Issue link: https://resources.esri.ca/i/1313392
11 | GEOSPATIAL STRATEGY ESSENTIALS FOR MANAGERS MATTHEW LEWIN Chapter 3 What Separates Geospatial Leaders From the Rest Leaders go beyond technology and build cultures that drive geospatial literacy Organizations are awash in data. With billions of connected devices and vast stores of historical data, businesses have unprecedented access to information about their customers and operations and the communities they serve. Much of this data is geospatial, meaning it relates to somewhere on the planet. Geospatial data allows organizations to answer a unique set of questions. Questions like: where should we locate our next retail outlet to maximize sales? How should we re-route traffic during road construction to minimize bottlenecks? How do we use satellite imagery to quickly and accurately identify property damaged in a storm? On its own, geospatial data is potent raw material. But like any raw material, the real value comes from what you produce with it. And in the case of geospatial data, what you create is insight—a deep understanding of your business that helps to solve problems in unique ways. Organizations that are exceptional at deriving business insights from geospatial data arm themselves with a powerful competitive advantage. But like all abilities, geospatial capabilities varies by organization. In particular, some are better than others at using it to drive business results. The key is understanding how organizations vary and what leading organizations do differently. A study from IDC Canada in 2018 and 2019 revealed that organizations generally fall into one of five categories of geospatial proficiency. Proficiency, in this case, refers to how effective the organization is at driving business outcomes on the basis of the location intelligence generated by their geospatial capabilities. Below are summaries of each of the levels: • Lagging: These organizations lack a geospatial strategy and are relatively underdeveloped in terms of advanced knowledge, processes and technology. Most indicate location intelligence as important to their organizational objectives but lack focus. • Developing: Developing organizations acknowledge the presence of an informal geospatial vision and strategy but admit it covers a sparse set of stakeholders. A few mature organizational practices may exist, often focused on foundational geospatial capabilities such as data management. • Emerging: Emerging organizations have a documented geospatial strategy spanning several business areas. Typically, these organizations have implemented a more flexible and adaptive technology architecture. Improved sustainment practices, such as better integration with IT support, often surface at this level. • Expanding: Expanding organizations have a well-developed geospatial strategy and are working to evolve their capabilities corporate-wide. These firms report greater maturity in organizational enablers such as professional development, cross- department data sharing, and governance oversight.