| From the Publisher
By Roland Mangold Are the Walls of GIS Finally Falling Down? Another high-end GIS software company has hit the skids. UGC Consulting/Convergent Group are quitting GDS. The will stop devoting resources to it, but will support the software for three years. There will be layoffs, although at this time it is uncertain to what extent. And, the vultures are circling to port GDS users over to other brands of GIS.
Over the past 3 to 4 years we have been witnessing the crumbling of the walls upon which GIS has been perched. But, somehow, we have noticed. Or, we noticed but the implications have been lost on us. Probably because we did not want to see the implications. The implication that the premise upon which this industry is founded is false.
Obviously no one sees, or is willing to recognize, the signs because virtually everyone in the industry is still focusing on the same high-end, enterprise wide GIS. The problem is that the markets for high-end, enterprise wide GIS are too small. Or, they are not willing to commit to an enterprise-wide upheaval.
Are the GIS vendors just missing the boat? Are they so enamored with their technology, and what they can do with it, that they failed to noticed that there really are not that many organizations out there that want what they have to sell?
The signs are there. The last three to five years have been rife with clues and foreshadow. But, we have not been paying attention.
Instead we listen to the GIS gurus. You know who they are. They have been espousing the virtue and the glory of the enterprise-wider, do-everything-imaginable, yet highly-complex high-end GIS. And, the industry blindly follows either not noticing the signs, or disregarding their meaning.
The bottom line is that products such as GEOVISION, ULTIMAP, GDS etc. just could not make it commercially. That speaks nothing to the quality, functionality, and robustness of these products - just that they could not make it in the marketplace. Most people I talk to, who know anything about this stuff (because I certainly don't), all say that those were very good products. Indeed, some were better that some of the software still on the market.
We have seen a handful of high profile vendors in this industry fall by the way side because of their misguided focus on the high-end GIS. GDS is just the latest, and there will be more coming.
Interestingly enough, during this tumultuous time in the GIS industry, the only ones who really made any money were the consultants. The guys who do not really sell any software, or hardware or data. The consultants convince the utilities and government agencies that solve all their problems, they need the biggest, all encompassing, most complex GIS there is. And, the more complex, the better for the consultant because the customer needs the consultants to show them the way.
Who do you think made out the last five to 10 years? Untold millions of dollars have been syphoned-off GIS projects that did not go into software of hardware or data. Many GIS projects never even got off the ground because by the time the consultants got through with all their studies and evaluation, there was nothing left for the GIS implementation.
I am not suggesting that the consultants are to blame for the demise of the previously mentioned GIS companies, especially since one of the software companies is owned by a consulting company. But, I am saying that a lot of money that could have gone to good use in the implementation of a GIS went straight into the pockets of less than a handful of consultants.
But, the market is shifting, and even the consultants are having to reinvent themselves in order to remain commercially viable. Organizations are learning that the high-end enterprise GIS is not necessarily the answer for them, and they are not about to hire a consultant to tell them that it is the answer for them.
It is time for change. Even early man knew that when he killed all the game, burnt all the wood, and used-up or dirtied his water, he needed to move on to territory that could sustain him. Eventually he learned agriculture and animal husbandry. Man has constantly had to change to survive.
This industry too must change. Our traditional feeding grounds are getting increasingly crowded, with less food to go around. We must find new feeding grounds. Change will not come easily, or quickly. But, if we can start to change our thinking, our minds will find the way to succeed.
The change of thought that I suggest is a simple concept. And, I am only suggesting that we start to think about it. We do not have act or do anything constructive. Just a simple change in perspective. Rather than focus solely on the high-end market and try to force the technology from the top...down, let's start to look at the market from the bottom...up.
If we can start thinking along these lines, the industry will naturally make a shift to the direction where the true potential lies. And, it all starts with a simple thought. Remember, thoughts can tear down walls, but they are also the building blocks of the future. Cheers!
 Roland Mangold Back |
