In the months ahead, with more customer input, more functionality and capacities will be added to the system, said Adams.
For more information on the system, contact Adams at (703) 428-2919, or adamsd@mtmc.army.mil. (FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
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