This document discusses making webGIS more usable for organizational users rather than just GIS specialists. It argues that webGIS applications should be tailored to specific work processes rather than offering general GIS tools. This allows non-technical users to complete their regular tasks through the webGIS interface without training. The document also describes how organizations can manage multiple purpose-built webGIS applications through a centralized system that connects various technologies, databases, and security protocols to serve different user groups.

1. 1
Flexible and Usable WebGIS for the
Organisation
Karolina van Schrojenstein Lantman – Orlinska
GIS & ICT Advisor
Grontmij Nederland B.V.
The Netherlands

2. Grontmij… GIS&ICT… Team GIS
2
Engineering office, ~ 9.000 employees, Offices in
West and North Europe
100: combining industry knowledge with sustainable
geo-ICT solutions
– Software development, maintenance, implementations
and administration of tailor-made and standard
applications
35: PL, Advisors, software developers
– Open source & ESRI based
– Clients & users of our software: Waterboards, Ministries,
provinces, municipalities, Tennet, Shell, Insurance
companies

3. 3
Let’s step out from our special/spatial world
for a moment…

4. A bigger picture…
4
World of specialists is very small
Only when technology gets user-friendly enough it
will be widely adopted and used
It’s not about # of buttons or functions but about how
well do you understand the needs (and limitations)
of your users
Value of every application can be measured with
how well it supports the end users needs

5. 5

6. WebGIS <> GIS online
6
…so why would it be any different for WebGIS
We want that everyone within an organisation
uses WebGIS
WebGIS is not for GIS specialists
WebGIS is not the same as GIS over the internet (searching in google is not the
same as sending SQL queries over the internet)
WebGIS is for everyone!!
This has very important consequences

7. Users of GIS vs. Users of WebGIS
7
Few Many
Can be trained Can’t be trained / don’t want to be
trained
Technology and innovation is Do not care for technology and
interesting innovation
A lot of different work processes Repetitive work processes (not
necessarily frequent)
Need flexibility Need extreme user friendliness
Understands GIS jargon Understands work process jargon
(legal, maintenance, administration,
spatial planning)

8. What most WebGIS offerts to its users?
8
Navigeer
Zoek een Verschuif Activeer
De kaart naar
adres op De kaart Een laag
Een locatie
Buffer
Voer een Zoek een Zoek een
Geselecteerde
Selectie uit straatnaam op Perceel op
objecten
Stel de afdruk Maak een Genereer een
identificeer
Parameters in afdruk rapport
Zoom de Zoom de Geselecteerd Export als
Kaart uit Kaart in resultaten CSV

9. How it should be…
9
I want…
Generate work
Close the orders for mowing
Sint Jacobsstraat grass
for maintenence Evaluate if one (wherever
12.09 - 14.09 is allowed to it’s needed)
start a cafe at
Hoofdstraat 33

10. Where does this bring us? – purpous
specific applications
10
WebGIS
WebGIS WebGIS WebGIS WebGIS
interface 1 interface 2 interface 3 interface 4
Technology A Technology B Technology A Technology C
10

11. How does it look like?
11

12. Management of purpose specific applications
Intranet ‘Spatial
application ‘basic’ planning' mobile
application application app
Map services Integrations
Database connections Reports
Couplings Searches
Security Workflows
Server

13. Conclusions
13
Users of WebGIS <> users of GIS
WebGIS <> GIS over the internet
Only when the whole organisation is
using info in WebGIS, you can get the
ROI
No lose steps in known work processes
It is possible to satisfy flexibility and
complexity at the same time
Application management does not have
to be a nightmare with the right tools
Technology to make it happen is
already available

14. Contact
14
Karolina van Schrojenstein Lantman - Orlinska
E karolina.orlinska@grontmij.nl
@orlinska @GeoWeb4, @GrontmijNL
orlinska.com software.grontmij.nl