Tsunami of Data for Local Government

Adapted from a presentation by Graeme Martin

There has never been a more interesting time to be involved in Local Government GIS, especially in Victoria.

There is a Tsunami of new spatial data becoming available to Local Governments that may open up opportunities for delivering more spatially intelligent and reliable services.

But it’s not without its challenges. With so much data on the horizon, it can be quite overwhelming to navigate.

Graeme Martin recently spoke about the challenges, opportunities and possible responses to the initiatives cropping up, and collaborative approaches to making the most of this transformative time. Take a look below.

There has never been a more interesting time to be involved in Local Government GIS, especially in Victoria.

There is a Tsunami of new spatial data becoming available to Local Governments that may open up opportunities for delivering more spatially intelligent and reliable services.

But it’s not without its challenges. With so much data on the horizon, it can be quite overwhelming to navigate.

We often think about tsunamis as long high sea waves caused by an earthquake, submarine, landslide, or other disturbance.

Let’s consider its other meaning:

“the arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities or amounts”

With so many developments underway, this next wave of data is looking more like a tsunami.

Here’s what’s on the horizon…

The many waves of data

Vicmap Roadmap

The Digital Cadastre Modernisation (DCM) project is a $45 million transformation of parcel and property boundaries to make them more accurate and reliable. This is going to change many other related datasets as boundaries may shift, less than a metre to tens of metres depending on where you are in the state.

Another potential wave will be the proposed changes to the Vicmap Transport data model to better accommodate Local Roads, if it is funded, it may change the way you spatially represent roads and link to your Asset Management System.

GDA2020 is now operational; when will you transform your data and take the new Vicmap?

There are also new data products becoming available as well as Vicmap As A Service and Vicmap API.

Imagery and point clouds

If you think back ten years ago, most people were excited to have annual updates of aerials. Now there is an expectation to have it multiple times a year and even then we hear ‘its so out of date’. Because now it’s not just a picture of a place; we now use images to tell a story about changes at location, it provides evidence for compliance.

There are a range of options for acquiring imagery and point cloud/LiDAR data, government, commercial or fly your own with a drone/RPAS.

If you’ve got time there are vast satellite data resources to explore.

3D/4D

There is a growing interest in 3D models that become 4D when you add time.

There are many great examples of what can be achieved with spatial 3D models by state agencies and local government (example at right via City of Greater Geelong).

Currently, there is no easy route for LGAs wanting to go down this path because there are no agreed standards, formats and who should be custodian. However DELWP’s work may help to clarify some of this.

What’s the difference between Digital Twins and spatial 3D models?

In the engineering world where Digital Twins began, twins often include live data so they can simulate the object in operation. And that’s what we should aim for.

Assets, live things, everything else

Deployment of asset management systems should be driving demands for spatial data!

You are also faced with an increasing array of choices as to how capture this data, from simple desktop exercises, to arming people to undertake field surveys, to contracting terrestrial image and LiDAR scans. Each have their pros, cons, and price tags. Whichever path you choose, invariably the process of linking asset data to spatial footprints is messy.

There is lots of talk about Internet of Things, that is objects with live data. From parking bay pods, pedestrian counters to stormwater flow meters and weather sensors on light poles. Location is always crucial to provide context. Why implement these things? The data can provide the status of an asset, the level of performance or provide an alert such as when a flow volume is exceeded.

If you are building a true digital twin, think about how to incorporate Internet of Things (IoT) devices to bring your 3D model to life.

Article via The Age, 12 July 2020

Challenges

All these waves of data present many challenges. There is likely to be a broad range of impacts on datasets managed by the GIS team, as well that held by others in your organisation, let alone by your contractors and service providers.

Typically most LGAs have limited skilled resources. Also your infrastructure and architecture may not be designed to cater for these changes.

For many LGAs, a potential road block to getting more resources will be the lack of understanding of decision makers about GIS let alone the changes coming.

Can you afford to ignore it all? No. The risks of making misinformed decisions from the best available data is too high.

Don’t let the sharks stop you!

A journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step.

Let’s start with a vision

Arguably, there has never been a better time to fully deploy GIS and geospatial capabilities. At the same time, I recognise that with rate capping and the coronavirus, perhaps there has never been a worse time!

However let’s take the glass half full approach and set a vision for your LGA. Your vision can harness the possibilities opened up by new data, it may embrace a Digital Twin, establish a Smart Region, enable decisions anywhere, or deliver customer-focussed services 24/7. Importantly, the vision needs to capture the attention of your decision makers. How it will address risks or opportunities facing your LGA?

We may or may not be able to secure funding for a major capital investment but we can be creative. If there is one overriding lesson that COVID has taught us, it’s that we need to make the most of what we have right now. Think about how quickly we have recently innovated changes. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Geospatial Capability Strategy

If you can, write and promulgate a Geospatial Capability Strategy, a strategy to deliver people skills, improved processes, decisions, data and technologies to support the ‘business’ of the organisation and customers. Make sure that it’s aligned with corporate objectives.

Importantly the process of developing the strategy needs to engage people across your organisation so that you build their support into the plan.

Here are a couple of blogs that may help you get started:

Future architecture

Given the potential impact of DCM and GDA2020 this an opportunity to consolidate your organisation’s data holdings.

Review or redesign your data architecture around a Corporate Geospatial Database for all verified, reliable, and secure data.
Design it to consume and publish web-services and to become central source for all internal and external business applications.
If you can, move to Cloud resources for extensibility.

Open data

Consider open data, not just as publishing a couple of safe datasets, but as a resource. A resource to utilise, not as downloaded data but as web-services, hence the significance of Vicmap As A Service. If the structure of the web service data doesn’t work for you, then think about how to design one so that it does! There are lot of savings to be had from consuming a service.

Data audit & review

Let’s find out where all the data that our people use is hidden, and why they use it.

Establish a shareable Register of data that you know the ‘known knowns’
Ask your people to self-assess what data they currently use, why, and what else they have.
Consolidate and assess the data and then plan for it’s migration to the CGD (or not).
Keep the process simple – you could use Google Sheets or equivalent MS cloud spreadsheet

Resources and support

Most importantly, look for ways to collaborate with your peers. The Local Government Spatial Reference Group’s workshops and meetings are a good chance to get together and meet people.

If you are not part of a regional GIS group, find your nearest one or start one. We can all learn from one another’s experience.

Local Government Spatial Reference Group
Regional Council GIS Groups

DELWP resources for DCM

Business intelligence (BI) – PowerBI, train up, join a user group.
Geospatial intelligence (GI)
GI for data driven thinking and smart decisions

3D Reference Group. Speak to other councils and enquire with DELWP if you would like to join the group.

We know the tsunami is coming, so let’s plan to surf it out.

Author
Recent Posts

Graeme Martin

Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn >
Graeme is passionate about devising solutions using geospatial information to assist people to make decisions. Graeme is Spatial Vision’s General Manager for Operations and still leads major consulting projects for customers.

For over 25 years Graeme has assisted a range of organisations with strategic advice, design of bespoke information systems, stakeholder engagement and skills transfer.

Graeme has worked across a range of sectors including international development assistance, emergency services, water utilities, natural resource management, commercial services and local government.