Information Systems Services
A central pillar of GAF’s successful work and global experience is the integration of remotely sensed data, survey data, web services and DBMS in a single integrated GIS environment, with such environments ranging from stand alone to enterprise-wide solutions. Specialised and tailored application development (for GIS, RDBMS, and web-solutions) provides the key to successful and sustainable system integration and also ensures sustainability and proper use and application of the information systems.
GAF applies user-centered practices to the analysis, design and testing of concepts and evolving solutions. Applied skills and expertise include business analysis, requirements analysis, system design and usability engineering. We design, specify, assess feasibility and costs, and implement computer systems for a wide range of businesses and authorities.
The integration of various components is one of the key elements for the implementation of integrated spatial information systems. Components to be considered include existing and new databases, database management systems, existing and new applications, operating systems and networks, standard software and the procurement and installation of hardware and peripheral devices.
Successful system integration and migration depends mainly on the proper execution of relevent activities, particularly a careful institutional assessment, a thorough analysis of the user requirements, a detailed system design, in-depth knowledge of state-of-the-art technologies and industrial standards including future developments and finally adequate training and migration measures including workflow integration. GAF has vast and worldwide experience in all the steps involved in integrating complex systems, from requirement assessment to roll-out.
GAF designs and implements GIS / DB solutions from cradle to maturity for a wide range of land related management disciplines. Typically, services comprise a detailed application, DB and system design followed by DB and GIS application programming, database and metadata generation, prototyping, benchmarking and then system procurement, integration, and training. A further phase consists of system maintenance and potential system expansion.
The successful introduction of complex spatial data handling technology within any organization requires that proven and structured approaches are apllied during the GIS / DB design, implementation and operational phases of the installation. GAF maintains several business partnerships with major international market leaders, including ESRI, Oracle and IBM. Our specialists are conversant in the most important GIS / DB environments and they are also experienced in working under expatriate conditions. In this fashion successful projects have been executed in more than 100 countries.
GAF develops GIS and DB applications for a wide range of different disciplines. The main lesson learned from a vast number of successfully completed projects is the importance of a very close cooperation with the client in the application design phase: The design documents are the essential bridge between the programmer and the user.
Applications vary from generic to very specific customisations which are either developed based on GIS / DBMS common-off-the-shelf software (customisation of COTS) or based on GAF`s proprietary software developments. An integral part of customised solutions are the integration of existing databases and software programs or process and data models.
The actual GIS and DB application programming, database generation, prototyping, database and model integration and final benchmarking are executed according to international software development standards. The constantly evolving quality management system (ISO 9001:2000) ensures the high quality demands throughout all application design, development, and implementation phases.
Consistent means of sharing geographic data among all potential users could produce significant savings for data collection, maintenance, and use, and therefore enhance decision making. Such effective sharing can be achieved by the establishment of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) with the aim to promote sharing of geospatial data throughout all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors, and the academic community.
GAF develops concepts of how to establish such an infrastructure which can be seen as the technology, policies, criteria, international standards (ISO, OGC, INSPIRE) and people necessary to promote geospatial data sharing throughout the entire stakeholder community. It is a set of structures, actions, relations among data producers and new ways of accessing, sharing and using geographic data that enables far more effective collection and comprehensive analysis of data in order to help decision-makers chose the best course(s) of action.