Taking GIS Into The Field: Why The End-User Experience Is Critical To Success

1/13/2006 

By: Corey Maple
CEO, Powel-MiniMax

GIS is a technology,
not a business process. As a result, taking GIS into the field by
itself creates a number of potential challenges. Applications can be
too slow, with learning curves that are too steep for rapid acceptance
among end-users. To ensure a successful transition, utilities will
likely need to implement GIS with integrated field design. When
considering your options, it is important to focus first on the
end-user — not the solution itself……

Full Article Here:

This is an interesting read
this morning, especially after my last blog entry yesterday regarding the power
of place and the need to make GPS and GIS tools business-related and not simply
technology for technology’s sake.

This article makes two
important points:  Let field designers focus on design.  In other words tools
designed for designers should have very human, intuitive interfaces.  Pen on
tablet as an example.  This is more than making it easy for the designer, it’s a
way to make the designer more effective.  After all, a designer isn’t a minimum
wage person (unless you’re a Colorado corporation) so you might as well get all
the gusto you can out of what you are paying her or him.

Second (and this one is so
intuitive I can not believe how little we’ve advanced on this) Let the designer
work directly on maps.  Do not put artificial interfaces between the designer’s
pen (stylus) and the drawing the designer is modifying.  Simplistic? 
Absolutely, yet how many software and equipment originators have done
this?

You want to be the next big supplier to the industry?  Read and heed.

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