GISCafe Predictions 2023 – Timmons Group

By Lowell Ballard, Director of Geospatial Solutions, Timmons Group

Lowell Ballard

Each year, geospatial technology’s impact on the structure of our world continues to grow, and 2023 will be no different. We’ll continue to see location information as a critical and integral aspect of our lives.

Geospatial technology is the root of data interactions, and once GIS data is harnessed, its integration becomes key in our ever-evolving society. From natural resources and application development to asset management and transportation services, Timmons Group works across many lines of business to capture, visualize, and integrate data in unique and compelling ways. Some of the key needs for data integration that are emerging in the industry include:

The fusion of demographics, spatial data, and policy — New funding and legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), have provided great opportunities for the geospatial technology industry to flourish. Many parts of this law are heavily reliant on ensuring equitable delivery of services to underserved communities throughout the country, allowing for robust and dedicated focus on infrastructure needs surrounding wildfire, updating lead and copper water pipes, and broadband connectivity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data — From smart assistants to rideshare apps, artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a more realistic part of our everyday world. Our current location can impact many things, including using our past habits to drive future decisions. As technologists continue to leverage location to support artificial intelligence, it becomes omnipresent in our daily lives and can affect things as simple as a mobile app offering a coupon to a nearby restaurant or as significant as predicting future wildfire locations by modeling the past.

A focus on climate change — Land management and natural resource agencies are seeing a swing in resource conditions and change or loss of critical habitat. This includes all spectrums of changing weather patterns, including increased flooding and rains offset by drought in other areas. Rapid weather changes are extremely difficult to track and manage, and the geospatial technology industry is supporting these needs heavily.

A focus on infrastructure — As our country’s infrastructure continues to age, geospatial technology firms are tasked with creating and implementing solutions to manage municipalities’ assets and their condition, location, and other critical data that is helpful in planning future capital projects. This is driving for a deeper understanding of how infrastructure can responsibly support our communities.

Lowell Ballard has led the Geospatial Solutions Division at Timmons Group since 2009. He is a recognized leader in the integration of geospatial and traditional information technologies and GIS Strategic Planning. Lowell is a regular contributing author and has been profiled by Esri as an industry expert. Lowell works with clients across numerous markets on strategic planning and visioning and implementation of strategies to increase efficiency, realize ROI, and maximize investments in geospatial technologies.

Category: GIS Industry Predictios

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 21st, 2023 at 12:50 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.