What is GIS? Harry Potter offers a clue
Updated: May 18
Ever since Intelloc Mapping Services (Mapmyops) came into being, I have been frequently asked this question: "What is GIS? What does it do?"
As much as I am keen to share paragraphs of information over email or redirect them to my website to see the numerous workflows I've written about on this topic, verbally I can only manage to mutter: 'Geographic Information System' or 'Mapping Platform for Location Analytics'.
I've seen those confused looks before. After all, I have seen those exact expressions whenever I respond to the question: "What is Supply Chain exactly?". I've done my masters in this field and often respond to this query as 'it is the operating ecosystem of an organization'.
A phrase as a response just doesn't seem to suffice! While some enquire further, others utter "Ok. Good luck with that" and walk away :(
Surely, there must be a short, sweet way to explain such a layered concept. Fortunately, I may have just found it: "Remember Harry Potter? GIS is a Real Life Marauder's Map, of course!"
Just like the The Marauder's Map unraveled the majestic Hogwarts castle and estate with a granular level of detail, GIS is able to show the viewer 'a common operating picture of the Area of Interest at a given point in time'. The detailed operating picture can be made for a large space such as a hospital, university, stadium and sea-port. It can also be made for the entire span of business operations: country-wide for a national player and world-wide for a global power-house.
Unlike the secretive, single copy that Marauder's Map was meant to be, GIS is meant to be used by as many stakeholders of an organisation or industry, be it internal (employees) or external (customers, distributors, government etc.).
Like Harry Potter used Marauder's Map to plan better and overcome obstacles, Location Intelligence derived from the operating picture that GIS build helps stakeholders to take better decisions for savings, growth and competitive advantage. Here, I must point out that GIS can do much more: complex stuff like route optimization and imagery exploitation or even evolve into something more insightful, but I guess this is a good way to understand for starters.
If you are wondering how a Marauder's Map can be made for your organization (which I recommend you absolutely MUST), please send in your requirements after reviewing the note below. Oh, we collaborate with the world's best marauders, by the way.
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ABOUT US
Intelloc Mapping Services | Mapmyops is engaged in providing mapping solutions to organizations which facilitate operations improvement, planning & monitoring workflows. These include but are not limited to Supply Chain Consulting, Drone Services, Location Analytics & Applications, Site Characterization, Satellite Imagery Analytics & Polluted Water Remediation. Projects can be conducted pan-India and overseas.
Several other mapping and operations workflows are documented on this Geo-blog. Reach out to us via email - projects@mapmyops.com or book a paid consultation (video meeting) from the link placed at the footer of this site's landing page.
Regards,
(Thank you J.K. Rowling, for it is due to your best-selling book series that I have found a creative way to explain this complex topic to a wide audience)