Delivered to the BCS Data Management forum, an overview of GIS/Geospatial trends, the need for spatial integrity, why spatial intelligence doesn't need a map, and creative curveballs like the enduring benefits of analog tools and handmade craftsmanship.

1. Thierry Gregorius PhD FRGS
Principal Consultant
Exprodat/Getech Group
Adventures in location-based data
BCS Data Management SG, London 17 October 2019
Views expressed are entirely personal and do not necessarily
reflect those of Exprodat Consulting Ltd or Getech Group plc.
Spatial is
[not?] Special

2. GIS and the
evolution of
spatial
architectures
Spatial data
and the
mystery of
location
Frontiers of
spatial data
management
Being human in a
digital world
Final thoughts

3. Bored Panda

4. Geographic Information System (GIS)
“GIS is a computer system
capable of holding and using
data describing places on the
earth's surface.“ – Esri, 1995

5. National Geographic

6. The map: what you see
(the yummy bit)
Data layers
(the hard work)

7. Screenshot anno 2004

8. The world’s
most famous
GIS…

9. The evolution of GIS
Esri graphic

10. GIS
anywhere
for anyone
Esri example

11. Traditional
Enterprise GIS
Stack
Jonathan Harford on Flickr (Creative Commons)
IT Dept >
GIS Vendor >
GIS Team >
GIS User >

13. Seamless data integration via APIs…
ca. 2000, source unknown
Déjà-vu?

14. GIS
User
workflows
Everything
else
Data &
Imagery
Analytics
Business
systems
From a GIS-centric view…

15. “Why use GIS
when you can
annotate JPEGs
in PowerPoint?”
– geologist

16. …to sprinkling everything with spatial magicspatial
Spatialise
User
workflows
Data &
Imagery
Analytics
Business
systems
Business
systems
Data &
Imagery
User
workflows
Visual-
isation
Mapping
Geocode Analytics
Analytics
IntegratePro GIS
er
ows Everything
else
Spatial
Analysis
User
workflows
User
workflows
Data &
Imagery
Analytics
Visual-
isation
Mapping
Spatial
Analysis
User
workflows
Spatialise
Business
systems
Data &
Imagery
Analytics Pro G
Everything
else
Data &
Imagery
Analytics Pro G
Business
systems
Everything
else
ss
s

17. Photo by Sebastian Hietsch on Unsplash

18. Having said that…

19. GIS and the
evolution of
spatial
architectures
Spatial data
and the
mystery of
location
Frontiers of
spatial data
management
Being human in a
digital world
Final thoughts

20. ((geo)spatial) data
Tabular Spatial
xyz
Geospatial
Xyz
lat/long/H
Geospatial Projected
xy(H)
EN(H)
Spatiotemporal
xy(H)t

21. Null Island: where spatial data goes to die
Image credits: NOAA and Amusing Planet
(0, 0)

22. @mnolangray
Spatial integrity:
keeping stuff
aligned

23. Not all Lats and Longs are the same…
Prime Meridian
Greenwich, London
Greenwich Meridian (1884) GPS Meridian (WGS84)
102.5 m

24. Confused map projection: Lake Paigneur oil rig disaster
Custom Transverse Mercator projection
misinterpreted as UTM coordinates
 Drilled through mineshaft
 Massive sinkhole
 Whole lake drained into underground mine in minutes!
Louisiana, 1980

25. Right coordinate, wrong place
Author’s private collection, 2005

26. $300 million Mars Climate Orbiter lost in 1999…
It can happen anywhere
…due to mix-up of imperial and metric units

27. GIS and the
evolution of
spatial
architectures
Spatial data
and the
mystery of
location
Frontiers of
spatial data
management
Being human in a
digital world
Final thoughts

28. 3D Digital twins
Boston, USA (source: Esri)

29. Digital twins for
operations
Source: Aveva

30. Geospatial bricolage…
Virtual IoT 2D/3D/4D scrapbooks
underpinned by spatial integrity
images via unsplash.com

31. You can do
anything now

32. And anyone
can do it…

33. Just because you can…?

34. If it ain’t broke…
BBC
US Navy

36. Maps: just one data representation out of many
http://selection.datavisualization.ch/

37. Create solutions that people need

38. A ‘solution’: Much more than data or tech…
People
(Roles,
Skills)
Use Cases
Work-
flows
Data Tech Training Support
Gover-
nance
Leadership
Engage-
ment
Change
Manage-
ment

39. Solutions are
all about people

40. Self-empowerment and networks

41. Keep it simple Atlanta Child Wellbeing Index
Simple postcode map to tackle poverty & create employment
Source: McKinsey

42. The power of ‘story maps’
Interactive multimedia integrated with simple maps
esri.com

43. Are maps still required at all?
Digitisation
Analog to digital
e.g. paper scans
Digitalisation
Improve processes digitally
Digital Transformation
Natively digital
Reimagine processes from scratch

44. The Atlantic, 2012

45. Spatial intelligence without maps:
Simple answers to simple questions
Is this place prone to flooding?Has this rental car crossed a border?
YES YES

46. Spatial intelligence without maps:
Geocoding with voice
what3words – global grid of 3x3m locations
encoded with unique word combinations
what3words.com
BCS office
I’m in a field. Meet me at
imprints.teach.playoffs

47. Spatial intelligence without maps:
Logistics: parcel routing & tracking
“Your parcel is arriving today
between 13.00 and 14.00“

48. GIS and the
evolution of
spatial
architectures
Spatial data
and the
mystery of
location
Frontiers of
spatial data
management
Being human in a
digital world
Final thoughts

49. Digital vs analog
Embodied cognition through physical objects
Esri.com

50. Real work rarely happens
behind a computer
Author, Libya 2007

51. People love using their hands

52. Our hands leverage a lot of brain power

53. Remember…
BBC
US Navy

54. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-23/meteorologists-still-hand-draw-weather-maps-at-bom/8373086https://adventuresinmapping.com/2017/12/18/hillshade-by-hand/

55. Cartographic Design Award
FOSS4G Conference
Map by Anna Butler, Wellingtons Travel http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/foss4g-map-contest/#slideid-255991
Drawn by hand!

56. Art and Science are converging again
– for the first time since the Renaissance

57. Cartographic
data
visualisation
=
Data science
x
craftsmanship
timogrossenbacher.ch

58. ArcGIS Pro 3D ‘sketchy edge’ styling
@elliothartley

60. watercolour styling
with GIS

61. Hands-on models and
the value of tactility

62. Digital + Analog
= best of both worlds?
Note-taking Air traffic control
Touch-Table
AR sandbox
Digital pencil
3D printing/model-making

63. GIS and the
evolution of
spatial
architectures
Spatial data
and the
mystery of
location
Frontiers of
spatial data
management
Being human in a
digital world
Final thoughts

64. So is spatial special?
Schrödinger’s cat
(not) looking at you

65. Spatial
ingenuity, craft
& integrity
Spilhaus map projection:
The seven seas as one contiguous ocean

66. Maps: just one data representation out of many
http://selection.datavisualization.ch/

67. Routes to
GIS/geospatial
profession
geographer
IT developer
town planner
surveyor
geologist
data manager
web designer
ecologist
space engineer
civil/utilities engineer etc. etc.
smart cities
data scientist
statistician

68. Geospatial skills & careers
Third professions
e.g. Geologist,
Town Planner
GIS Developers
GIS experts
Trainers & consultants
Business
Sales
Project Management
Leadership
Data scientists
(stats, analytics, ML/AI)
Data managers
IT & app
developers
Earth observation Surveyors

69. Trend towards spatial data science
Third professions
e.g. Geologist,
Town Planner
GIS Developers
GIS experts
Trainers & consultants
Business
Sales
Project Management
Leadership
Data scientists
(stats, analytics, ML/AI)
Data managers
IT & app
developers
Earth observation Surveyors

70. geek-and-poke.com
Data science = 80% data clean-up?

71. Shapefiles are
refusing to die…

72. But when data is natively digital & automated…

73. …data management becomes data analytics?

75. 21st century
challenges
E.G. PROPOSED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
• Carbon capture & storage
• Circular economy
• Empowerment of women
• Energy efficiency
• Geothermal
• Marine regeneration
• Microgrids
• Reforestation and soil restoration
• Regenerative agriculture
• Renewable energy

76. The world needs you
to do great things
with spatial data
BCS Data Management SG, London 17 October 2019
Views expressed are entirely personal and do not necessarily
reflect those of Exprodat Consulting Ltd or Getech Group plc.
THANK YOU