GIS based software applications are certainly making their marks worldwide. As we review in today’s blog, now the United Kingdom is coming into the limelight. More specifically, the North Hertfordshire District Council (also known as the NHDC) is planning to transition from its custom built web mapping application to a newer platform developed by Cadcorp, a UK based software development company.
This new GIS based technology, called “Web Map Layers 8.0,” will be made available to over 300 Council members. The primary use of this will be for the management and planning of new land development projects. For instance, as it is explained by the GIS Manager of this Council, John Barnacle: “Our grounds maintenance contractors are enthusiastic users of web mapping in Letchworth and elsewhere. When we ask them to maintain playing fields, for example, they will go to the web mapping application, identify the location, measure the land area to be treated, and calculate the amount of fertiliser to be applied.” (SOURCE: http://www.directionsmag.com/pressreleases/worlds-first-garden-city-looks-to-the-future-with-gis-software-from-ca/435985).
Some of the core functionalities of Web Map Layers 8.0 include:
1) The ability to create maps quickly and very easily as PDF documents.
2) These documents can be readily shared with any workforce via electronic means.
3) GIS based data can be searched and viewed instantaneously online as well as transferred using wireless devices such as Smartphones and Tablets.
4) This particular technology can be used for discovering land ownership details and even planning out the details of new voting stations.
5) The interchangeability of both spatial data and GIS based technology is available, and can be contained in a centralized database.
6) Any updates made to a map will be triggered at the same time to other associated maps, using a specialized SQL Server database.
As the CEO of Cadcorp, Mike O’Neil summarized, “Change and innovation are the norms in software development, and geospatial software is no exception. It is encouraging to see a local Council looking to take advantage of recent technical developments in GIS and web mapping.” (SOURCE: http://www.directionsmag.com/pressreleases/worlds-first-garden-city-looks-to-the-future-with-gis-software-from-ca/435985).
GeoTel is a telecommunications research and GIS mapping firm that researches and provides telecom datasets for more than 5,500 cities in the United States and worldwide. GeoTel’s expertise includes specialists in economic geography, geospatial engineering, web GIS, and telecommunications GIS Data infrastructure.
