Human Sensors Redefine the World of Geospatial Information

I recently read an article in Government Computer News (GCN) that discusses how a shift is taking place in the way that geospatial tools are being used by non-traditional federal government employees, such as program officers. GIS has always been a great asset to “in the field” government employees such as emergency response officials, law enforcement agents and civil engineers, but more and more the convergence of geospatial imagery and data toolsets is being used to help senior staff at HQ make informed decisions. Jerry Johnston, GIO for the Environmental Protection Agency, for example, discusses how his agency is redefining how GIS is used, he envisions a time in the near future when “…all of our grants, funding programs and budget formulation will be expressed in map form.” This program-based scenario is quite different from what the traditional GIS user does.