From Software Engineer to GIS Developer: A Year of Growth
Just one year ago, GIS was an entirely new concept to me. I had graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science and garnered software engineering experience at companies like Microsoft and TripAdvisor, but the term ‘GIS’ was completely unfamiliar.
My name is Asher Dale and I now play a key role in numerous large projects as a GIS Developer at Map I.T. LLC, a leading GIS and geospatial consulting firm based in Charleston, South Carolina.
The fact that I’ve been able to build solid expertise in the ArcGIS ecosystem in such a short time is testament to the quality of Esri’s software, community, and online resources.
Diving into GIS
Despite ArcGIS Pro being such a complex application, I found it intuitive to pick up thanks to my technical background. After grasping the core concepts of geodatabases, feature classes, and coordinate systems, many aspects of the software were straightforward to understand.
What struck me most was how Esri has managed to balance the sheer power of the platform with an approachable user experience—there are so many advanced tools and capabilities, but the interface, workflows, and documentation make it easy to navigate without feeling overwhelmed.
I’m genuinely impressed that an application of this size can feel accessible to newcomers.
Many of my projects involve ArcGIS Indoors and 3D Digital Twins for large institutions, including routing networks. Pictured is a building on Florida State University’s main campus.
Another key factor in my growth has been collaboration. Having a mentor and supervisor at Map I.T. who is always available to answer questions has been invaluable. Working alongside experienced GIS analysts and developers, I have learned best practices for data management, map design, and quality assurance. That guidance, combined with the supportive Esri community, made complex topics feel approachable and provided a safety net when experimenting with new workflows.
Additionally, Esri’s online resources have proved to be a big help over the last year. In particular, the various Esri YouTube channels have great videos covering many aspects of the GIS world. This content was especially helpful for me when starting to create custom geoprocessing tools using Python, allowing me to leverage my coding background in incredibly useful ways. Nowadays, a significant portion of my work involves developing custom tools in Python and C# to automate workflows within ArcGIS Pro and Autodesk environments, which has made a huge difference in our team’s efficiency and capabilities. At Map I.T., we’ve saved countless hours by using custom-built automation tools for rigorous quality assurance, large-scale geodatabase data transformations, and more.
ArcGIS Pro offers numerous ways to integrate code into your workflows, whether it's within the application itself or using existing developer environments.
For me, coding is nothing new—I’ve been programming in a variety of developer environments for over a decade, and I even released a successful iPhone application while still in high school. As I continue to dive deeper into the world of GIS, however, the transformative value of leveraging a coding background in the ArcGIS ecosystem is becoming more and more apparent.
Thanks to ArcGIS Pro’s native support for custom Python scripting, I’ve been able to perform complex updates and schema changes to geodatabases that contain millions of features in a matter of minutes. Without Python, these same operations would take hours or days to complete, highlighting the indispensability of this skillset when working with large datasets.
Furthermore, it allows me to build tailor-made solutions for Map I.T.’s clients across different environments, such as building a custom AI chatbot for people unfamiliar with GIS to interact with live maps using natural language, or developing a tool to create detailed floor plans for university buildings from GIS data with dynamic label generation.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Reflecting on the past year, the most rewarding part of this journey has been seeing how quickly I transitioned from a software engineer unfamiliar with geospatial technologies to a GIS developer confidently building custom tools. GIS has given me a new perspective on spatial data and the ways that technology can be used to make a tangible impact on real-world projects.
One piece of advice I’d give to anyone working in GIS, regardless of your background, is to invest time in learning how to code. Being able to write scripts and build custom tools can greatly increase efficiency and automate repetitive tasks, even for beginners.
Looking ahead, I’m eager to deepen my expertise, explore advanced spatial technologies, and contribute to high-impact projects. For anyone considering GIS as a career pivot, my advice is simple: dive in, leverage Esri’s resources, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The combination of strong software, an engaged community, and a willingness to learn can take you farther than you might expect.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/asher-dale/ and can reach me at adale@map-it-llc.com.
In addition to high-end GIS consulting, Map I.T. also offers state-of-the-art 3D scanning and modelling.