The positive role of Mapping technology during times of crisis

Remember the Thailand Cave stranding incident of 2018? It was an extraordinarily delicate situation, and the rescue operations captured the attention and admiration of people across the world. Not many, however, may be aware that Mapping Technology played a vital role in planning the rescue-

Figure 1: Thailand Cave Rescue - the technology involved. Source: Zinnov

Incredible, isn't it?

During an internship at Dr. John Gattorna's consulting firm, I was introduced to the concept of a Fully Flexible Supply Chain-a framework I have admired ever since (get his book here). Organizations that build such supply chains become extraordinarily proactive and resilient in planning for and managing crises and emergency situations.

Revisiting my literature review from that internship, it struck me that Mapping plays a pivotal role in strengthening the capabilities of such organizations as well. Some abridged excerpts below-

Revilla and Saenz (2014) studied Cisco’s emergency supply chains in depth. The company had spent years understanding and planning for risks arising from natural disasters, gradually improving its resilience. It learned to integrate supply chain design with supply chain risk management, balancing proactive mitigation measures to keep its supply chain resilient, efficient, and profitable..... When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Cisco executives created a business continuity planning dashboard to mitigate the risks. However, the system was reactive and could not maintain the required supply chain performance levels. A sudden surge of nearly $1 billion in orders for telecommunications equipment could not be fulfilled because company leaders could not accurately locate all products in the supply chain or assess the financial impact of emergency sales. This shortfall prompted Cisco to introspect and strengthen its supply chain flexibility for future crises... That preparation proved invaluable. When the Japanese earthquake and tsunami hit in 2010—causing global supply chain losses estimated at $217 billion—Cisco responded swiftly and suffered almost no revenue loss. Within twelve hours, its risk managers identified all suppliers in the affected region and assessed the disaster’s impact. Risk ratings were assigned to each node, and all available information was mapped. On the same day, Cisco teams communicated with customers and raised 118 enquiries. The company had clearly identified strategic priorities, mapped vulnerabilities, integrated risk awareness across the value chain, monitored resilience, and maintained vigilance—exemplifying the characteristics of a fully flexible supply chain.

I believe that in almost any literature documenting how organizations successfully navigate crises, you will inevitably find words such as mapping, charting, or their variants.

Over time, Mapping has evolved from being merely a visual tool into a dynamic Geographic Information System—capable of storing, exploring, querying, and visualizing location datasets. With modern computing advances such as Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning and Internet-of-Things integrating seamlessly with GIS, organizations today can generate powerful Location Intelligence. These insights help them to respond to high-risk situations far more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

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ABOUT US - OPERATIONS MAPPING SOLUTIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Intelloc Mapping Services, Kolkata | Mapmyops.com offers a suite of Mapping and Analytics solutions that seamlessly integrate with Operations Planning, Design, and Audit workflows. Our capabilities include — but are not limited to — Drone Services, Location Analytics & GIS Applications, Satellite Imagery Analytics, Supply Chain Network Design, Subsurface Mapping and Wastewater Treatment. Projects are executed pan-India, delivering actionable insights and operational efficiency across sectors.

My firm's services can be split into two categories - Geographic Mapping and Operations Mapping. Our range of offerings are listed in the infographic below-

Range of solutions that Intelloc Mapping Services (Mapmyops.com) offers

A majority of our Mapping for Operations-themed workflows (50+) can be accessed from this website's landing page. We respond well to documented queries/requirements. Demonstrations/PoC can be facilitated, on a paid-basis. Looking forward to being of service.

Regards,

Arpit Shah