gis in the real world

Presented at UWA, 14th May 2012

GAIA RESOURCES

“GIS in the real world”

Piers HiggsGaia Resources

GIS IN THE REAL WORLD


What we will cover today

• A bit about Gaia Resources…

• What is a typical day in our office?

• What are some projects we’ve worked on?

• What can you take from that?

• Some general career advice…

Who are we?


A (Fri)day in the life…


What do we do?



Conservation Commission Western Australia


Conservation Commission Western Australia

1. First we had to interpret the valuesin the original document

2. Then we had to come up with aproject plan

3. We had to gather a lot of data

4. We then followed the plan – use GIS to create stats and make maps


Telfer Mesa Investigations

2001

2011



“I’ve been looking at getting a piece of work done for a little while now and I’m wondering if you guys have the time / capacity to do it? If you could have a look at the attached scope and let me know I’d appreciate it. Give me a call to discuss any time on the numbers below.”



1. Define the surrounding area

2. Estimate the baselevel

3. Determine heightof elevatedlandforms

4. Then run on entire area…

Tech

nical



1. Convince the client to usea test area first

2. Come up with a solution andway of replicating the model

3. Get approval from the client

4. Run it on the wider area

Project


Dieback Information Delivery & Management System

• Introduced disease, mainly Phytophthora cinnamoni

• 40% of the State’s plant species are at risk

• 50% of the State’s rare & endangered species arevulnerable

• “Biological Bulldozer”



1. Undertake requirementsanalysis first

2. Make sure all the stakeholdersare happy

3. Create our specification for theactual site

4. Build it!



• Large, complexproject

• Many different stakeholders involved

• How much of this projectis what you think of whenyou think about “GIS”?


Atlas of Living Australia and Citizen Science


Atlas of Living Australia and Citizen Science

• Two and a half year project all up

• Involved 12 staff

• Over $1 million in fees


Some general pointers…

• “Domain knowledge” in your client’s field is important

• Understand and solve your client’s problems

• Keep an eye on what the client is after at all times, and deliver what they asked for

• Generally have a plan – and know when to vary it

• Maintain a sense of humour…

A CAREER WITH SPATIAL

So, would I recommend this roller coaster ride?

HELL YEAH

What have I done?

• Student

• GIS Trainer

• Contractor

• GIS Programmer

• Project Manager

• Business Developer


• Student

• Field Assistant

• Data Manager

• Ecologist

• Student

• Consultant

• Director

in

with

Some of the best bits?


What got me there?

• I had a good reputation

• I understood “spatial”

• I understood “environment”

• I knew what I didn’t know

• I was willing to learn

• The value of spatial was understood


What got me there?

• I had a good reputation

• I understood what my clients do for a living

• I did the ‘right thing’ by my clients

• I learned things I didn’t understand

• Hired the right people – that share the same desires


What advice would I give?

• Pick a stream…


Spatial Software Engineering

Spatial Analysis


• Pick a stream…

• Spatial Software Engineering – learn some Computer Science principles and technologies

• Spatial Analysis – learn some domain knowledge in an area you are interested in…


Coastal Geomorphology

Geology Botany

BiologyArchaeologyGeography

EIA (Murdoch)

Planning

Surveying


• You will not know everything you need to succeed throughout your career by the end of University

“The learning and knowledge that we have, is, at the most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant.” (Plato)



• Your reputation is your biggest asset

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” (Warren Buffett)



Questions?

• Ask away, or drop me a line…

Piers [email protected] 754 006

gis in the real world

Career

telfer mesa

gaia resources

citizen science

real world

management

living australia

domain knowledge

good reputation