| INTRODUCTION | | | | challenges across a variety of aspects in the |
| Retriever Communications was founded in 1996 | | | | system. Below is an outline of some of these that |
| with the sole mission being the development of a | | | | are related to telecommunications: |
| Mobile Application Service to be delivered on hand | | | | Mixed Networks and Reliability |
| held, laptop computers and smart phones, over | | | | HKP wanted to make use of a mixture of |
| public mobile telecommunications.Since then, | | | | network technologies to maximize connectivity |
| Retriever has established itself successfully both in | | | | and reliability whilst minimizing infrastructure and |
| Australia and overseas, specializing in offering | | | | operational costs. When a worker was out in the |
| companies a wireless (mobile) service for field | | | | field the public GPRS networks provided by one |
| force automation, which allows dynamic scheduling | | | | of the local telecommunications companies was to |
| of field technicians and the replacement of paper | | | | be used, however, as each worker arrived back |
| in the field with fast, secure digital data capture. | | | | in to a depot a local and secure WiFi (802.11 b) |
| Although established in Australia, twenty percent | | | | wireless network would take over as the |
| of Retriever's annual revenue is now derived from | | | | preferred communications channel. In the event |
| exports. Thus the successful export of its | | | | of neither network being available, the devices |
| products and services is of great importance. In | | | | could continue to work offline and data |
| 2003, Retriever Communications successfully | | | | communicated when the device is placed in to a |
| delivered a wireless in-field logistics system for | | | | cradle dock with Ethernet LAN access. In addition, |
| the postmen of HK Post. This system allows | | | | the system was to automatically reconnect in the |
| postmen to use hand held computers, both | | | | event of transient network loss, such as drop |
| in depot at the start of day and then | | | | outs and black-spots as workers traversed the |
| dynamically through out their delivery and pick-up | | | | many building lifts and car parks in the heavily |
| runs. The wireless system is also fully integrated | | | | populated areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. |
| to HK Post's dispatch and spatial scheduling | | | | At the time, no software existed to provide all |
| system. Though Retriever specializes in such | | | | the functionality required, and Retriever extended |
| wireless field force automation the HK Post | | | | its original product line of GPRS support to include |
| project presented the additional | | | | WiFi with authentication and encryption to HK Post |
| telecommunications challenges of: | | | | standards as well as the roaming between |
| - Working across private and public wireless | | | | networks types. Testing was made locally in Hong |
| networks seamlessly and the management of | | | | Kong to verify the communications worked |
| reconnections, | | | | correctly in the production environment. |
| - Data management when network | | | | Handheld DevicesThe device selected for use by |
| 'blackholes' were encountered. Retriever | | | | the workers is of critical importance. The device |
| regularly had staff on site in HK but all design, | | | | hardware must be fit the application for which it is |
| development and unit testing were conducted in | | | | to be used, in this case ruggedised construction, |
| Retriever's Australian offices. | | | | high performance for processing many parcels at |
| HONG KONG POST WIRELESS PROJECT | | | | once, operate for long times on a single battery |
| HK Post is a government owned postal agency | | | | charge and be ergonomically designed for a |
| that services both the island and the main land. It | | | | worker to carry it with them each day. |
| does everything of a typical post office, such as | | | | The challenge of user acceptance on the |
| hand mail and parcel delivery, but it also handles | | | | software interface for the handheld required a |
| the collection of parcels. HK Post prides its self on | | | | particular focus to cultural issues. For HK Post the |
| being a very innovative company involving a great | | | | application required language localization with a |
| deal of technology and infrastructure. The project, | | | | mixture of English and Chinese translations for |
| in which Retriever became involved, initially started | | | | forms and data. The readability and menu |
| in 2002. With over 500 field staff at HK Post | | | | navigation reflected other systems at HK Post. |
| performing collection and delivery services, there | | | | Several types of hardware and revisions of |
| was a need for a mobile technology that could | | | | applications were prototyped and field tested by |
| improve efficiency and use the real time | | | | HK Post staff to evaluate the options. The final |
| information that was being generated by the | | | | selection by HK Post was to use Intermec 700 |
| postal service offices. Their solution was to equip | | | | Pocket PC devices using function keys for fast |
| the field staff with hand held computers linked | | | | input and bar code scanning capability. |
| wirelessly back to the mail centres that would run | | | | In the case of device failure, a flexible system |
| geo spatial mapping systems for intelligent routing | | | | was required to enable workers to continue |
| and scheduling operations. Intergraph, a partner of | | | | operations. This was solved by the fact that any |
| Retriever, offered HK Post such a service and | | | | worker could use any device; they could simply |
| Retriever designed and supplied a mobile | | | | pick up another one in the event of failure and |
| extension to the dispatch and mapping systems. | | | | sign-on to the system (a simple combination of |
| The extent of Retriever's project was to provide | | | | barcode scanning an identification card and |
| a mobile solution to enable HK Post to: | | | | entering a PIN code). All the information that |
| - Track parcel collection & delivery | | | | particular worker needed would then be down |
| information of both domestic and international | | | | loaded. |
| consignments | | | | LESSONS LEARNT IN AN OVERSEAS MARKET |
| - Track the transfer of consignments between | | | | There are always lessons to be learnt with each |
| field staff and distribution centres. | | | | new project, especially when dealing in an |
| - Track mail collection from post box | | | | overseas market. There are the cultural issues |
| - Assign jobs online and send them dynamically | | | | and cross time zone communication difficulties. |
| during the day to workers in the field. | | | | Having a local presence, that is, company |
| - Provide a range of information about HK Post | | | | representatives in Asia, largely reduces these and |
| services (such as pricing, weight tables, etc) HK | | | | can act as a channel back to Australia. |
| Post had many stringent requirements placed on | | | | When exporting a service, such as system design, |
| the mobile solution to be offered by Retriever, | | | | the quality assurance and project management |
| far more than experienced in local projects. These | | | | should include processes to allow all stakeholders |
| included all areas of work such as handheld | | | | to track status, deliverables and acceptance of |
| hardware, software, usability, localization, system | | | | work. When different cultural work patterns and |
| reliability, communications, security, project | | | | motivations are occurring the process acts as a |
| management, testing, integration and more. | | | | common reference point that can transcend |
| TECHNICAL CHALLENGES OF THE HK POST | | | | cultural barriers. The challenge is having such |
| PROJECT | | | | systems not only agreed but adhered too. |
| The HK Post project consisted of numerous | | | | |