To recap, a couple of weeks ago we attended the CFGIS Workshop (Central Florida) in Orlando, a regional event bringing together GIS staff from many Florida city and county agencies, as well as those from consultancies and mapping companies. There was a great lineup of talks and presentations highlighting many local Florida projects.
The event kicked off with a presentation from Keith Masback, CEO of the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation. Engaging as always, Keith talked about the history of geospatial techniques and science as it applies to military, political, and intelligence applications. There exists something of a divide between GIS for national security, and GIS for domestic or municipal applications. Keith explained that this barrier between industries is counter-productive, and that there should be more collaboration between the classical “GEOINT” space and the common domestic GIS markets.
Coleman McCormick delivered a keynote speech on the future of GIS and emerging directions in geographic technology. His talk focused on three key areas: powerful collaboration tools, the expanding geo-community, and the importance of teaching geography. He showcased innovative tools that simplify data sharing, including GitHub’s spatial collaboration efforts and platforms like GeoGit.
The growing geography community now includes professionals from various disciplines who use GIS for diverse applications. OpenStreetMap has made mapping more accessible, allowing contributors to create and update maps based on their specific needs. This expansion continues to bring new opportunities for collaboration and innovation within the GIS field.
Zac McCormick, another Fulcrum team member, spoke about field data collection and modern approaches to field GIS. He discussed offline-capable smart devices and methods for integrating field data into GIS systems for real-time analysis. Today’s consumer hardware is incredibly powerful but remains underused in commercial and government mapping projects.
By leveraging Fulcrum with modern desktop tools, organizations can significantly reduce costs while improving efficiency. This approach saves money on hardware and software while enhancing data quality and optimizing resource use across various industries.
Presenting to our local Florida community was a blast, and it was fun to meet and hear about so many close-to-home projects going on in the GIS community. We met tons of great people, and found some new local partners for collaboration. We hope that the attendees enjoyed these presentations, and believe that Fulcrum made a great impression at the event.
Look forward to attending the CFGIS Workshop again next year!
