http://paper.li/GeodataAS
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Friday, 22 October 2010
Go Mobile!
Good advice from RightNow's CEO: go mobile
During his recent RightNow Summit 2010 keynote, CEO Greg Gianforte said there are six things that every company needs to do, number-one being to "go mobile." However, many organizations – enterprises, government departments, and enterprise applications vendors – think that adding the ability for customers, employees, and partners to interact with them through mobile devices is not relevant to them or their markets. Taking this attitude means these organizations will have to scramble in the future and could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. It is better to start experimenting with mobility now before it is a critical issue.
During his recent RightNow Summit 2010 keynote, CEO Greg Gianforte said there are six things that every company needs to do, number-one being to "go mobile." However, many organizations – enterprises, government departments, and enterprise applications vendors – think that adding the ability for customers, employees, and partners to interact with them through mobile devices is not relevant to them or their markets. Taking this attitude means these organizations will have to scramble in the future and could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. It is better to start experimenting with mobility now before it is a critical issue.
Enterprises and enterprise applications vendors need to "go mobile," even if they don't think it's relevant to them
The pervasiveness of mobile devices in developed and developing countries means that sooner or later all organizations will need to be mobile enabled. Enterprises and government organizations therefore need to start working on becoming mobile access friendly. Unfortunately, many organizations do not perceive mobile access as relevant to their customers or employees. Similarly, not all enterprise applications vendors are convinced that their clients will need to reach customers via mobile devices. This attitude among organizations and software vendors means that both groups could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage when the ultimate consumers of products, services, and corporate data demand mobile access and move on when their companies, suppliers, or partners cannot comply. Examples of enterprise applications vendors that understand the opportunity that mobile access represents include SAP (through the Sybase acquisition) and RightNow. Early adopters such as these two firms can seize an important advantage over software vendors that are skeptical about this trend.Monday, 18 October 2010
GIS: An Enterprise Software Market in Transition
GIS: An Enterprise Software Market in Transition By Clint Reiser.
Earlier this summer I began analyzing changes within the geospatial information systems (GIS) market to update ARC’s GIS Worldwide Outlook Study. As I engaged in this process, I looked at what has occurred over the last couple years and the recent industry trends to get a handle on where things may go in the future. I looked at both qualitative and quantitative market characteristics and also compared and contrasted these characteristics with those of other markets to uncover commonalities between them.
Many enterprise software markets have matured considerably, and as a result, suppliers have been forced to adapt to the competitive environment by finding new ways of increasing revenues. This has been achieved through refined customer focus, product differentiation, and the integration of product offerings into a more comprehensive solution. GIS currently exhibits many qualities that are characteristic of a maturing enterprise technology market. Most notably, there are a limited number of suppliers that continue to have a pure-play “GIS centric” strategy and an increasing number of suppliers focused on supporting certain industries or enabling specific business processes. To these suppliers, GIS is a now an element that supports a broader industry focused or business process focused value proposition. For example, Telvent acquired Miner & Miner to expand the value proposition of its existing SCADA and DMS solutions; and GE Energy acquired Smallworld to complement its SCADA, DMS, and other network management offerings. The Pitney Bowes acquisition of MapInfo transitioned the role of GIS from a tool for geospatial analysis and “location intelligence” to a technology that “helps corporations and government agencies to acquire, serve and grow customer/citizen relationships.”
The transition of GIS to a supporting role in a supplier strategy can also be seen in how GIS suppliers are organizing their operations. Autodesk recently moved GIS from its Platform Solutions business unit to its Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) business. This adjustment clearly illustrates a change in perspective about GIS from that of a platform to a technology that supports industry (AEC) business processes. However, Hexagon’s recent acquisition of Intergraph is counter to the industry trend. Prior to the acquisition, Intergraph had realigned its business to be more vertically focused on the industries of security, government, and infrastructure (SG&I). Through business unit realignment, GIS became more closely tied with computer aided dispatch technology to provide comprehensive solutions to these industries. Hexagon’s stated strategy after the Intergraph acquisition is now more horizontally focused on providing “dedicated measurement systems” to SG&I as well as numerous other industries such as railroads, civil engineering, and city planning.
So what does this history mean for the future of the GIS market and the supplier landscape, and what does it mean to GIS customers? The GIS market is likely to continue to “drift apart,” meaning that supplier offerings will continue to become more differentiated, value propositions will become more targeted, and GIS will likely transition from a distinct software category to an element included in a diverse set of technology solutions. In an effort to maintain a coherent strategy, suppliers will center their product revisions, enhancements, and extensions on the needs of a particular set of customers with similar requirements. As this occurs, suppliers will need to maintain a focused strategy and make sure their offering isn’t “caught in the middle” between the requirements of two distinct market segments. Strategy changes can shift a supplier’s product development strategy leading to some products being improved and others being neglected. GIS customers that have requirements incidental to a supplier’s target customers run the risk of limited product support and enhancements in the future. However, a change in strategy can also increase the likely hood of product improvements. For example, I believe that the Hexagon acquisition of Intergraph will increase investment in the GeoMedia product due to the synergies it has with the Leica product lines.
It will be interesting to see if the GIS market will continue to evolve in the manner I have described. If the current trends continue, pure-play GIS providers will continue to merge with providers of complementary technology and GIS will take on the role of a supporting technology within a broader set of solutions that are focused on a well-defined customer segment.
Earlier this summer I began analyzing changes within the geospatial information systems (GIS) market to update ARC’s GIS Worldwide Outlook Study. As I engaged in this process, I looked at what has occurred over the last couple years and the recent industry trends to get a handle on where things may go in the future. I looked at both qualitative and quantitative market characteristics and also compared and contrasted these characteristics with those of other markets to uncover commonalities between them.
Many enterprise software markets have matured considerably, and as a result, suppliers have been forced to adapt to the competitive environment by finding new ways of increasing revenues. This has been achieved through refined customer focus, product differentiation, and the integration of product offerings into a more comprehensive solution. GIS currently exhibits many qualities that are characteristic of a maturing enterprise technology market. Most notably, there are a limited number of suppliers that continue to have a pure-play “GIS centric” strategy and an increasing number of suppliers focused on supporting certain industries or enabling specific business processes. To these suppliers, GIS is a now an element that supports a broader industry focused or business process focused value proposition. For example, Telvent acquired Miner & Miner to expand the value proposition of its existing SCADA and DMS solutions; and GE Energy acquired Smallworld to complement its SCADA, DMS, and other network management offerings. The Pitney Bowes acquisition of MapInfo transitioned the role of GIS from a tool for geospatial analysis and “location intelligence” to a technology that “helps corporations and government agencies to acquire, serve and grow customer/citizen relationships.”
The transition of GIS to a supporting role in a supplier strategy can also be seen in how GIS suppliers are organizing their operations. Autodesk recently moved GIS from its Platform Solutions business unit to its Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) business. This adjustment clearly illustrates a change in perspective about GIS from that of a platform to a technology that supports industry (AEC) business processes. However, Hexagon’s recent acquisition of Intergraph is counter to the industry trend. Prior to the acquisition, Intergraph had realigned its business to be more vertically focused on the industries of security, government, and infrastructure (SG&I). Through business unit realignment, GIS became more closely tied with computer aided dispatch technology to provide comprehensive solutions to these industries. Hexagon’s stated strategy after the Intergraph acquisition is now more horizontally focused on providing “dedicated measurement systems” to SG&I as well as numerous other industries such as railroads, civil engineering, and city planning.
So what does this history mean for the future of the GIS market and the supplier landscape, and what does it mean to GIS customers? The GIS market is likely to continue to “drift apart,” meaning that supplier offerings will continue to become more differentiated, value propositions will become more targeted, and GIS will likely transition from a distinct software category to an element included in a diverse set of technology solutions. In an effort to maintain a coherent strategy, suppliers will center their product revisions, enhancements, and extensions on the needs of a particular set of customers with similar requirements. As this occurs, suppliers will need to maintain a focused strategy and make sure their offering isn’t “caught in the middle” between the requirements of two distinct market segments. Strategy changes can shift a supplier’s product development strategy leading to some products being improved and others being neglected. GIS customers that have requirements incidental to a supplier’s target customers run the risk of limited product support and enhancements in the future. However, a change in strategy can also increase the likely hood of product improvements. For example, I believe that the Hexagon acquisition of Intergraph will increase investment in the GeoMedia product due to the synergies it has with the Leica product lines.
It will be interesting to see if the GIS market will continue to evolve in the manner I have described. If the current trends continue, pure-play GIS providers will continue to merge with providers of complementary technology and GIS will take on the role of a supporting technology within a broader set of solutions that are focused on a well-defined customer segment.
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
SaferMK – UK Based Crime Mapping By Vector One ⋅ September 7, 2010
SaferMK – UK Based Crime Mapping
One of the benefits of mapping technologies lies in their ability to provide useful information to citizens in the communities where they live – actionable information. The SaferMK website enables citizens in Milton Keynes to keep-up-to-date with the latest information in their community through maps.“The SaferMK Community Safety Mapping site provides comprehensive crime and anti-social behaviour data for every estate, town or village in the Milton Keynes borough. However, in comparison to other cities and large towns in the UK, Milton Keynes has relatively low level of crime and anti-social behaviour; and SaferMK is proactively working with our partners to deal with crime and anti-social behaviour throughout the borough. “
This technology is based on work by Zube Geospatial.
I spent some time on this website and like the ease-of-use and straightforward ability to get around and find out what is happening. It is simple and easy to use. The map information is high quality and informative. The benefits are determined from time to time through Safety Surveys and the Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAGs) are involved as well.
Geospatial technology saves councils millions!
LGA: geospatial technology saves councils millions
The Local Government Association (LGA) has said that councils saved more than £200m last year by using location-based technology to manage services- In a report published on 4 September 2010, the organisation says that councils across England and Wales saved £230m in 2009 due to staff time being freed up by "innovative" web-mapping and satellite technology.
The value of geospatial information to local public service delivery in England and Wales estimates that new technology and information sharing could save councils up to £372m annually by 2014-15. It gives examples of technology already being used by local authorities, including iPhone applications allowing users to point their phones at pubs and restaurants and receive their hygiene ratings, and software that allows residents to send photos of fly-tipping and vandalism to councils.
The report says that Nottingham City Council is saving up to £460,000 a year through its online local information system. The council has worked with the NHS, police and district councils in the area to create the geospatially referenced system, which provides "comprehensive, up-to-date information to neighbourhood level which staff both inside and outside the participating organisations can use to quickly find information they require".
Other authorities that have made significant savings include South Tyneside Council, which has saved £146,669 through its location based search facility, and Gloucestershire CC, which provides an iPhone application allowing people in the area to pay for parking remotely.
"Whether it's bin men working smarter, fewer phone calls to inquiry centres, freeing up staff from time consuming checks or reducing parking ticket machine maintenance costs, making the most of modern technology and data sharing has seen huge cash savings across the country," said David Parsons, chairman of the LGA's improvement board.
"This is money which can be ploughed into vital front-line services on which millions of people rely each year, and is yet another example of councils striving to be more efficient to make their stretched budgets go as far as possible."
The report says that Nottingham City Council is saving up to £460,000 a year through its online local information system. The council has worked with the NHS, police and district councils in the area to create the geospatially referenced system, which provides "comprehensive, up-to-date information to neighbourhood level which staff both inside and outside the participating organisations can use to quickly find information they require".
Other authorities that have made significant savings include South Tyneside Council, which has saved £146,669 through its location based search facility, and Gloucestershire CC, which provides an iPhone application allowing people in the area to pay for parking remotely.
"Whether it's bin men working smarter, fewer phone calls to inquiry centres, freeing up staff from time consuming checks or reducing parking ticket machine maintenance costs, making the most of modern technology and data sharing has seen huge cash savings across the country," said David Parsons, chairman of the LGA's improvement board.
"This is money which can be ploughed into vital front-line services on which millions of people rely each year, and is yet another example of councils striving to be more efficient to make their stretched budgets go as far as possible."
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Friday, 20 August 2010
www.TheUrge2Merge.com
I set this up some time ago. As always interested in companies and their histories its a bio of companies that I have come across. If you get time why don't you add your company data! Sort of like a Wiki of companies and their players!
www.TheUrge2Merge.com
www.TheUrge2Merge.com
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