What do you need to start implementing a GIS?
Getting started building a GIS can seem complicated. Don’t make it more difficult than it needs to be. Start with desktop mapping software, and a relational database, get some data, and get started
The Risks of Spatial
The world of Geospatial is, like any other technology, going to have some inherent risk. Part of making a program stronger should be looking at those risks and planning strategies to mitigate them. This article covers risks and mitigations in three sections, Program, Technology, and Operational, then wraps up with a recap and final thoughts.
Asset Management Systems and GIS: Some procurement considerations
During a recent weekly Twitter chat about GIS, a GIS industry colleague asked for some thoughts about selecting and planning an Asset Management System. That question sparked a discussion between Nathan Heazlewood and myself. What follows is an expansion on that discussion. This post looks at the reasons and requirements for implementing an Asset Management System; what software you might use, whether COTS or a custom system, and how to get started. Finally, we wrap it up with a discussion of the need to have buy in from your supporting departments, the need to work with subject matter experts to determine what assets are important, and lastly, the need to keep it simple. Only do as much as you need, with the knowledge that you can add more as you go along.
QGIS – Loading Data
Accessing data in QGIS A few years ago now, I wrote a post covering adding vector layers to QGIS. Much time, development, and improvement has passed since then. Since the usefulness of QGIS increases proportionally with your ability to actually add data to it, it is time to revisit this topic. QGIS has a toolbar …
Tip of the Day – Keep focus on map data by perfecting map layout
Today’s Tip Keep focus on data by attending to details of border and map layout. Discussion Today’s tip comes out of an experience I had with our city manager. He stopped by to ask me to create a map for him, then asked if he could stick around and watch me while I did. Once …
Tip of the Day – Use a strict directory structure for file-based data
Today’s Tip Define and stick with logical directory structure for file-based data Discussion In every mapping related job I’ve worked, one issue that always arises is data management. Unless you have a spatial database implemented already, the likelihood is that the majority of your data is in some file-based format. Heck, even if you have …
Tip of the Day – Ensure you have a Unique Identifier for each table in your database
Today’s Tip Ensure that you have a unique identifier attribute for each table in your database Discussion This is another tip that arises from me doing a task, and realizing I forgot something critical. In this case, the task involved creating a table, trying to perform an operation on said table, and encountering an error …
Esri 2014 – Recap
The Esri conference is over for another year. I wanted to write something about it. It is almost a requirement to write a recap of a conference. At the same time, there are really enough of those, and who honestly wants to read another missive about what sessions, or parties, or workshops I went to? …
CalGIS 2014 – Reflections on past and future
It has now been a couple of days since the end of the CalGIS conference for 2014. For those that do not know, CalGIS is the California GIS Conference. It is hosted every year by the four chapters of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA): Northern California Chapter of URISA, Central California Chapter …
GIS User Interfaces – Should we bother improving them?
There is an ongoing debate about whether GIS has a future as a profession. The path to get here would be to go to school and get some sort of a degree or certificate in Geography or GIS, and then get a job specifically as a GIS professional. The alternative is that it is simply …