The New GIS Users

Last year I met with a product manager of an online housing rental search company. This company is the perfect example of a venture capitalist’s dream, in which they had already received money to expand the company. I walked in knowing these guys not only have the cash for GIS analytics, but just by browsing their website, they also needed online mapping for their clients. I walked in with the thought, maybe I could convince them a web map application is a good start for them.

I actually walked out with my tail between my legs. Web map applications are not for private business. These guys utilize the power of Web 2.0 and the service capabilities of mash-ups. In fact, being in GIS for 13 years, these guys schooled me on what is really important with GIS. There are two customers GIS serves – government employees and "everyone-else". With the new online mapping companies' influence, I believe GIS companies should look toward "everyone-else" for the next big client.

The everyone-else users of the future require just a little more than the visualization of internet mapping today. They want simple analysis tools – to be able to view their business data on a map, drill down, or select several areas to pass back to analytic engines for further analysis. Very simple and Web 2.0 ”ish”. The deep analytics that come from GIS will have to be built into an analytics platform and offer access as a service, which means the power of in-database processing, http://www.sas.com/technologies/architecture/in-databaseprocessing/index.html, a concept SAS has been working on recently.

What this means for GIS - no longer are graphics the content for the engine. Topology and geoprocessing happens within the database, and visual reports are generated only by request. Also, the Web 1.0 GIS application, which involves heavy user interaction for analysis, such as: 1)make the zoning layer active, 2)select the parcel layer, and 3)ask GIS to show you how many parcels are within the code “R1a” is gone. Analysis must now be a simple query of the Web 2.0 command line.

Providing tools for only the government space dampens innovation. Henry Ford, concerned with the danger of listening too closely to customers, once said "If I had asked my customers what they wanted," Ford said, "they would have said a faster horse”, meaning customers don't envision the future, they inform the present.

So my feeling is yes, we should look at web application companies and point out the leaders, and develop on top of their new "standards". Not only will government benefit with their technology, I believe their is more to provide in the new arena of the private sector. Let’s all collaborate and make sure we are ahead of tradition. That seems to be making a lot of money in my region.