You don't need GIS, you need to solve a problem

James Milner

@JamesLMilner

james@loxodrome.io

Software Engineer

Running Order

• 15 mins - UCL and Work
• 15 mins - Observations on the Industry
• 5 mins - Work Life
• 10 mins - Questions

UCL

Dissertation

The 'Real World'

Esri UK

OS/Geovation

Industry Observations

Commerical Geo vs GIS

Commerical Geo

• Google Maps
• CityMapper
• Zoopla
• Uber
• AirBnB (kind of)
• Pokemon Go

GIS

• Local Gov 
• TfL
• Crossrail 
• Network Rail
• Starbucks
• Utilities etc

I think they could both learn a little from each other

Commerical Geo

• UI/UX
• Scale
• Customer Oriented

GIS

• Specialist techniques
• Coordinate systems (!)
• Accuracy oriented

GIS is a useful tool in a box, but not every problem is a nail

Where things are going: at a high level

Data Creation and Access

Source: Andreessen Horowitz, 2015

We can estimate that 70% of those location sensors of some capacity

Higher Expectations

Sources and Speed

A movement away from static to dynamic or even real time

AI and Machine Learning is the robotics/automation of the knowledge industry

...at an industry level

SaaS + Developer Tools 

• Streams, Feeds and APIs
• GeoJSON
• Death to shapefiles
• Vector Tiles!

Data

3D 

• Faster processing
• BIM
• Virtual / Augumented Reality
• WebGL 
• Better support

• Drones
• Autonomous Vehicles
• 'Internet of Things'
• Cube Satellites / Real time
• Augmented / Virtual Reality
• Machine Learning / AI

Growth Areas

Work Life

Some Observations

I think there is a movement away from traditional ways of working

Traditionally

Increasingly

Meetings

Project Management Software

Internal Emails

Instant Messaging

Middle Management

Autonomy

End of Year Review

Weekly 1 to 1s

• Coding is a super valuable skill
• Keep informed
• Keep your skills relevant
• Make friends in the industry

General Advice

• Hunt around
• Don't settle too much
• Consider a startup
• 2 page CVs
• Negotiate your salary

Job Advice

Questions?