Goodbye to paper maps and pdf’s, hello to cloud enabled GIS

You cannot beat a beautiful paper map. Cartographers are talented people. But in today’s fast paced, mobile world, paper maps used for day to day work are no longer practical.

Why?

As soon as they are printed paper maps are outdated for one. For two, they are in essence pretty pictures. Pictures which take an age to produce.

Ouch!

Today we all need and want more insight than a paper map can provide. Interactivity and the ability to query and search are ever more essential. In such a fast moving world we need deeper insight 24×7. We need access from anywhere, using any device (PC, tablet, smartphone). We need cloud enabled GIS!

Cloud enabled GIS?

Think dropbox. This is cloud enabled document storage and access. Simple to use, always available from anywhere at anytime on any device. Cloud enabled GIS is the GIS equivalent. One place to store and access our location based data, and tools to view and manipulate that data.

Cloud enabled GIS allows real time access to organizational data (current, new, edited) for all: field based staff, analysts, executives, GIS and non-GIS users.

Is this the end for paper maps? Absolutely not, they will always be with us. Just used less widely ….

Categories: ArcGIS Online, cloud GIS, Web and mobile GIS

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