Issue link: https://resources.esri.ca/i/1313392
28 | GEOSPATIAL STRATEGY ESSENTIALS FOR MANAGERS MATTHEW LEWIN The model is derived from two important factors that underpin every geospatial strategy: business motivation and geospatial maturity. Business motivation refers to the overall direction and priorities of an organization. It relates to where and on what the business is focusing its efforts. Typically, organizations are trying to do one of three things: be more efficient (get lean, eliminate waste), improve productivity (deliver work faster, better, cheaper) or grow their business (expand products, services and markets). Many organizations will claim to be pursuing all three at once. However, in my experience—at least at the macro level—the priority for senior management is almost always in one of these three areas. The other key dimension of a geospatial strategy is the current level of geospatial maturity. This refers to the overall level of proficiency an organization possesses in the geospatial discipline. Organizations at the low end of maturity lack the expertise, tools or processes needed to deliver sophisticated geospatial capabilities. High-maturity organizations are well-oiled geospatial machines, able to support complex, high-value capabilities. The intersection of business motivation and geospatial maturity produces a distinct set of geospatial strategy archetypes—each addressing a different challenge. Collectively they serve as implementation blueprints. Think of them as a useful starting point for building a detailed, tailored strategy. It's a bit like building a house. It's easier to start with a set of pre-configured floor plans and then make adjustments than it is to start from scratch and try to navigate the endless design decisions that dictate building a house. The six archetypes are guidelines to help focus your strategy building efforts right from the start. Efficiency-Oriented Strategies Efficiency-oriented strategies are a fit for organizations that are focused on rightsizing or streamlining their operational footprint. Often these organizations are facing internal challenges with their business or experiencing a downturn in their industry and need to trim the fat to stay on track. Common tactics include cost- reduction initiatives, lean management programs and restructuring. 1. Automate Geospatial Workflows In Archetype One, a mature organization positions its future geospatial capabilities as a source of efficiency. This is a strategy for organizations prepared to deliver in a lean environment by implementing or refocusing solutions around business automation. This means automating or streamlining workflows at critical points in the information lifecycle, including data capture, spatial analysis and map production. The intention is to reduce the manual effort (i.e., cost) required to perform these tasks. Beyond the technology, organizations must focus on streamlining processes related to workflow support, data management and application management, and rationalizing staffing around the requirements of the lean geospatial approach. Mature organizations in the oil and gas sector, for example, commonly employ this strategy. This is a volatile industry where staying lean is critical to riding out downturns in oil prices. Firms in this space have been quick to adopt solutions such as drone technology that lower the cost and effort of monitoring oil facility sites. Key Tactics • Technology: Prioritize business automation solutions at key points in the geospatial information lifecycle across all lines of business; rationalize or re-architect data