Open question here,
I've read numerous articles advising surveyors to branch out into providing GIS related services to expand their business. I must admit that I have a general understanding of GIS and how surveying may be related, but I'm having a real mental block on "Real Life" ways to expand my particular Land Surveying business (boundary, topo, site plan, subdivisions, etc.) to market to anything GIS related. The broadness of possibilities that I can think of makes the issue extremely overwhelming! I'm currently working through my ArcGIS tutorial that I received through Carlson (2 years ago!) to try and make a connection that I can build on.
What I'm wondering is: Does anyone out there provide GIS data or GIS related services as a regular (or even rare) branch of their Land Surveying business? If so, would anyone mind giving actual examples of the clients involved, the data provided, or the approach they took to expand their business in this way? I do appreciate any discussion that may follow. I don't want any proprietary information, I really would like to get my gears turning with something I can grasp.
Thanks in advance!
Did a little in the 90s ... collecting manhole positions with submeter GPS. Unfortunately, the easiest areas to break into, like collecting submeter field data, is also the easiest tasks for the client to do "inhouse", simple by hiring a low wage worker and buying what is now a <$1000 hand held device ... Haven't done anything GIS related in quite some time.
> Open question here,
>
> I've read numerous articles advising surveyors to branch out into providing GIS related services to expand their business. I must admit that I have a general understanding of GIS and how surveying may be related, but I'm having a real mental block on "Real Life" ways to expand my particular Land Surveying business (boundary, topo, site plan, subdivisions, etc.) to market to anything GIS related. The broadness of possibilities that I can think of makes the issue extremely overwhelming! I'm currently working through my ArcGIS tutorial that I received through Carlson (2 years ago!) to try and make a connection that I can build on.
>
> What I'm wondering is: Does anyone out there provide GIS data or GIS related services as a regular (or even rare) branch of their Land Surveying business? If so, would anyone mind giving actual examples of the clients involved, the data provided, or the approach they took to expand their business in this way? I do appreciate any discussion that may follow. I don't want any proprietary information, I really would like to get my gears turning with something I can grasp.
>
> Thanks in advance!
In a general sense, providing GIS means understanding the deliverables.
A client looking for GIS data (typically utilities or municipalities) will probably have a good sense of what they want; they will probably be better at running GIS software than you are.
Your strength will come from being able to go out in the field with limited information and find the sites and features which the client wants recorded. ArcGIS is great to know, but you may want to invest in a GEO:
or similar sub metre unit that has the capability to collect location and attribute data that a GIS client is looking for. A lot of GIS clients will provide a list of requirements of the information they are looking for, all you have to do is go out, collect the location and fill in the attribute fields.
Get to know your unit and the field software first, then learn how to process it in house to check the data. Pretty soon you'll be up to speed.
P.S. Like Ranger said, most places can do it in house for a cheaper rate, but when they need someone to locate hard to find areas, that's where you have an edge. A button monkey might get lost, or collect the wrong data and cost the client more money than you would.
http://westonandsampson.com/gis-and-mapping
Here's a web site for a firm that provides GIS along with a multitude of other services.
In reality, any GIS used for a regulatory purpose should be prepared in an appropriate manner (like semi-survey standard or national map accuracy standard or something better than what we have now). I've used GIS data to prove lots are located outside of watersheds to municipal wells when the GIS has shown them within the watershed. If they did it right to begin with, there would be no question.
I'm sure we've all been asked to perform elevation certificates or LOMAs because some GIS firm in Texas says a property or structure is within the flood plain.
I went to the ESRI/ACSM Survey Summit this year. I can do a little with GIS and I saw no map that I did not think I could re-create. The GIS community does not care about the maps, it's the data: collection, analysis, representation, conclusion.
Good luck with your GIS venture. I'm sure there is a market; they keep telling us there is a market.
A possible client is The County. In PLSSia everything is tied to section lines and corners. The mapping departments are finally realizing that they need to have good section data in order to even get close at accurately laying out the subdivisions and additions boundaries, then to get the streets and alleys even closer to correct. This data should be survey-grade.
Within minutes of first reading this post I received an email from GISCafe detailing a webinar titled "Starting a Geospatial Business". Don't know if it will be helpful, but it might be worth looking at...
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/110429248
