In mijn eerste Web Scene waren de bomen wat aan het zweven…
Het zal niemand in de geowereld (en daarbuiten) zijn ontgaan: er is een golf van data op ons afgekomen, die steeds meer van het type “open” en “3D” zijn. Ook al weten we nog niet helemaal wat de impact zal zijn, meer begrip, betere communicatie en betere antwoorden op geografische vragen liggen in het verschiet.
Esri begeeft zich al een aantal jaar op het 3D vlak met o.a. als gevolg dat virtuele landschappen in films (zoals Cars 2 en Total Recall) en computergames nu door Esri technologie worden gegenereerd. De stap naar Hollywood is voor de gemiddelde gebruiker van GIS-technologie niet zo snel weggelegd. Maar een digitale maquette of 3D-model als overzicht van de eigen omgeving is wel een mooie eerste stap. CityEngine genereert een 3D-model uit de bestaande topografie door regels (procedures) toe te passen op een 2D-model. De op deze manier opgebouwde omgeving kan daarnaast gemakkelijk via ArcGIS Online met de buitenwereld worden gedeeld.
3D voordelen op een rij
Meer begrip
Het gebruik van een 3D representatie van de wereld om ons heen zorgt voor een betere interpretatie van de omgeving: 3D communiceert gewoon beter. Gebruikers van de kaart kunnen zichzelf beter plaatsen, in een 2D kaart is oriëntatie een stuk lastiger. In 3D kan je de verticale dimensie tonen, die niet mogelijk is in 2D (…). De symbolen zijn een stuk intuïtiever, waardoor je de kaart minder hoeft uit te leggen via een legenda.
3D-analyse
Met 3D kijk je anders naar de werkelijkheid en zo is er ook een ander manier van analyse mogelijk. Hoewel de voorbeelden nog wat sporadisch zijn, is er veel te halen in 3D-analyse, waar 2D-analyse niet aan kan toppen. Een paar voorbeelden: was/wordt visualisatie in 3D, de beste locatie voor zonnecollectoren, validatie van bestemmingsplannen. Maar ook tijdvisualisaties (hier van de beroemde kaart van Minard) zien er in 3D heel anders uit.
Gemakkelijk ontwerpen, en delen
De flexibiliteit van het ontwerp (huizen in detail of grof weergeven is een druk op de knop) spreken mij zelf erg aan. Overigens blijft in 3D de kunst van het weglaten gewoon van toepassing: gebouwen met al te veel details werken verstorend voor de lezer van de 3D-kaart.
Zelfstandig leren
CityEngine leren kan men natuurlijk tegenwoordig zelfstandig (en dat hoeft niet te stoppen in je vakantie…). Voor CityEngine kan men online aan de slag met de Virtual Campus (Getting Started zonder kosten) of met de webcurses Modelling a City Using Esri CityEngine. Bij het Resource Center staat al het cursus materiaal en de video tuturials zijn ook online te vinden. De MOOC is nog niet formeel aangekondigd, maar dat is slechts een kwestie van tijd.
Naast al dit vrij beschikbare materiaal, organiseren we een workshop City Engine bij Esri Nederland in Rotterdam, op maandag 25 en dinsdag 26 augustus. Tijdens deze workshop gaan we aan de hand van een aantal voorbeelden ‘aan het handje’ door de grotere stappen van CityEngine heen. Je leert zo niet alleen van een docent, maar ook van je lotgenoten die zich ook in het onderwerp willen bekwamen.
Als klap op de vuurpijl eindigt de workshop met een preview van wat we op 3D gebied tijdens de Esri GIS Conferentie gaan demonstreren. En worden de deelnemers uitgenodigd voor een uitstapje in de inmiddels beruchte Oculus Rift. Dat alles is lastig door de online variant van leren te evenaren.
Wie doet er mee met 3D?
Voor het gebruik van 3D is inmiddels genoeg open data te vinden (Top10NL, AHN2). Voor de duidelijkheid: 3D heeft ook een groot nadeel: als je een tijdje met 3D werkt, is het lastig om weer terug te gaan naar een 2D beeld van de werkelijkheid*. Maar eigenlijk is 3D helemaal niet zo’n onderwerp om over te schrijven, je moet het gewoon zien:
Wil je ook naar huis met de kennis om zo’n digitale maquette van je eigen stad te maken? Kom dan ook naar de workshop! Ik heb me inmiddels ingeschreven :) Heb je geen toegang tot ArcGIS of CityEngine? Deelnemers van de workshop krijgen de beschikking over een tijdelijke licentie, zodat je achteraf nog even door kan werken aan je eigen digitale stad.
Eerste echte Web Scene – Weerwater Almere (klik door!)
*in de ArcGIS Pro app zitten 2D/3D keurig naast elkaar. Verplicht teruggaan naar 2D is er dan niet meer bij.
[zo teruglezend is het wel een enorme promotie blogpost geworden; met als enig excuus dat het wel erg lastig is om niet enthousiast te zijn over de mogelijkheden van 3D en open data!]
Sharing a few thoughts with a (hopefully) interested audience is always somewhere between a privilege and a true challenge, depending on multiple variables. This time, at the University of Utrecht, the topic was about future developments of Geographic Information Systems. Especially after a chat with Joseph Kerski, I felt quite comfortable with the topic at hand. My only caveat: “Our past has known many futures”, meaning we tend to predict a lot more than the actual future can bear.*
Independent of the school of strategy you follow, strategy is often viewed as a ‘predicting far away futures’. I rather view strategy as about positioning yourself today and focusing on what will change in the very near future. Far away futures in information technology tend not be very realistic at all anyway.
For the future of GIS, regardless of your definition of the term, it is likely to refer to changes to people, software and data (and most often brings up data capture, management, analysis, presentation and distribution). Although it is always hard to summerise a presentation in a few paragraphs, I have given it a try below, in bullet point style (whereas the presentation itself is using mostly images). In order of priority:
People
The P in GIS has changed quite a bit ● From data capture by experts only, e.g. through photogrammetric plotters, people themselves have now become sensors and are actively participate in the data capture part (sometimes without their knowledge and approval). ● GIS has escaped the basement of organisations and is now reaching out to the whole organisation, and beyond. ● It is becoming a foundation of working together in enterprises. ● This is impacting the role of those working with GIS. ● And it should have an impact on the curriculum at universities as well.
In the near future: more and more people (as sensors) will contribute to geographic data, in real-time. It calls for different ways of interpreting that data.
Data
Like technology, data has become abundant (big if you will) which is good news for geography. Content has always been an important part of the ecosystem of GIS. ● Open data is too big a trend to ignore. ● 3D data changes the ‘face of a map’● The challenge with 3D scene (they are often too realistic to be named ‘maps’) is the to make them ● Maps are not reality and should not depict reality too realistically. ● Content is the oxygen of the (GIS) ecosystem.
In the near future: we will have an intelligent 3D basemap in the Netherlands, which allows for interesting 3D analysis, and off course for great 3D visualisations as well.
In the near future: intelligent 3D basemaps (Image by Esther Carney)
Software
Once rather monolithic tools have transformed into smaller building blocks and enriched by programmable environments ● Small functionality is now accessible in many ways. ● Maps and apps: users expect simple interaction answering complex questions. ● The life span of the apps is relatively short. ● Users expect (read demand) and applications to work in an integrated fashion. Anywhere, anyplace, anytime.
In the near future: ‘tiny’ functionality will enrich applications which not a lot, yet crucial functionality.
Recommended skills
At the end of presentation I discussed the geospatial management competency model and then brought up a few recommended skills for professionals-to-be, more like ‘tips’ for your career if you will. I encourage students to find a balance between talent & compassion, hobby & work, curiosity & stubbornness (not sure they are opposites). I also urge them connect to the professional world as soon as possible, to specialize in one of those current trends (e.g. 3D visualization, big data, realtime GIS etc) and work towards a t-shaped profile (a bit more info).
I also did share a few of my personal misconceptions ‘when I left school’ (like I actually thought I was done educating myself) but these misconceptions are more easily shared during a presentation then in a blogpost. Had to end with a short overview of what Esri aims to contribute to the student community, the commercial break if you will.
We had a Q&A and a short discussion at end of my talk, but the better part of the discussion was during the world-famous Tosti lunch at EGEA, whilst discussing with international students where to go next and what minor to take there. Talking about near future ahead.
* read the Black Swan by Nassim Taleb if you are interested.
Do note: the cover is a scene from one of the standard CityEngine data sets. The landscape looks very much like the surroundings of Zürich!
During a recent EuroSDR meeting I had the privilege to share a few thoughts on open data and the progress we are making – in the Netherlands. Open data is considered a hot topic and the idea of open data fits nicely into an open innovation framework, hence my personal interest.
EuroSDR is the linking pin between European National Mapping Agencies and their Academic counterparts. This meeting was hosted by Kadaster and on the programme were topics like ‘the Geo-information Science focus in the Netherlands’ by NCG and ‘upcoming location relevant policies, legislation and other developments’ by Geonovum. My contribution was about the “Digital Agenda for Europe and Open Geo-data”.
Open data
In order to make sure we were on the same page about open data, I started my presentation by referring to the Open data definition by the Open Knowledge Foundation. I then made a short reference to why the European Commission is interested in Open data: “focussing on generating value through re-use of a specific type of data – public sector information, sometimes also referred to as government data.”
Open data can be a lot of fun as well!
Open data is a multi-perspective topic (e.g. transparency, economic, political) and these perspectives do not necessarily overlap. I tend to look at open data from an (open) innovation and value–add perspective. For that reason I shortly discussed the open innovation model (Chesbrough) and the value chain model (Porter). These models and their authors normally do deserve a bit more attention then I was able to give them.
In business
In order to improve the knowledge and possibilities of information technology, the Dutch Cabinet has defined ten ‘break through projects’ with a clear goal to contribute to economic growth and to make a noticeable impact on entrepreneurs and citizens alike. The projects are a co-op of government, research institutions and companies. GeoBusiness, the Dutch society of companies working with geographic information is representing the company side in the break though project on Open data.
Mark Herbold was appointed as the figurehead of that initiative (full disclosure: Mark is my colleague at Esri Nederland). The goals of the Open data project: to align open data supply and demand and to enable the availability of a continuous stream of high-quality open data. The opportunity is clear: discover that real value of open data for society as a whole. That can only be a true team effort.
Barriers
The top three barriers identified by this team are the government / market balance (where and how do you draw a line between their activities), continuity of the data stream (one time open data release is not interesting for building new applications) and privacy (always a top priority in our government, and rightfully so). The project group aims to overcome these barriers by first identifying them (…), by publicly addressing their needs and by helping the data owners to make the data public.
There is a clear focus on the demand side of (open) data. Themed open data relays (events with themes like agriculture, water management, sustainable energy) stimulate the open data ecosystem to get started, using the data in a new context. I have also seen a few app contests and prizes, which are also a good way to attract attention and interest in open data.
Practical perspective
In the last part of the talk in zoomed in to the actual benefits open data can bring. At Esri Nederland, we consume open data from a variety of sources and create new basemaps. This means that the users of these services do not need to load the data into their own systems anymore. We also assist users with making their data open data, e.g. by providing an open data app.
A good example of progress with open data is the recently released national elevation data set of the Netherlands. With a max error of five centimeters, this is a very good source to e.g. calculate the slope of objects, in order words: a national solar panel map is now within reach. An obvious next step is a national 3D map to be freely available to existing and future map-users, as well as app developers.
Too important to just leave up to government
About the several quotes in the presentation: I used them to get a discussion going – on purpose they can easily be understood out of context. As for the quote “Open (geo)data is too important to just leave up to government”: it simply refers to the fact that enterprises have an important role to play when it comes down to the practical use of open data in society. Not just by contributing their knowledge of how open data can work, but also by releasing some of the value they are able to capture thanks to open data. Before we know it, enterprises will have their Chief (open) Data Officer too!
Although there is still enough open data progress to be made, I am happy with the national datasets which have been released. Not the least unimportant: working with open data can be a lot fun as well. Just as presenting about Open data at an EuroSDR meeting!
NB: a thank you to Sebastiaan for his photographer’s talent.