FIG2010 has provided many insights into all aspects of Surveying and Land related activities.
Surveying is not only related to cadastral land surveying as it covers all activities involving land as highlighted in my previous post.
I’d like to share with you some learnings generated by some of the work my colleagues and I are currently involved, in and have been developing over the last few months, which have happily been reinforced by presentations at FIG 2010.
The spatial enablement of society (a FIG2010 congress plenary theme), talks about the engagement of communities, citizens and government for the betterment of society as a whole.
This concept at its heart requires that we move towards a system that sees information managed spatially. The concept itself is a change to the normal ‘technical’ thinking of our industry where Spatial Data Infrastructures and technology to collect, manage and use data is traditionally the focus of our projects.
We know that by using a common geodetic base framework for data that we can connect, integrate and analyse data; creating information that becomes enriched intelligence. A quote from the FIG 2010 congress that stuck with me stated ‘data on its own is useless’. Quite poignant in that we as a society require information and we interpret data to create the information we require.
An issue to overcome in reaching the Mecca of data management spatially lies in the understanding, worth and inherent under-valuing of our industry compared against global challenges of environment, health, climate and urban growth. Perhaps a rethink is required as to how we promote and market the industry?
Surveying and Spatial are expert terms we use to describe our industry; yet words such as position, location and place are more commonly understood. Using these words we could promote the industry and career opportunities in conjunction with environmental issues, climate change, health and urban growth where we create and provide intelligence for the future planning and management of these issues.
Spatial Data Infrastructures are a core component for the future information society; although this is only the technical enabler. Engagement with managers and leaders of society needs a cohesive vision and strategy that looks at these global challenges, communicates the linkages to land management and heightens the value of managing information spatially.
For the first time the challenges of the surveying and spatial sciences industries are moving forward with recognition that we have to do more to educate and lead in the future information society.
Darren Mottolini is a member of the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI), and a young ambassador for the FIG 2010 Congress. In 2008 he was awarded the WA Young Professional of the Year award through the SSSI community. Currently, Darren is responsible for the strategic directions of the Western Australian Shared Land Information Platform, a federated spatial data infrastructure that is widely recognised as a leader in open source and standards implementation. He maintains a personal blog, ProjectSpatialwhere he discusses location information, technology and smart use of location data throughout Australia.
foggy
June 3, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Using the words surveying and spatial to promote…
OR a more special spatial wish…..that every tourist who ventures alone into deep forests, and other such places;must wear a GPSS signal band;so that in case of inadvertent happeninngs and accidents he/she can be easily located.