Page 42 - Ranger Demo

At work, we swap all of that for a comparatively disconnected, primarily paper-based geospatial framework. Multiple instances of different end to end GIS capabilities, siloed geospatial data at various security levels, resulting in multiple product types that have to be user pulled support the framework. Also, not spatially enabled are other types of data and information and enterprise search and dynamic adjustment of services based on user demand are none existent. But, does it have to be that way?
Now, we have to accept that there are some excellent reasons why ‘work’ has to be different from ‘weekends’. Also, there are superb, world-leading capabilities and experts within NCGI whose retention is needed. But there is capability defining assumptions based mainly on security and accreditation, capability development and operational processes and culture; importantly, much to be addressed is not technology and there need is to challenge the assumptions continually. For too long now Defence has been talking about the need to become more data-centric, about information manoeuvre, about “X” as a Service but have not been able to articulate the requirement, apply the principles or implement within our organisations. This gap between the rhetoric and the reality is not unique to Geo, or to Defence; often the biggest challenge, is where do you start, particularly in large complex organisations.
Conceptual Rhetoric into Reality
So, this article aims to outline what NCGI is doing about closing this gap between rhetoric and reality. Initially, there are some basic principles to tackle the problem:
• Fundamentally this is about leadership which leads to a resourced commitment creating an organisation based on the centrality of data. Capability development solely based on technology and its integration will not deliver that. We must accept the need to move on from capability development concepts and processes devised in the industrial age.
• The primary NCGI capability is the data, enabled by technology, not defined by it. We need to think and design our organisation and capability with the right data flow in mind.
• We must recognise and treat data as fundamental to Defence’s existence. Whilst Defence’s heavy metal hardware is impressive, the majority of systems inside those platforms require geospatial data to operate. So, for NCGI, that means providing a digital geospatial framework for Defence and then providing assured foundation geographic data. Perhaps most importantly, NCGI should take on the task of spatially enabling other types of data within the geospatial framework and providing the visualisation services.
These will drive change towards creating a data-centric culture. Get the culture right, and it can be used as the fundamental building block to define our people skills, then update our enterprise processes and finally integrate our Technology, in that order. Too often we collectively get this back to front, hoping that by introducing technology it will change processes, that will change our people and finally our culture. We know that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ and so our collective efforts are often doomed at the start and are almost guaranteed to produce sub-optimal capabilities and a frustrated workforce.
With all of this in mind, there are very significant (and under-resourced) back-end organisational functions required to enable meeting these aspirations. A data ingest process that includes the collection, procurement or creation of rich and assured geographic data with global coverage to meet Defence’s needs. There is the curation of other location-based collateral data.
• The configuration and management of geographic and other location-based data, and the services and apps required to make this data accessible and usable for analysis and visualisation by end-users (both specialist and generalist); and
• the integration of enterprise GIS onto MOD’s information systems to provide a platform for all of this to happen.
Much of what NCGI does today also need to be moved towards automation of the process and then make it readily accessible and easy to use as a self-service; both machine to human and machine to machine. To succeed, recognition of the importance of this and active management of the automated services is required. If achieved, then NCGI analysts will have increased freedom to get after the higher-end analytical requirements. It is not just about NCGI, though, as we need our customer demands and expectations to change and the digital information infrastructure to make it possible.
Capability Description
40