March 29, 2010

Parker Wittman Speaks on User-Friendly GIS Development

Parker Wittman, Information Management Specialist at Aspect, discussed the benefits of pursuing user-friendly GIS/Database strategies at the American Water Resources Association’s (AWRA) 2010 Spring Specialty Conference in Orlando, Florida. The key point of Parker’s presentation was how to develop GIS and analytical tools that are practical and flexible and to beware the “Black Box” mindset that can result in technical solutions restrictive to the client’s current and future needs.

As an example, Parker presented a case study of Aspect’s innovative combined GIS/Database approach for estimating water use in a stream impairment analysis of the Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) 16 and 14b along the Hood Canal. For the WRIA stakeholders, Aspect designed custom GIS and database tools that made data analysis intuitive and easily could be updated and maintained for future projects.

This forward thinking approach recognizes that flexible and transparent systems are critical as data sources, project assumptions, and in-house expertise inevitably change.