topic Re: GIS has changed - ?? in Electric Questions

GIS has changed - ??

Pat_Hohl — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:46:48 GMT

What do you think of this?

Re: GIS has changed - ??

JesGooch — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:13:27 GMT

It really has! From printed maps that are outdated as soon as they are printed to static data. Do you remember the old digital-ortho quarter quad imagery datasets? They used to come on CD for purchase and could take days or weeks to get. Now that information is available at the click of a button and shareable throughout your organization. GIS going from the dark corner of the basement to out in the light for all to view, use and make important, impactful decisions. So much has changed!

Re: GIS has changed - ??

Pat_Hohl — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:42:31 GMT

I spent millions on orthophotos...

Re: GIS has changed - ??

TJ_Houle — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:59:33 GMT

I think this is really though provoking. I wonder what it might look like to provide a utilities focused view that brings in some of the components that are unique to that industry. Things like the changes to support methodologies, proactive network modeling, etc.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

DuaneHolt — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:16:09 GMT

I think my favorite component of these changes is the data. The shift from centralized data storage and maintenance to the distributed and shared data model has revolutionized how GIS is viewed at the utilities. Publishing maps and apps that put the data maintenance in the hands of the field crews has generated a higher level of trust and data ownership for those crews. That trust is contagious and is what moved the "Mapping System" from the back corners to the out front "GIS" that the whole utility now relies upon.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

Pat_Hohl — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:23:35 GMT

"Trust is contagious" - bull's eye!

Re: GIS has changed - ??

melmayo — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:04:47 GMT

GIS has continued to evolve in the wake of technological changes, user needs, system demands, increased data availability, and other factors. Having the capability to shift from paper maps to putting mobile GIS in the hands of people who are far removed from the desktop GIS software is huge and expands the user community for a given organization. Changing demands on GIS have allowed the user community to implement products, workflows, and procedures to improve response times, restoration efforts, and improve safety. GIS is experiencing a shift from a tool in the box to a foundational piece of technology for users and companies across the board. It really is amazing what GIS can do and what it can help users do that really wouldn't have been possible even a few years ago the way it is today.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

BillMeehan — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:19:18 GMT

GIS has changed, grown up - welcome to the 20's

Re: GIS has changed - ??

JonasRugys — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 20:10:07 GMT

Proprietary data hasn't changed, it's easier now to access open data and shared services, but one didn't turn into the other. GIS practitioners have always paid much attention to societal concerns. I think the other items are spot on.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

JonasRugys — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 21:04:30 GMT

Here's a similar one we used in 2018

Re: GIS has changed - ??

MeliBartee — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:49:24 GMT

Something that hasn't changed much is the general public still may not know they're using GIS, but they are using GIS applications in everyday life now more than ever.

I think what has changed is the expectation for information to be served up on demand with dynamic map that they can pinch/zoom and see the surroundings on. Many consumers have come to expect that type of interaction whether they're making a huge decision like buying a house or just want to see where their pizza is in-transit or figure out if they can squeeze in an outdoor activity before the rain hits.

Dynamic mapping and GIS applications are so pervasive the general population just expects it as part of their social fabric and part of their day-to-day planning. I don't go anywhere new without looking at a map first. So naturally they expect it of their utility company to provide information this way too.

They want to see when a tech is going to arrive on their property or figure out when power will be restored to their neighborhood. And the stakes on that are much higher than a pizza delivery.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

BillMeehan — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:11:20 GMT

Well Stated

Re: GIS has changed - ??

HarishKV — Sat, 07 Oct 2023 08:49:48 GMT

Yes! there is no doubt about it. I had seen in my early days of career that the field crew going with paper forms & Printed Maps with Unique ID Labels to collecting the data. Then by evening or next day morning the form will be delivered at field offices and the data entry team used to enter the data in excel the GIS operator will then Join the excel table with Spatial Data. Laborious & hectic right? From there its been changed to Offline Data Collection Instruments and now to Connected Devices, A Desktop Application to Web & Mobile application. Its a change I never thought of in 2000's.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

BillMeehan — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 14:19:29 GMT

Thanks for commenting

Re: GIS has changed - ??

AValenski — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:42:11 GMT

Oof. Alright, let's go line-by-line...

1. Software products -> Platforms and APIs

This is a "point of sale" change more than a GIS change. And Esri is still selling software products in addition to SaaS. Selling access to an API is just another revenue stream.

2. Client/server -> Web Services and apps

I mean, this is just wild. Client applications consume Web Services which are served by a server. This is just restating the point and calling it change.

3. Standalone desktop -> Connected devices

Fair is fair. The proliferation of both IoT/distributed devices does represent a major shift in both how GISs collect data and how GISs resources are consumed.

4. Printed maps -> Web maps, dashboards, other apps

This is a stretch as "web map printing" (i.e. the creation of static map/map reports) is still a huge component of modern GIS. The print service is the most used, by far, geoprocessing service across all industries. Creating interactive reports existed before and has its own modern counterpart, so this is an odd 'change.' Also, the engineers in the room would like to have a word.

5. Static data -> Data services, live streams, big data

Again, fair. The five Vs have definitely changed how data is processed, stored, maintained, exposed, and consumed. If only the Esri geodatabase model wasn't still in its 2008 XML-based schema to keep up with the times, amiright?

6. Custom applications -> Interoperable packages, libraries

What? I assume this is referring to the boom in python and javascript libraries, but those resources don't exist in a vacuum... they're leveraged in custom applications. I suspect what this is attempting to communicate is that software products are no longer singularly packaged codebases, but are a mosaic of contributions, but that has always been the case. ArcGIS Server 10.0 still used a TomCat web server. Arcpy has had external dependencies since day 1.

7. Single, all purpose application -> Focused apps

ArcGIS Pro would like to have a word. As would ArcGIS Field Maps.

8. Proprietary data -> Open Data & Shared Services

This is such a wild take. There's no way y'all even mean this.

9. Using data created by others -> Combining others' data with out own

This has always existed? GIS has always been about synthesizing different geographic phenomena and developing new insights. Calling it "geoenrichment" and putting it behind a paywall (Point 8 would like to have a word) doesn't make it new or represent a sea change. Also, AGOL's terms of service grants Esri the rights to all user uploaded data.

10. Limited sharing -> Many ways to share

There have always been many ways to share, but the mechanisms of that sharing and the functionalities enabled by the sharing method have certainly evolved. Are there more? Certainly. But the number of ways is not nearly as significant as the capabilities that different sharing techniques and formats enables.

11. Niche technology -> Ties to larger IT community: GitHub

This one is also a strange to highlight, as this is clearly an area still developing and pretty significantly nascent. Isn't ArcGIS Enterprise still under a recommended "no upgrade" freeze because the last security patch broke the product? And didn't 10.9.1 require an immediate post-upgrade patch because the upgrade wasn't stable? Is there a proper CI/CD pipeline for promoting content between environments yet? Isn't AGE still only officially supported on two cloud providers?

12. Some attention to societal concerns -> Much attention to societal concerns.

I mean, this could mean anything? But I don't think it is a "GIS" change, it seems more like a societal change that is reflected in the users of GIS.

Didn't mean to make this a dumpster fire, but I care about GIS and am just... disappointed. Hopefully there's meaningful change in GIS to come.

Re: GIS has changed - ??

Pat_Hohl — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 21:45:39 GMT

@AValenski I appreciate your response. Many in the user community are placing a high value on the advantages offered by these items.

From your background, it appears to me you are setting a high bar of expectation for the future, and that is needed.