本文从伯明翰水厂和下水道委员会这一大型供水和下水道公用事业的角度，讨论了规划一个综合信息和管理系统项目的重要性和益处。20世纪90年代初，该委员会开始认识到有必要自动化其绘图程序，并成立了一个独立的部门，专门负责管理其地理信息系统（GIS）业务。此外，委员会还启动了一个项目，以实施地理信息系统和自动制图/设施管理（AM/FM）系统。董事会的需求很快超出了这些改进，该项目被更名为综合信息管理系统，范围扩大到包括以下业务职能: 制图；设施管理；工厂维护管理；抄表和测试；客户服务；会计购买实验室管理；文件管理。讨论了规划的四个阶段:项目启动和信息收集；评估和总结需求；软硬件购置；以及实施规划。

The importance and benefits of planning an Integrated Information and Management System Project are discussed in this paper from the perspective of a large water and sewer utility, the Birmingham Water Works and Sewer Board. In the early 1990s, the Board began to recognize the need to automate its mapping program and created a separate department dedicated to managing its Geographic Information System (GIS) operation. Also, the Board initiated a project to implement a GIS and automated mapping/facility management (AM/FM) system. The Board's needs soon extended beyond these improvements and the project was renamed the Integrated Information Management System and was broadened in scope to include business functions such as: mapping; facilities management; plant maintenance management; meter reading and testing; customer service; accounting; purchasing; laboratory management; and, document management. The four stages of planning are discussed: project initiation and information gathering; assessing and summarizing needs; software and hardware acquisition; and, implementation planning.