What is GIS?

Sometimes we IT professionals get so excited about the technology that we lose sight of the basic questions that others might have.

I was reminded of this recently when talking with a (non-GIS) colleague whose eyes began to glaze over, as I launched into a discussion about vector land-cover data. If you are like me, sometimes when a friend or relative asks what you do for a living, you find yourself grasping for the right words.

With that in mind, and with thanks to Tabetha Perrault at Esri, here are a few links to fun (and short!) introductions to GIS. 

What Is Location Intelligence? (arcgis.com) (3 min. read)

What is Location Intelligence? – Esri Videos: GIS, Events, ArcGIS Products & Industries (2 min. video)

Sharing Data Across Governments – Esri Videos: GIS, Events, ArcGIS Products & Industries (5 min. video)

GIS in Education – Esri Videos: GIS, Events, ArcGIS Products & Industries (6 min. video)

2023 Esri Public Sector CIO Summit – Esri Videos: GIS, Events, ArcGIS Products & Industries (series of short videos)

A series of videos (one featuring King Co. GIS Center Manager Tamara Davis!) showcasing GIS support for various business functions. The Esri Public Sector CIO Summit is an invitation-only event for government IT leaders who want to understand GIS capabilities and integrate geospatial thinking into their workflows. Discover how to leverage GIS to build smart communities and support IT and government trends.

Publications:

Why Organizations Need a Geospatial Strategy.pdf (esri.com)

The Path to GIS Success (arcgis.com)

WhereNext Magazine | Business Resilience, Location Intelligence & CXO Priorities (esri.com)