One of the most difficult things that most managers of sizable organizations have to deal with is the inevitable tendency of organizations to fragment. This fragmentation typically leads to the managers of the fragments focusing only on their individual mission, often at the expense of the other segments of the organization. Often, each department will have their own system and their own database that is not shared across departmental boundaries.

In local governments, a Geographic Information System (GIS) has proven to be a good technique for encouraging departments to share information. Ideally, all departments should share the same database but this is often not feasible. A workable alternative is to provide links between departmental databases through a GIS.

The planning and analysis that goes into the design of a municipal water system illustrate one example of using a GIS to integrate operations. The base mapping for such an analysis often comes from the Engineering Department. The data for future growth usually comes from the Planning Department. The information on existing water use may come from the billing data in the Finance Department. Information on real property to be served may come from the Real Estate Department. Ideally, the GIS would have active links to each of the databases in each department. The model used to analyze and design the system would draw data from each of these sources.

The beauty of this system is that it does not require wholesale changes in the way that departments now operate. The challenge is to devise links that allow updated and properly checked information to flow back into the appropriate database.

Erin Palmer discovered the engineering field through test scores. A member of the Marine Corps, she completed her Basic Training and Marine Combat Training and the Marine Corps recommended she look into surveying and drafting based on her high test scores. Erin enjoyed the work she was doing and decided to pursue a career in engineering.

In August 2004, Erin joined Anderson & Associates as a Design Technician. Erin, an Ohio native, and her husband Robert, an active duty Marine, moved to Virginia with their two small daughters, Annabelle and Saige, so that Robert could take a job with the Officer Candidate School at Quantico Marine Corps Base. Erin said, "We really like Virginia. It’s close enough to home to visit but far enough to stay out of trouble."

Currently, Erin is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering. She was drawn to A&A for the educational opportunities. She found that the company structure provides many opportunities for skill development. She said, "I receive more training than I did at a larger firm. I really like feeling involved with things, not just someone taking orders."