We are in the midst of a GIS revolution. Mobile and cloud technology have widened the access, appeal and scope of location technologies like GIS. In this video series we will discuss this revolution. Look individually and collectively at new Web, mobile and desktop GIS technologies. Provide context and demystify this rapidly changing world. Show how now it is possible to integrate and collaborate over location data across organizations: field staff, analysts, managers and executives. We’ll also look at how the technology is now being used by non-GIS folks for commerce and by citizens.
We are over-users of the word exciting. But truly these are great times to be working in the location services and GIS fields. Not only is location technology being used more widely and by ever more diverse groups of users, but new sectors and vertical are emerging. Retail in particular presents a fascinating world of opportunity.
Esri have put considerable focus on retail GIS. (more…)
Many of our clients use desktop GIS applications such as ArcMap. Some have developed Web GIS applications. One common theme across all clients with whom we work, is an increasing need to integrate their GIS data and applications.
Starting any software project can be daunting. GIS in particular presents many confusing choices. With this in mind we have just written a free guide: Web and Mobile GIS Projects from Idea to Reality in 3 Easy Steps, which should help kick start your Web or mobile GIS project:
Company Web sites often prominently display their ‘leaders’. Organizations usually have their in-house GIS gurus. But have you ever stopped to ask the question:
“Do we really have GIS thought leaders in our company or organization?”
A question we often get asked is “What are our best options for collecting and synchronizing GIS field data?
Until recently this was a difficult question to answer, particularly for those with tight budgets. Today there are some a slew of potential solutions available.
Hardware and Software in 2014
Once mobile data collection required high priced Trimble units and complex software such as ArcPad. Though still in use, these technologies now have lower cost, simpler competitors. For hardware, smartphone and tablets are ubiquitous. They are low in price and easy to use. With built in GPS, and optional high accuracy external GPS units, these devices are replacing their more costly mobile rivals and expanding the number of users able to collect location based field data. (more…)
This blog post was written mid way through back to back Esri conferences in Palm Springs. The Partner Conference preceded the now buzzing Developer Conference. More cosy than the July User Conference, this is a 5 day deep dive into the Esri world.
For WebMapSolutions, this year has been a little unusual. We were invited to be part of the Partner Plenary. This gave us not only the chance to share our experience with the ArcGIS platform, but to sit together with key folk at Esri.
Based on conversations, presentations and reflections on the focus and tone of this years Esri conferences versus 2013, in this post we give our thoughts on 3 strategies for making money with the ArcGIS platform. (more…)
Palm Springs in spring is just fantastic. Beautiful weather, a great downtown and so many super places to run.
The Esri Partner Conference back to back with the Developer Conference has swelled the numbers in town this week. For WebMapSolutions, this years partner conference was a little different. We were honored to be part of the plenary. The hard work required to prepare was well worth the time. More on the plenary in a future post.
While fresh in our minds, some reflections on the partner conference we thought were worth sharing in this blog post.
Focus on the ArcGIS Platform
Esri are very much focused on the ArcGIS platform. What constitutes the platform? Every piece of the Esri universe: desktop, ArcGIS Online, portal, mobile etc. Portal and ArcGIS Online are essentially the glue which hold all together. ArcGIS Server sits in the background quietly of both Online and Portal. Now publishing, sharing and controlling access to data is easy.
As a mobile GIS development company we have had many fascinating conversations with clients, and built some very cool apps. We thought it might be interesting to look back at our experiences and list 4 popular uses of Mobile GIS.
Disaster Management and Assessment
Time is of the essence when managing disasters. Both providing relief to affected communities quickly, then following up with assessment and help with rebuilding. Mobile GIS has become a very important tool used by NGO’s and public safety departments.
We wrote last year about work we were doing with Monroe County. They were looking into improving their pen, paper and spreadsheet based approach to disaster assessment. Providing iPad’s to non-GIS trained Red Cross volunteers, loaded with a simple to use GIS app, was the goal of the work. The mobile GIS app built by WebMapSolutions allowed these volunteers to view interactive maps, collect data, share and collaborate while on site. The data resulting from the field reporting was quickly provided to state officials as an interactive Web map which was easy to understand, showed damage information at a parcel level, and helped with discerning patterns. This Web map approach has dramatically helped the decision making process, allowing for fast turnaround of relief funds.
We have spent a chunk of time focused on mobile data collection. Much of our work has leveraged Esri’s ArcGIS Online. In this post we thought it worth providing our thoughts on tablet and smartphone field data collection, based on our experiences.
Tablet and SmartPhone Field Data Collection
Esri’s mobile Collector we like. The two area which were problematic for us were the built in GIS workflows; the folks who are collecting the data are not GIS savvy and lack of disconnected or offline functionality. We ended up developing our own offline editing app. (more…)
