GIS (Geographic Information System) INTEGRATION

Putting Geography to Work:

It doesn't matter how sophisticated a design, integration or software package is; the true measure of a successful Geographic Information System (GIS) is graded by users actively putting the system to work on a daily basis, because it serves their needs effectively.  Users should feel comfortable working within a GIS environment and its worflows.  Within the increasingly complex world of GIS, keeping things usable and easy to understand is a simple idea that works well. 

Quality First:

Quality control is important. Measure twice, cut once - another basic idea, but a critical one as diverse sources of geospatial information are becoming readily available to GIS users.  One of the most significant issues with GIS management are legacy errors or errors introduced by third party content undermining system integrity.  A solid foundation starts with spatially accurate data and having the capability to easily check if third party or internal historical datasets meet accuracy standards.  If you don't start with quality information, no design methodology can ensure a reliable and sustainable GIS integration, and, if left unchecked, can be very costly. 

Questions & Answers:

A good question for GIS is 'what's going on here', and a well designed and maintained geographic information base should have a good answer.  Good design begins with identifying what matters most to the users and what questions need to be answered to best analyze core issues.  Another important part of integration is identifying what information is necessary to develop these answers and acquiring this information effectively. This can include geo-referencing static attributes such as street addresses, utility infrastructure, thermal assessments or even incorporating live data such as weather conditions, river flows, or traffic volumes.  This can also include tracking moving assets such as maintenance teams, emergency vehicles, or waste management services in real time.  The bottom line is having a concise perspective so when it comes time, users have the critical answers on hand to make sound decisions.

Looking Forward (Maintenance & Expansion):

Changing landscapes drive geographic information forward.  Effective geographic information systems need to keep pace with changing conditions, allowing for continued dataset updates and design expansions.  Quality system maintenance also ensures that new data meets the standards and quality baseline set by the system to misleading information. 

Pulling it Together:

A useful Geographic Information System (GIS) starts with asking critical questions and ends with getting the answers users need to make informed decisions.  Feel free to contact Access Geographic for more information on GIS Integration.