Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/62129
W ithout a doubt, we live in a mobile world. From the average person engaging with geolocation data on their iPhones to provid- ing warfighters with real-time GEOINT data on tablets and Android phones, mobile computing is ubiquitous. In the future, this growing phenomenon will become more powerful and integrated into more business processes. Today, organizations across industry sec- tors have established a mobile workforce embracing next-generation tools necessary for productivity and enhanced decision making in the field. For example, in a typical utility company, two-thirds of employees are field-based. As such, utilities need to extend critical business applications to field personnel to streamline updates and information exchange. For gov- ernment and first responders in emergency-management situations, the effective use of mobile geospatial data is more than simply useful—it actually saves lives. Increasing mobile awareness and demand also has driven the geospatial industry to develop and integrate existing technology for the mobile platform. However, before organizations invest in mobile geospatial solu- tions, they should assess all their business processes and make sure that the geospatial element is sup- ported throughout their workflows. Simply put, mobile geospatial efforts should support all their business pro- cesses. And we all know that business processes are required for enhancing efficiencies and reducing costs, which ultimately leads to return on investment (ROI). In addition, with a mobile geospatial investment, organizations need to select a solution that fully engages non-GIS stakeholders, bringing together all geospatial stakeholders in the office and field. For example, most field workers for utility companies aren't trained in GIS, nor do they speak the same language as those who work in the GIS sector. For a smart GIS to become a key part of business processes, the gap must be bridged among field workers and GIS staff by providing easy-to-use solutions. Smarter GIS for Smarter Organizations From a geospatial data-processing perspective, this means providing access to all geospatial and business data required to perform queries, spatial analyses, reporting and plotting. These users also need to be able to manage and maintain geospatial databases across the enterprise, no matter where the data are located. Non-GIS users ultimately need to be able to share the data from the field back with the core enterprise Mobility/GPS Special Issue for enhanced decision making. When such data can't be effectively shared, they become non-actionable, minimizing their value and applicability. Sometimes, non-GIS users have difficulty understand- ing how to access the data they need and, once accessed, navigating their administrative rights to ensure that changes are updated and shared securely. For example, asset planners may want to see maintenance and operations records, but not be able to edit them. Organizations that are developing a smarter GIS implement intuitive geospatial solutions across departments. This is called "breaking down data silos." When departments use different geospatial software and data formats, data silos emerge that form obstacles to effective collaboration within an enterprise. Additional problems arise when trying to share data with outside organizations. To break down these data silos, organizations need to implement tools and strategies that enable distribution of geospatial data and functionality within the organization and beyond. In addition, implementing industry standards, including those from INSPIRE, Open Geospatial Consortium and International Organization for Standardization, helps break down barriers and allows organizations to com- ply with government mandates. These smart organizations also develop sustain- able workflows that support all business processes, as opposed to creating "one-off" workflows that don't GeoMedia Smart Client supports high-end vector functions such as dimensioning, which depicts specific lengths or distances on a map. APRIL 2O12 / WWW . GEOPLA CE . COM 27