You may already own a big part of the future of GIS—your smartphone. Here’s how it can transform the way you work.
It’s no secret that geographic information systems have big appetites for data. The demand isn’t slowing. Industry segments including government, utilities, transportation, energy and their mobile workforces are discovering the value of spatial information to managing resources and activities. The trend has produced growing demands for tools to manage and use geospatial data.
In addition to gathering data to create new databases and GIS layers, significant resources are devoted to maintaining spatial data. Once a GIS is populated, its information must be continually refreshed as growth and change affects natural and built environments. Incomplete or out-of-date data can reduce confidence in the accuracy of the GIS, potentially drawing down the value of the information and services it provides. It’s a risk that GIS professionals can’t afford to take.
