GIS Dashboards: Turning Fragmented Data into Actionable Insight
Municipal collection system teams are capturing more inspection data than ever before. Tools like closed-circuit television (CCTV), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and 360° video provide a detailed view of system conditions, creating new opportunities for understanding infrastructure.
But the challenge is rarely collecting data. It’s using it.
Inspection data often lives across disconnected folders, formats and systems. When information is fragmented, it becomes difficult to access, interpret and act on. That can lead to slow decision-making, increase risk and make it harder for teams to maintain reliable service for the communities they support.
At B&N, we help municipalities bring that data together. By connecting inspection data to geographic information systems (GIS), dashboards create a single, accessible environment where teams can turn information into informed action.
What Is a GIS Dashboard?
A GIS dashboard brings inspection data, media and asset information into one connected view. Each dataset is linked directly to individual system assets such as pipes, manholes or structures. Instead of searching across multiple systems, users can select an asset and instantly access all field-collected information. This may include CCTV footage, LiDAR scans, 360° video, inspection logs and spatial context in one place.
By organizing data around each asset, dashboards eliminate silos and make complex information easier to understand. Visualization tools such as 3D models, virtual navigation and defect mapping provide additional context, helping teams quickly assess conditions and prioritize next steps.
B&N’s dashboards are browser-based and tailored to each client. We design them around real-world workflows, so the information presented reflects the questions staff need to answer every day. Whether supporting sewer systems, manhole programs or integrated utility management, each dashboard aligns with operational goals and evolves as new data is added.
Practical Benefits for Municipal Teams
Connecting inspection data through a GIS dashboard delivers clear, immediate value:
- Improved efficiency: Staff can quickly locate and interpret information without searching across multiple platforms
- Better decision-making: Integrated data supports more confident maintenance and capital planning
- Knowledge retention: Asset-based organization preserves institutional knowledge across teams
- Enhanced collaboration: A shared, visual platform supports communication between departments and stakeholders
- Scalability: New data can be continuously incorporated without disrupting existing workflows
Together, these benefits allow municipalities to focus less on finding information and more on using it to improve system performance and service reliability.
Project Example: City of Hamilton, Ohio
The City of Hamilton needed a clearer understanding of the condition of its large-diameter storm sewer system along a critical corridor. Like many municipalities, the challenge was not a lack of data, but how to organize and interpret it effectively.
B&N conducted a Large Diameter Condition Assessment (LDCA) using standardized National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) methods and advanced inspection technologies, including PipeAid™ – an Artificial Intelligence software platform developed by B&N to support utilities with processing sewer pipe condition assessment CCTV videos. We then integrated all collected data into a GIS-based dashboard, including:
- Manhole Assessment Certification Program (MACP) inspections with summarized reports and site photos
- 360° video paired with LiDAR point clouds
- Surveyed coordinates for each structure
- Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) defect coding linked to CCTV footage
- Immersive, asset-based inspection records
The result was a centralized, intuitive tool that reduced time spent searching for information and supported long-term infrastructure planning. Just as importantly, it created a scalable framework that will continue to support the City as new data is collected.
From Information to Insight
When inspection data, media and GIS systems are connected, municipalities can shift their focus from managing data to acting on it. Decisions become faster, collaboration improves and infrastructure investments can be made with greater confidence.
At B&N, we combine technical expertise with a practical understanding of how systems are managed in the field. The goal is simple: help communities make informed decisions that support reliable service today and resilient infrastructure for the future.
Connect with Caleb Zmith to learn more about how GIS dashboards can support your system.
