Understand the blueprints...
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to write about building a geographical information system. The history of gis has changed dramatically over the past 50yrs. How we did things in the past is not the best way to do things now. As a solution engineer at Esri, it is difficult for me to stay up to date with the tech because it's being produced so fast so I know customers are at even more of a disadvantage. I want to write yet once again about how you can start building a gis in local government and or modernize the one you have.
A geographical information system (GIS) starts with and is centered around the data. Location data combined with information about the item is what makes up the attributes of a feature or item inside a GIS. Simply put is an information system that leverages the location as part of the information about the item.
When it comes to creating a GIS you need to start with a good foundation. That good foundation in my opinion is Desktop software that enables you to create the data, manage the data, and edit the data. --ArcGIS Pro-- Now if you are already an Esri customer you may be using our legacy product --ArcMap-- If you go back and look at some of my other newsletters you can find out why switching to ArcGIS Pro is important but, I am not going to go over that again in this newsletter. Once you have that desktop software you can start creating, managing, and editing data.
Next, you need a way to not only get that data into the hands of the decision-makers in your organization, and or to the public. You need a way to get other people in your organization the ability to create, manage and edit data. If that someone in your organization you determine to be a power user or someone that needs full capabilities you may need to get them ArcGIS Pro as well. However, in most situations, those people may only need to put a dot on a map or update a single attribute on a feature. Some of them may only need to access the information on a mobile device or collect data out in the field. Or maybe that person is the decision maker and they just need to see and visualize the data to make informed data-driven decisions, possibly on a dashboard. Or you just need to public to see the information and give them a way to communicate with you about the topic. No matter what the case is you need a way to leverage the Internet...
There are two main ways at Esri to do that... ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise... These two methods of enablement provide similar yet different capabilities... Most organizations start with using ArcGIS Online and then migrate to using ArcGIS Enterprise as well as their GIS grows...
Both ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise are avenues for "WebGIS" this enables you to take your GIS to the next level... They provide multiple ways for you to share Maps, Applications, and Data like never before. Do you want to enable someone to collect data in the field? - WebGIS... Do you want to share a dashboard about data with your director or the mayor? - WebGIS... Do you want to have a website where the citizens can fill out a form and request a permit or just share information with you? -WebGIS... Do you want to communicate your CIP status? - WebGIS... Do you want to inform citizens about an upcoming election and or results from an election? - WebGIS... Do you want your field crews to be able to access up-to-date maps of your utilities in the field? -WebGIS... Can you see the pattern here?
In the past data was kept by the people creating and maintaining and if they wanted to share it they had to print a map. However, that only shows one aspect of the data. Plus, when data is printed just like when it is transferred to someone else not responsible for keeping that data up to date. That data becomes "dead data" it is out of date the moment it is printed or the moment it is disconnected from the person responsible for editing and maintaining it. This change in how we handle a GIS has taken the GIS professional from the person responsible for creating/printing a map to the person people go to with ideas.
There are many different things that can be added to a sound foundation, extensions to the desktop software, and different server roles to be added to an Enterprise environment to name a few. However, understanding at the ground level that everything that is done in local government has a location component whether it is a park bench or a water valve the location of that item is important. Building an information system that is at its core location intelligent sets a foundation for any city or county to grow on concrete and strong factual information and data. Thus, creating a Geographical Information System...
If you are in local government and your city or county doesn't understand that...
Get ahold of me or your Esri account team. You cannot build a strong and resilient smart community doing things the way you did 50 yrs ago... However, you can do it with Esri and GIS...
Thank you...
Until next time...