Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have long been a critical tool for Local Authorities, enabling them to manage and analyse spatial data for various purposes, from urban planning to emergency response. However, the traditional centralised approach to GIS has faced significant challenges that are driving the need for change.
The Problem with Centralised GIS
While centralised GIS systems have served Local Authorities well in the past, they are often too complex and resource-intensive to meet the growing demands of modern organisations. These systems require dedicated teams, continuous upskilling, and significant investments, creating bottlenecks and limiting the ability to deliver value across the entire organisation. Here are some key challenges faced by centralised GIS:
1. Bottlenecks: With 80% of Local Authority data being geospatial, the demand for analysis across different services is exceptionally high. Centralised GIS teams, no matter how large, struggle to keep up with the sheer volume of requests, leading to delays and inefficiencies.
2. Skills Gap: While GIS teams possess specialised skills, they often lack the domain-specific expertise required to address the unique analytical needs of different departments. This gap can hinder the delivery of truly operational and valuable insights.
3. Data Management: Centralising data management can either lead to strict rules that restrict flexibility or relaxed controls that result in data duplication and disorganisation, making it challenging to maintain data quality and accessibility.
The Shift Towards Distributed GIS
To address these challenges, forward-looking Local Authorities are embracing a distributed approach to GIS, enabled by cloud-native platforms. This shift offers several benefits:
1. Centralised GIS Team Focus: The centralised team can concentrate on core data management, training, and highly technical queries, while enabling self-service for less complex tasks.
2. Increased Organisational Value: By offering self-service capabilities, the GIS team adds more value to the organisation, eliminating bottlenecks and enabling them to focus on strategic initiatives.
3. Upskilling and Empowerment: Distributed services facilitate easy upskilling, raising GIS skills across the organisation and empowering teams to deliver tailored insights that drive operational value.
4. Data Quality and Flexibility: Distributed solutions maintain core data quality while providing flexibility to teams or individuals, ensuring both consistency and agility.
Making the Transition Seamless
Migrating to a distributed GIS model doesn’t have to be complex. Solutions like Cadence integrate with existing centralised GIS systems, geoservers, or managed data services, enabling a smooth transition without the need for a complete system overhaul. Low-cost licensing options make it easier to adopt these solutions, and pre-built analytical tools tailored to Local Authority departments deliver immediate value to distributed teams. Additionally, cloud-native solutions minimise setup and go-live times, accelerating the transition process.
As Local Authorities continue to grapple with the challenges of centralised GIS, the shift towards distributed models is becoming increasingly inevitable. By embracing this change, organisations can unlock the true potential of their geospatial data, foster collaboration, and drive operational excellence across all departments.
Use the links below to try out Cadence for yourself, or speak to our team to discuss your current GIS bottlenecks and how Cadence could help.
