Developments in Topographic Data Management & Mapping in Queensland Australia

Peter Lennon General Manager, Land Information

For discussion today

The Size Problem Business Process Review Findings Progress of Changes Issues Longer Term View

The Size Problem

Queensland (1.853m km2) is a large state of Australia and is roughly equivalent in land area to the whole of Indonesia ( 1.9m km2)

OR the total area of: Malaysia (0.329m km2) + Thailand (0.514m km2) + Myanmar ( (0.678m km2) + Cambodia (0.181m km2) + Vietnam (0.329m km2) Population of only 4 million people!

The capture, management and maintenance of topographic information over such a vast area has been a struggle. After 25 years, only managed to map 10% of the total area of Queensland (Green 25k scale) Struggling to maintain that.

Initiated a Business Process Review (BPR) BPR Findings:

Current Topographic Program FAILING!
Limited Coverage of State Struggling to Maintain Existing Data Currency Programmed Coverage Patchy and Inconsistent

BPR Findings:

Largely a manual graphics based mapping process

dumb data, manual feature and text placement

Time consuming process

time consuming raw data update many features identified from raw data each time, production of products requires attribution & merging of data each time product is revised

Limited mapping options

fixed scale, limited interoperability, map sheet based - not theme based & not seamless

Output limits excellent product

but small print runs - not cost effective limited choice of output raster dvd or paper map

Automation Key Changes

Focus on Data Capture and less on Specific Map Products Capture Topographic Data in Themes Capture Data to a Seamless Database &Target Whole of Queensland Coverage by Themes where available Utilise all Sources of Data, taking advantage of existing data sources if someone has the data obtain it from them dont re-develop the data dont go through time consuming identification processes Simplify Data Capture Let contours portray the geography limit symbology Automate Data Capture as much as possible utilise satellite & aerial imagery utilise automated imagery classification techniques Complete Data Feature Attribution smart data Limited Field Check if any Alignment of Data Capture with Government Priorities to garner support Risk a Lower Level of Cartographic Quality in order to Achieve the Objective of Improved Topographic Data Currency and Coverage

BPR Findings:

Progress with Automated Topo Processes

Concept & Workflow Changes theme based
seamless data capture, more coordination required, acquisition of data from new sources point of truth

Established New Relational database Informix

Database

Data being converted with full data attribution full metadata, intelligent data New compatible data structure established Text manipulation software in place Label-EZ,
-Contour & -Edit

VBA tools developed to automate basic repetitive tasks View/Compilation environment Web Browser,
GIS system

Results
New efficiencies being realised - Considerably less production time A degree of Scalelessness - Greater variety of mapping options Scale, Layers/Themes and Formats Cost effective print runs print only what you need print/plot on demand Data capture coordination, sourcing & sharing with other agencies reduced duplication of data capture easy sharing Similar quality product to the old manual paper based product Digital topo data allows integration with other systems and other data finding new uses for topo data new customers new importance to topo data capture Compatible with the trend to on-line mapping

Manual Mapping Sample Output

Automated Mapping Sample Output

Manual Mapping Sample Output

Automated Mapping Sample Output

Manual Mapping Sample Output

Automated Mapping Sample Output

Manual Mapping Sample Output

Automated Mapping Sample Output

Issues
Increased Requirement for Coordination - Process Coordination Workflow Coordination Coordination with aligned business areas The new sources of data - not always so good rely on principle of point of truth for data sets Perfectionists Distractions higher priority work Need to continuously sell the benefits of developing and maintaining good quality spatial information economic benefits as well as social benefits

Longer Term Prospects

Greater Coverage & Currency of Topo Data for Queensland Automatic feature identification from sensor data Swath of 25k data & map products along coastline Introduction of 50k scale data & map products further inland and parallel to coastline Print/Plot on Demand Capability to Map Shops from data On-line access to data?

Next IMTA Asia Pacific Conference Gold Coast, Queensland 1st - 3rd November 2007

Thankyou Questions?