CEC Europe | Papers & Case Studies: GIS

A Guide to the Exploitation of Geographic Information

by David Bardsley

Introduction

Geographic Information systems (known as GIS) are no longer the domain of specialists with their own languages and databases. They have joined mainstream commercial computing and enhanced it.

Modern GIS systems can directly access standard databases; they use common programming languages and they can be made widely available for almost universal access by use of internet technology. A GIS can now be regarded as just another way to work with an organisation’s data.

Recent technology changes, plus the more accurate and useable base information becoming available from Ordnance Survey at the end of this year, will greatly increase the capability of GIS to deliver business benefit.

Organisations currently using GIS will need to review their strategy against this new potential. Organisations who have considered adoption of GIS in the past may now be in a position to develop a much stronger business case as a result of these new capabilities.

A Definition of GIS

GIS can be defined as a computer system that can use and display data describing places on the earth’s surface. We may envisage this in relation to a map – showing, for example, all our customers and where they are, perhaps with the facilities that service them, or the territories of salesmen, or the location of the competition! GIS allows us to ask the map a question: “show me all customers with purchases of over £1m a year within a drive time of 2 hours from depot x”.

Benefits of GIS

In most organisations the majority of data already held in computer systems has a geographic context; customer is a prime example. GIS can bring benefit in many areas, examples being:

Supporting CRM strategy, for example with demographic analysis
Strategic Planning – including site selection
Asset Management, including Utility installations, Land and Property and locating hazardous materials
Vehicle Routing & Scheduling for distribution, home shopping
Planning service engineers’ visits
Local Authority planning, roads and highways management
Location based services, where integration with mobile and handheld technologies is gathering pace.

The Changing Face of GIS

Recent GIS technology developments have created substantial new capability. Perhaps three developments stand out from the rest:

Use of standard RDBMS to hold spatial data. For some time it has been possible for GIS to directly access attribute data (i.e. “normal” textural or numeric data) held in relational databases, but until relatively recently the spatial data (i.e. information related to location, in terms of points, lines and areas) had to be held in proprietary “native” databases. Now many leading RDBMS vendors have “spatially enabled” their databases, and in addition GIS vendors provide tool sets to spatially enable RDBMS, so a GIS no longer needs its own version of corporate data. The infrastructure that supports enterprise systems can also support GIS.
Internet technology now allows a GIS to serve its data over the web, with browser access across an organisation. The cost savings this enables have been compounded by new commercial arrangements from third party data providers (for example Ordnance Survey), which have reduced the cost of providing mass accessibility to their data via intranet, or indeed, internet
The Ordnance Survey’s Digital National Framework (DNF), to be launched at the end of 2001, and hailed as the most significant event in the UK GIS industry in recent years. DNF will provide more accurate and useable information, it will enable online access and update to the latest information, with more flexible commercial arrangements for its use.

How CEC Can Help

CEC’s structured methods are based on the premise that our customers know their business best, and our approaches build on this knowledge to ensure that their vision is realised. CEC works as part of the client’s team, utilising its innovative, pragmatic and proven techniques to help deliver solutions.

This approach applies equally to GIS as to other systems. Indeed, GIS are becoming increasingly integrated and should not be viewed as something apart. There is, however, a need for specialist knowledge in areas such as the GIS marketplace, the capabilities of systems and sources of data.

CEC can offer the experience of consultants who, in addition to being all round IS professionals have been implementing GIS for business benefit for over ten years. We can advise on all aspects of GIS, including:

Strategy studies and Business Case Development
“Health check” – review of use of GIS against potential provided by new developments
Requirements definition
Procurement
Project management
Systems Integration

We are conscious that some customers may be unsure of the potential benefits of GIS and we will be happy to run a GIS awareness/opportunity workshop, tailored to your organisation, to give a better understanding of the scope of the technology and drive out areas of benefit.

The Author

This briefing was written by CEC Associate David Bardsley. David’s involvement with GIS dates back to 1990, when he was Head of IS for British Coal Opencast. Immediately prior to joining CEC he was Head of IS for the Service Delivery arm of Consignia (formerly the Post Office). His GIS experience includes:

Selecting and implementing GIS systems for Opencast Planning and Land Management
Advising on the use of geographic data as an aid to the privatisation of the UK Coal industry
Setting a GIS strategy for Royal Mail
Selecting and procuring a strategic GIS platform for the Post Office
Leading negotiations with Ordnance Survey for a data supply SLA for the Post Office

David has recently completed an assignment for CEC, leading a programme for a major utility to select vehicle routing software and to recommend the strategy for the overall management of geographic data.

For more information please e-mail us or call Consulting on 44 (0) 20 7251-4646

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