Best Business Practices for Implementation of Open Source Web

Mapping Technology

September 27th, 2007

Dave McIlhagga

President & CEO

DM Solutions Group (DMSG)

The GeoSpatial Divide N

S

EW

15 mi to MyStore

Traditional GIS

IT / Browser Style Broad Consumption

Value occurs when Solutions leverage the power of GIS within the context of web technology delivery -- this is what “Web Mapping” is all about.

State of the GeoSpatial UniverseHow did we get here?

Web technologies have been the primary disrupter to how geospatial technologies are used and applied

Traditionally GIS departments have performed all geospatial activities and delivered end-results to ‘users’ as map products, reports, etc..

Introduction of Web mapping technologies has allowed ‘users’ to engage in this process of geospatial information delivery

The result is a disruption to how geospatial data and information is created, managed, accessed, and distributed

Web 2.0 Technologies

Web 2.0 technologies will exponentially increase the impact of the web disrupter to the geospatial industry

Web 2.0 allows desktop-like interactivity in a web browser and is friendly to a distributed services architecture

Not a coincidence that Google Maps became the original poster child for all of Web 2.0

Implications of Web 2.0 for GeoSpatial

Users can participate in creation, managing and sharing geospatial information like never before

Role of GIS experts will be changing from the creators and managers to enablers

GIS Experts will perform a more critical ‘Advisory’ role than ‘Map Maker’

Solutions that don’t incorporate effective web 2.0 technologies will not service end users effectively

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Atlas of Canada

Atlas National Frameworks

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

Canadian Soils Information Service

Canadian Coast Guard

Canadian Forest Service

Canadian Geographic Names

Canadian Hydrographic Service

Canadian Wildlife Service

Cancer Surveillance

Cardiovascular Diseases Surveillance

Centre for Topographic Information

Chronic Diseases Surveillance

Defense Research and Development Canada

Earth Sciences Sector

Environment Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

FluWatch

GeoAccess Program

GeoBase

GeoConnections

Geological Survey of Canada

Health Canada

International Development Research Centre

Landslides and Geotechnics

Mapping Services

Meteorological Service of Canada

Mineral Deposits - Canada

National Coal Inventory

National Defense

National Forest Information Service

National Land and Water Information Service

Natural Resources Canada

Notifiable Diseases Surveillance

Office of Public Health Practice

Ontario Region Information System for the Environment

Pacific Forestry Centre

Parks Canada

Public Health Agency of Canada

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Phoenix Program

Regional Geophysics

Reseau

Species at Risk

Toporama

West Nile Virus Surveillance

Why should Web Mapping be Open Source?

Web Mapping Technology is NOT a Product

What makes this work?

Value is in the Solution, not the Technology Web Mapping is an empowering tool for solutions delivery Web Mapping technology has little value in itself Why impose a barrier to adoption and innovation on something with

relatively little real value?

DMSG Motto“Solutions Drive the Technology – Not the other way around”

The Value Gap between End Solution and Technology is ENORMOUS … that leaves room for business to flourish

Business Models

The Open Source Web Mapping Business Ecosystem

The Caretakers - Horizontal focus, servicing users of open source web mapping technology

The Professionals - Consulting & System Integrators, deliver custom solutions

The Specialists - Vertical / Domain Market specialists, deliver repeatable solutions

Canadian Success Stories - Environment Canada

Developed Very Strong Internal Capacity through: Commercial Training Involvement in the open source Community Commercial Support relationship including software

Development Services One staff member is an accepted contributor to the

MapServer Software Project Software Testing begins at the earliest stages of

Development “After resolving all my issues - when you released the

software, it was perfect!”

Canadian Success Stories - Office of Public Health Practice

Purchase Annual Commercial Support for MapServer for their Infrastructure

Developed Public Health Map Generator with DM Solutions Group

Advanced Operational Application servicing Public Health Professionals across Canada

Application is maintained with software releases -- custom applications are the test cases for upcoming releases

Received Gold Medal at the annual Government Technology show for Innovations in Service Delivery

MapServer in the U.S. Government?

MetaCarta Developers of Geographic Text Search (GTS) Software Proprietary Software Heavily Patented Search Mechanisms

GTS Appliances Homeland Security, Defense, EPA, State and Local

Governments, Oil & Gas Every Map comes from MapServer Every Map you see is drawn from DM Solutions Group’s

Maps for MapServer Product line

Rules of Thumb for Adopting Open Source Web Mapping

1. The Spectrum of Risk2. The Spectrum of Stability and Complexity3. Web Mapping Know How4. Determine what to “buy” and what to “do”

Best Practices for adopting Open Source

Adoption of Open Source happens in Many Forms - find the right one for you

Don’t allow Religion to drive your decision - for or against open source

Incorporate an Open Source strategy into your IT Planning Determine the health of an open source project.

Is there a commercial entity supporting this technology? Is there anybody else?

Don’t be afraid - be smart, and manage your risks

Thank you!

Contact Information:

Dave McIlhagga

Email: dmcilhagga@dmsolutions.ca

Phone: 613-565-5056 x15

http://www.dmsolutions.ca