Building a Consortium for Advanced Positioning Systems
Yvan J. Beliveau · Journal of Management in Engineering · 1997
A consortium to develop advanced positioning systems (CAPS) was assembled to help advance some prototypical laser positioning technology to a commercial stage and enable the technology to interact with CAD data. The consortium was created around the vision that CAD and other electronic data could be used to increase productivity and to direct and control work in the physical world. For example, an individual with a portable machine could walk around a site and mark positions on the ground and on the CAD file simultaneously, eliminating the need for a lot of surveying. Building the technology took the combined efforts of several individuals, including a number of professors and a graduate student. Together, they formed Spatial Positioning Systems, Inc., which has made the technology ready for commercial production. Through this effort, several important lessons were learned. They are: identify a destination; study the issues; get technical help; persevere; be flexible, get outside help and turn the effort over to business people eventually.