by Robin Burchfield, Metropolitan Police Service

1. Mapping
the Global
Village A COMMON SYMBOLOGY
ACROSS NATIONAL SECURITY
STAKEHOLDERS DURING THE
2012 OLYMPIC &
PARALYMPIC GAMES
Robin Burchfield
Independent GI Consultant
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

2. Mapping
the Global
Village PREVIOUS INITIATIVES -
POLICE
• ACPO GI Board has held long term
desire for standardisation.
• Previous attempts have failed to
get off the ground.
• To my knowledge, no force has
yet achieved this internally.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

3. Mapping
the Global
Village PREVIOUS INITIATIVES –
NON-POLICE
• Cabinet Office, Military, BGS etc.
• Plenty of comprehensive
symbology standards, but not ideal
for police use.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

4. Mapping AN OPPORTUNITY
the Global
Village
ARRISES.....
• Implementation of a web based GI
portal for use by multiple police
forces during games period.
• A common geographic language is
required.
• Constant re-use will allow symbols
to become familiar and intuitive.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

5. Mapping SCOPE OF COMMON
the Global
Village
SYMBOLOGY
• Not to re-design symbols available
on base map layers.
• Keep symbols simple and visually
impactive.
• Use both existing symbology and
design new symbols depending on
suitability.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

6. Mapping
the Global METHOD
Village
• Pragmatic approach to meet
agressive timescales.
• Stakeholders engaged to garner
feedback.
• Creation of functional symbols, not
trying to win an art competition.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

7. Mapping OBSTACLES
the Global
Village • Aggressive timescales.
• Unable to engage all and hold
participative workshops.
• Subjective feedback
• Unable to completely satisfy all.
• General nonchalance.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

8. Mapping
the Global EXAMPLES – SOMETHING
Village BORROWED
- LOCOG Pictograms
- OS Street Furniture
- Cabinet Office Symbols
- and various others
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

9. Mapping
the Global EXAMPLES – SOMETHING NEW
Village
- Olympic
- Operational
- Person
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

10. Mapping
the Global EXAMPLES – SOMETHING BLUE
Village
Police Assets:
- Vehicles
- People
- Other
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

11. Mapping
the Global SUCCESSES
Village
• General feedback has been very
positive.
• So far, a handful of police have
requested the symbols for use within
their own domain.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

12. Mapping
the Global REFLECTION
Village
• A bit of a mis-match of symbols and
styles.
• Would have liked more time to
thoroughly engage national
stakeholders via regular workshops.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

13. Mapping
the Global LEGACY
Village
• ACPO GI Board lead looking to
move this forward as a national
standard.
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

14. Mapping
the Global ANY QUESTIONS?
Village
robin@spatialwareness.net
Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net