It's the mechanic that matters, not the toolbox!

When it comes to topping up the oil, changing a fuse, replacing a faulty light bulb and generally keeping the car clean and tidy, most of us don’t need to turn to a mechanic for these minor maintenance level activities. 

However, when we get up in the morning and the car won’t start, when the check engine indicator light begins to flash or when we require a scheduled service, this is when most of us turn to the specialist services of the mechanic. Why? Because we inherently know that we will most likely need knowledge, expertise and skills that are far beyond our own limited capabilities when it comes to engines. It is true that the mechanic will draw on the contents of his/her toolbox to help diagnose the issue and it’s also true that the better equipped the toolbox the better the opportunity to quickly resolve the problem, but ultimately it’s the mechanic’s knowledge and know-how of how to efficiently and effectively apply the tools that will return the vehicle to its optimum operational performance.

I use the metaphor of the mechanic to draw attention to the evolving role of the 'geospatial' professional, but I could easily have used the doctor, the engineer, the electrician, the dentist, the clinical physician, and so on; all of whom combine their superior knowledge, expertise and skills in their respective areas with their respective toolboxes, to help solve real world problems. And just like today’s geospatial professionals, they all supply information that helps us to make better decisions.

The modern day geospatial professional has knowledge, expertise and skills in the effective and efficient application of spatial information, data & content that goes far beyond the toolbox. For sure the toolbox is important, and, of course, the better the toolbox the better the likely outcome, but even more important, in this ever changing and evolving industry, is the knowledge and understanding of how to use these tools to deliver business benefits and help customers make better business decisions. In this new world where knowledge and expertise is king, it is no longer about the toolbox, it is now about the people; people who know best what tool to use for what problem and how to combine different tools to deliver the required outcomes and results. The geospatial professional is “the mechanic” in the world of location based solutions and systems.

Another reason for using the mechanic metaphor is to do with the fact that no matter how functional the toolbox is and irrespective of how expert the mechanic is, if you do not put the correct fuel in the car, it will not run to its optimum performance and in some cases, it simply won’t go at all. The same holds true for location based solutions, where relevant, fit-for-purpose spatial data is needed if the geospatial professional is to combine his/her toolbox, knowledge, expertise and skills to achieve superior performance outcomes for his/her customer.

In the geospatial industry today, the toolbox is now expected to have all the tools necessary to do the job, it is increasingly cheaper to acquire and it is a lot more accessible to a lot more people; and that’s good for everyone. The challenge now is to ensure that there are enough knowledgeable, expert and highly skilled “mechanics” to help us all to deliver real business benefits to customers and stakeholders alike. After all, in this new world, it’s the mechanic that matters not his/her toolbox.