By 2027, the NSDI will not focus on building better infrastructure but instead collaborating to deliver an ecosystem of interconnected cross-disciplinary data and services that enables value creation for consumers. This ecosystem will seamlessly integrate data across domains in real-time through collaborative platforms. National mapping agencies will need to shift their focus from data collection to facilitating this ecosystem through policies and standards that allow for cross-domain integration and value creation.

1. What will be the relevance and benefit
of a NSDI in 2027?
Dan Paull, CEO, PSMA Australia
Cambridge Conference 2017

2. NSDI
What is an NSDI
anyway?
“the technology,
policies, standards,
and human resources
necessary to acquire,
process, store,
distribute, and improve
utilization of geospatial
data”
Put simply, the goal is to:
turn data into information,
information into insight,
insight into action,
action into value!

3. Needs
What do citizens
want?
The consumer wants
the value.
That’s it.
This is an exercise in
market satisfaction, not
supplier-orientated
technological solution
development.
Obfuscate the complexity
Engender confidence
Facilitate boundlessness
Deliver value
Anonymity is our success.

4. Accessibility
Is this what we
currently give them?
We have siloed
ourselves, historically,
to solve the challenges
of collecting and
curating spatial data,
but now we find
ourselves isolated from
the mainstream.
The solutions that we have
developed are domain
specific and, while very
good, challenge the non-
expert and obstruct the
broader access and use of
geospatial data.

5. Data
Is data capture or
technology the
problem?
Advances in data
capture technologies
mean there is more data
from more sources than
ever before – far greater
volume and velocity.
We need to
change the
way we
manage
spatial
data.

6. Integration
What needs to
happen to deliver
into the future?
Not just integration
between geospatial data
themes, but deep,
seamless and real-time
integration across
domains allowing a
coalescing of all data.
Collaborative
ecosystem of
platforms
facilitating
the value
creation
sought by
consumers.

7. POLICY
Is this our focus
for the future?
Can we create the
environment necessary
to bring about the
success that is
described here?
Success is dependant
on facilitating seamless
cross-disciplinary
integration.
A beautiful problem.
One we should embrace
as we can lead the way.

8. There is no latitude without longitude;
There should be no data without location.
By 2027, we should not be seeking to build a better
NSDI.
But collaborating to deliver an ecosystem of
interconnected cross-disciplinary data and services
that underpins value creation.

9. Discussion

10. What would a highly valuable, successful and relevant NSDI
look like in 2027? What is it delivering and to who?
What are its key characteristics and success factors?
What does the environment look like that surrounds it? What
role did the NMA have in shaping this environment, if any?
What are the core competencies required by NMAs to deliver
this future NSDI value in 10 years time?

11. Is it necessary for NMAs to maintain a focus and capability on
data capture or are data management competencies enough?
Is it necessary for NMAs to own and control computing and
storage infrastructure?
What are the barriers that would prevent the delivery of the
changes necessary?
What actions need to be taken now to ensure we achieve the
outcomes that we seek by 2027?