At this point in the year, it is time to take stock of what an exciting 2022 has had to offer and to look ahead to what 2023 promises to be no less exciting. For this, we talked to our colleagues Sara Sanz, GIS technician, and Adrián Nicolás Penela, frontend developer at Geograma. Find out what they have to tell us!
The first thing we wanted to know was what adjective you would use to describe the GIS sector in the year that is coming to an end. For Sara, the word would be “up-to-date”, thus emphasising the eagerness of geographic data professionals to define the current reality as well as possible with the appropriate tools and technologies.
For Nicolás, 2022 could be defined as “convulsive”, due to the number of events that have been worthy of analysis using geographic information.
When asked about the applications of geo-data that have stood out the most in recent months, Sara points to augmented and virtual reality, 3D and geo-positioning. For his part, Nicolas highlights the maps on the war in Ukraine, as GIS makes it possible to update military cartography in real time.
GIS is undoubtedly a key element in improving people’s lives. That is why we wanted to consult the opinions of our colleagues on the subject.
For Sara, they can serve to solve, among many things, crimes under the geopositioning of mobile devices and thus be able to know at all times the steps to what happened, but they can also serve to improve people’s day with tools like Google Maps and Open Street View, which help the vast majority of the population to find locations that without our maps would not be possible or would be more expensive.
Another example could be the planning of routes for different types of public transport.
Nicolás stresses that they have made it possible to map evacuation corridors and shelters in war zones in order to inform the population accurately and quickly.
We also wanted to know what is being done within the sector to improve GIS performance.
Sara tells us that the databases of many GIS tools are currently being updated so that they can be automated and made easier to use. Nicolás says that the working methodology is adapting to the needs of customers, who demand more agile delivery, configurable and modular applications.
We wanted to know whether, in their view, the sector is sufficiently supported by public bodies. For Sara this is the case, although she thinks she needs more support. Nicolás shares this view, pointing out that Spanish local institutions are increasingly interested in what GIS can bring to urban governance and management.
Looking ahead to 2023, the trends they both see are: 3D or augmented reality tools and research and observation of climate change related phenomena.
Focusing on Geogram, we ask you to summarise 2022. Sara tells us that this year has been a turning point between before and after, as they have worked to achieve greater productivity for the future.
Nicolás mentions that it has been a year of adaptation, of changes in the structure of the teams and methodologies in order to meet the needs of customers more efficiently, with a more agile delivery.
As for the projects that have had the greatest impact on them, Sara refers to the updating of urban planning in the Valencian Community, although both agree that they have been able to learn something from all of them.
When asked about their experience in the Geograma team, both highlight the camaraderie, the positive attitude, the great working atmosphere and the professionalism and preparation.
Finally, its objectives for 2023 include, first and foremost, continuing to improve people’s lives through its work, as well as making further progress in the technological development of GIS solutions.
With our batteries fully charged and our enthusiasm overwhelming, we are kicking off a year that we are sure will not leave us indifferent. Will you join us to find out? Follow us on our blog and social media profiles!
