Esri
The Science of ‘Where’

Owing to the democratization of mobile devices and connected sensors, geography has been lately linked with several contemporary systems and processes to underpin and supplement geographic inspections. As we are embarking into a world where cell phones, smart building, IoT devices, self-driving cars, and other industrial systems are all connected online; the need for location intelligence systems keeps burgeoning for continually improving the efficacy of the connected devices. For instance, a smartphone cannot navigate a route unless it has spatial awareness of its proximity to the final location. In this scenario, the growing importance of location-based data in day to day affairs is the reason there have been unparalleled demands of GIS among organizations. As GIS is slowly evolving from individual to organizational level, the focus of many organizations is to underpin business initiatives and supplement business process for improving ROI from the GIS investments. Being a pioneer in the GIS space, Esri brings forth robust mapping and spatial technology to supplement the problem solving and decision-making capabilities of companies. Esri renders integrated, multi-departmental enterprise GIS system composed of interoperable components. The firm applies the “Science of Where” to connect everyone and everywhere with a common visual language that embeds mapping and analytics to reveal more profound insights into data.

"Esri renders integrated, multi-departmental enterprise GIS system composed of interoperable components"

An Exemplary Mapping and Analytics Platform

With ArcGIS, the firm enables its clients to apply location-based analytics in their business practices. Further, organizations can glean rich insights to visualize and analyze data by using contextual tools and share them via maps, apps, and reports. In a nutshell, ArcGIS is a mapping and analytics software that helps companies to examine data based on location. With the software, users can bolster the data through leveraging content from Esri’s pool of geographic information. Subsequently, they can use the ArcGIS software to take accurate measurements, spot patterns, and identify relationships along with effectively planning routes, performing profitable site selection, and modeling predictions to make better decisions. Further, the software offers contextual tools for mapping and spatial reasoning that aids companies in exploring and sharing location-based insights. One of the key components of the platform—ArcGIS Enterprise— provides comprehensive GIS capable of running behind a firewall, infrastructure, on-premises, and in the cloud. The offering comes with an enterprise GIS portal that aids companies in organizing and sharing GIS assets. Additionally, to help enterprises in procuring optimum benefits of the platform, Esri assists them with technical support, documentation, and training exercises and videos to give them access to best practices and peer networking.

The firm applies the ‘Science of Where’ to connect everyone and everywhere with a common visual language that embeds mapping and analytics to reveal more profound insights into data

Another proprietary offering of the firm—ArcGIS Pro is 4-bit desktop GIS that renders professional 2D and 3D mapping tools with an intuitive user interface and helps companies in identifying patterns and trends. Further, through mashing up multiple data sources, users can make the maps appealing and smart.

ArcGIS Online

With ArcGIS Online, companies can create interactive maps for connecting people, location, and data. The product comes with smart, data-driven styles and intuitive analysis tools that aid users to instantly create maps. Through using a drag and drop spreadsheet and mashing it with other location data, users can instantly create maps. The maps created through ArcGIS Online can also be shared in a website, social media post, or blog.

The Growing Ecosystem of Partners

Recently, the firm collaborated with BuildingFootprintUSA to render accurate geocoding and address matching to Esri’s ArcGIS platform users in the United States and Canada. The joint venture will supplement geocoding accuracy and significantly aid Esri’s users from various sectors such as government, telecom, insurance, utilities, real estate, and retail. The global leader in offering location intelligence also partnered with Prefectura Naval, Argentina and Aeroterra S.A. to implement Esri’s ArcGIS platform for facilitating tracking in real time. The new system—Guardacostas Pro will aid in overseeing all the illegal activities happening at the coast such as drug smuggling and fish poaching through a combination of satellite imaging and signal processing. “Prefectura Naval is setting a truly cutting-edge example of a forward-thinking organization,” says Dean Angelides, Head of international alliances and partners at Esri. “The best way to effectively enforce laws over such a large scale as the EEZ is to know exactly where things are happening and when, and Argentina is now leading the way in data-driven public safety,” he adds.

Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president, applauded the passing of the Geospatial Data Act (GDA) of 2018 as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 302) by Congress.

The passage of this bill is expected to bring new opportunities for the public and private sector and will subsequently invigorate the geoplatform to ensure that geospatial data is made more widely available in government programs. “We are grateful for the efforts of the GDA’s sponsors, as well as the geospatial organizations that have taken a leading role in shaping this bill,” adds Dangermond. “This legislation will significantly address how location intelligence is organized and disseminated and will foster continued strength in our industry’s partnership with government users,” quips Dangermond.

Delivering a New Approach

One of the core objectives of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. The agency works to improve the lives of Americans through protecting the significant risks in their living environments. In this mix, the EPA Office of Emergency Management (OEM) joins forces with other partners to preempt accidents and fine-tune incident response capabilities at all levels. However, during natural disasters interacting with a diverse group of stakeholders becomes a tedious task for EPA. To help them, Tetra Tech, a longtime Esri partner who has signed multiple contracts with EPA configured a solution around ArcGIS Online to integrate solutions from various sources and render a comprehensive view of problems to all stakeholders. The GIS-based solution has a common operational picture (COP) for serving response partners and stakeholders. In a nutshell, COP is a collection of web maps and applications that are supported by ArcGIS Online on scalable cloud infrastructure. Through leveraging ArcGIS Online, response holders are now able to access, edit, and contribute to operational information from office or their field location. The noteworthy factor of the platform is that it is capable of functioning internet connection and draws multiple technology components into one integrated system along with enabling direct access and feedback to the COP.

A Unique Touchpoint to GIS

During its journey of over five decades, Esri has pioneered the development and evolution of geographic information systems (GIS). To amplify the “Science of Where,” the firm has established a rich pool of partners committed to working for the augmentation of GIS space. Esri’s partners help in building and deploying ArcGIS platform and share the same vision as that of Esri. The Esri Partner Network allows members to expand their technology offerings and supplement ROI through access to a repertoire of spatial analytics resources. Additionally, to recognize the prominent Esri partners who have significantly contributed to developing “The Science of Where,” the firm organizes an FSBS Award session each year. The commitment to build 24/7 mission-critical systems for situational awareness through partnering with other established players of the market has continually fuelled the growth of Esri and established them as a proven leader in the space.