How to Thrive as a One-Person GIS Department
Being a one-person GIS department can evoke a special kind of loneliness that feels like being on a deserted island. You crave camaraderie, but only the wind responds to your cries. You dream of delegating, but sand and coconuts can’t help you. You fend for yourself, and it is challenging to find resources. As a fellow one-person GIS department, these feelings are all too familiar. My name is Molly Casey and I am the GIS Project Manager at R.E.Y. Engineers.
The truth is, you’re not on an island. You’re on a private beach, and there are plenty of resources and communities nearby if you know how to navigate to them. Although you are a one-person GIS department, you are not alone. When you need somewhere to turn, you have your coworkers, the greater GIS community, and yourself.
Your Coworkers: Building Bridges for Collaboration
I don’t always know what my coworkers are working on, or even what their job is, and I know they have felt the same about me. This makes it difficult to know where to start when we want to work together.
I am pioneering our GIS department, and one of my goals is to have “GIS literacy” throughout our company. I want people to be aware of our capabilities, the applications of them, and use their expertise to help me understand more ways we can innovate.
In working toward this goal, I have instituted GIS Lunch and Learns and a monthly newsletter which includes projects I have been working on and tips to integrate GIS into existing workflows. This outreach has initiated fruitful conversations that help GIS gain traction throughout the company and aid in my understanding of how GIS can fit into what people are already doing.
Coworkers are important allies when it comes to generating new ideas, gaining traction on projects, and combining their industry expertise with your mapping and data skills. But you can’t pick all your fruit from one tree. You need to turn elsewhere for technical assistance.
Immerse Yourself in the GIS Community
We have all been there. You don’t even know how to Google the question you have. You are fighting with ChatGPT. You would love to be able to bounce ideas off a breathing human. Stop screaming at the sea gulls. There are better outlets for this like:
- GIS organizations
- Esri communities
- ESRI trainings
- In-person conferences
GIS Organizations: I suggest looking for specific organizations that relate to your background and perspective. Consider your location, your industry, and other ways you identify yourself. All that said, don’t limit yourself!
If you are interested in something you have no experience with, attend a meeting, go to a webinar, or sign up for the MOOC or training and see if you like it. This is a great strategy to expand your knowledge base and apply a new perspective to what you are currently working on.
Here are some organizations to look into:
ESRI Trainings: The online trainings will advance your skillset and many of them are free. Getting involved in these trainings can be a great way to build confidence that you are doing your job as effectively as possible.
There are different training paths depending on what you are trying to achieve. For growing and validating a specific skill, check out Esri Academy.
To find community and immerse yourself in a specific topic over a few weeks, the Esri’s Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a great place to be involved in a collective learning experience. You could also investigate certification to validate your skills.
Look into these training paths:
Esri Communities: The online communities and Esri trainings are useful when you need answers. In the online communities, you can browse forums to ask questions and find similar questions that have already been asked. It’s great for quick results and on-the-fly problem solving.
Start by checking out these communities:
In-person Conferences: Conferences are valuable not only for the full days of sessions and training, but also for the networking. I am a quiet person, so I can relate if you feel overwhelmed by starting up conversations with strangers, but it is worth it. It helps me to come prepared.
I like to show up armed with conversation starters in mind and a short elevator speech about myself, so I am ready when someone sits next to me and smiles. It is comforting to relate to other GIS professionals after spending so much time on the island. Advocate for your company to send you to in-person conferences. You will return with a wealth of ideas and your cup full of GIS enthusiasm.
Here's a list of conferences to look into:
When it comes to finding other GIS professionals, do some research into different communities and resources, try new things, and see what sticks for you. You know what’s best for you and your organization.
You
On the days when your island is feeling barren, take a deep breath and looking inward. Being a one-person GIS department is a huge challenge and a bigger accomplishment. You were chosen for this role for a reason. Pull from your experience and knowledge. Your job requires creativity, problem solving, perseverance, resilience, and passion. Leverage your skills and assets, embrace your independence and enjoy your private beach.
If you are a one-person GIS department, I’d love to hear what works for you! Leave your suggestions, tips, tricks, and questions in the comments.