Centralising geographic systems, sharing data and access

The strongest, most capable and most versatile range of geographical and information management solutions yet offered by Kingswood MapMechanics goes on display on stand C22 at this year’s GeoSolutions show, which runs at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham from 29 to 30 September.

Among solutions highlighted on the stand is the company’s recently-announced Intranet Intelligence, the most powerful and practical solution so far to the challenge of sharing corporate geographical data effectively and economically.

Intranet Intelligence allows users to achieve one of the most widely-sought objectives in mapping and geographic information systems – managing data centrally without forfeiting investment in existing GIS products, or limiting the freedom of individuals and departments to work in their own familiar way. Staff can access and update data in a range of mapping systems, using only standard Internet browsers, and are presented only with the maps and data they need for their particular activities; yet they can update the centrally-held data when required.

Some of the concepts behind Intranet Intelligence can also apply to mobile mapping – an approach demonstrated on the Kingswood MapMechanics stand by a newly launched product called GeoConcept Pocket. This gives remote workers such as field staff many of the capabilities of the full PC-based GeoConcept product on Pocket PC handheld computers. They can scroll around maps, zoom in and out, view overlays showing types of premises or terrain, search for specific locations and call up information on places or objects.

A great attraction is that GeoConcept Pocket can use the same mapping created and held on a corporate computer; there is no need to reinvent it for mobile applications. Moreover, users can update centrally held maps easily from the field. For example, Pocket is currently used by an optical-fibre cable network supplier to manage its assets.

GeoConcept itself has just undergone an upgrade, and now offers enhancements in navigating around maps, querying the underlying data and displaying the results. Among highlights is Masterview, which allows people working on large-scale maps to have several open in different windows, and see their outlines picked out automatically on a smaller-scale view of the surrounding area. The views are synchronised, and moving a large-scale window updates the view in the Masterview window. There are also enhancements to querying, which can now be achieved with database-standard SQL syntax.

OptiSite , Kingswood MapMechanics’ new territory management and strategic modelling tool, underlines the versatility of GeoConcept.

In the world of sales and marketing, OptiSite can for instance help users define territories for sales representatives or franchise holders. In retailing, it can be used for finding the right location for a new store. In transport and logistics, it can find the best location for a new depot, or suggest which existing depot to use for delivering to new customers.

Users can choose either to base their optimisation on existing resources, or to perform “what-if” analysis using hypothetical resources; or they can use a combination of the two.

Backing up Kingswood MapMechanics’ GIS products is its extensive range of digital mapping, demographic and business data products, which are covered in its new and completely redesigned Data Catalogue. This highlights recent dramatic reductions in the price of digital map data from leading suppliers such as AA, OS and NAVTEQ, as well as launching a number of new datasets including colour street level rasters and street rankings.

Kingswood MapMechanics has developed and refined its printed product alongside its own comprehensive web-based listing – maintaining the convenient, quick-reference features of a physical guide. It has also significantly expanded the introductory section, which now amounts to a guide in its own right to the whole subject of GIS.