What does the future look like for the next generation of GIS practitioners, surveyors, photogrammetrists, and engineers? The profession I (we?) have chosen is changing at an unprecedented rate. In this talk, we'll take a look at some of the technology that has shaped our past along with the technology that is going to help shape our future and bring the different geospatial disciplines closer and closer together. We'll also discuss what cool tools and applications are just around the corner (or here already!) and why an understanding of "geospatial" is more important now than ever before. 

Maps, geographic data and analysis are powerful tools for creating accessible communities. Leveraging GIS, communities can provide information about where accessible resources or features are located, as well as assess whether community assets, such as sidewalks and parks, comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many of the applications used to provide this location-based information or conduct these assessments rely on visual maps or lists to communicate information to the user. Accessible maps often focus on being able to transfer information using senses other than vision, such as hearing or touch. However, other types of disabilities often have specific needs in terms of user interaction and interface design, as well as different ways of understanding and interacting with space. The City of Tempe has developed Access Tempe as a means to provide information on City facilities, activities and services that are accessible to individuals with visual, hearing, mobility or cognitive disabilities. This presentation focuses on the design of Access Tempe and the challenges of implementing accessible web maps.

As the State of Arizona pursues the development of locally-sourced, statewide address point and road network databases, they are developing a suite of tools that will help local data providers find and fix errors in the location and/or attributes in these datasets. EMAP is a web-based address editing tool that allows 9-1-1 System Administrators and staff to evaluate and suggest corrections to errors they find in the normal course of call routing and emergency dispatch. This presentation will give an overview of the capabilities of EMAP.

One of the byproducts of the on-going E9-1-1/ADOT Data Supply Chain Project are statewide address locators which can be used to meet any other State and local business needs. A review of the current address locators, the issues encountered in building them, and future plans for new and improved locators will be discussed.

This session provides a status of Arizona's NG9-1-1 deployment.

AZGEO is continuing to grow it's user base, and sees a lot of traffic from those outside of traditional Gov2Gov data sharing. Data download and WMS/WFS/Image Services are still the primary focus and driver for AZGEO, but common use applications that can leverage these data are also available now. This session will show how new and developing applications can be used to create maps; share mapping bookmarks; perform analysis; and, enable format transformation - all useful tools for folks without standard desktop GIS. We will also touch on AZGEO's value in providing a single-source platform for multi-partner workflows - such as the Centerline Unification and Address Editor applications.

Arizona Department of Transportation has been providing semi-manual quality control feedback on roadway centerline issues over the past 3 years of the statewide centerline unification project. Recently, ADOT has invested in providing a web portal through the AZGEO Clearinghouse whereby E-9-1-1 data custodians can submit their data to the AZGEO servers and have a quality assurance report returned in an unattended fashion. This effort is only underway for only the past 2 months, so this presentation will demonstrate the current capabilities that are being expanded and implemented as ADOT enhances the Data Supply Chain for statewide centerlines.

ZIP codes are a useful way to study data. However, there are issues that should be considered before using them for research projects, such as GIS analysis or geocoding. This presentation will discuss what ZIP codes are and will identify their strengths and weaknesses when using them in GIS projects.

What’s spatial about geospatial data?  Coordinates are what make geospatial data spatial.  But what are coordinates, anyway?  How are they related to projections and datums?  And in fact what exactly are projections and datums?  And isn’t the plural of datum actually data?  Who came up with this stuff?

Questions, so many questions.  We plunge forward uncertain, creating, manipulating, analyzing, displaying geospatial data, because there is work to do, bills to pay, deadlines.  Yet on some level we understand that one of the most fundamental functions of a GIS is the ability to correctly overlay spatial datasets.  And we know, deep within our souls, that it cannot be done correctly without a solid understanding of coordinates, projections, and datums.  Well, maybe not us, but somebody has to understand those things.  Right?

Actually, it is us, or should be us.  This presentation seeks to provide an explanation of coordinates, projections, and datums, in an unrealistically short time.  Particular emphasis is on the unsettling topic of datum (aka geographic) transformations, leading to the even more disturbing idea that modern transformations change with time.  With the exploding interest in 3D data, a brief foray into the vertical component of spatial data will be made to address that gnawing question, which way is up?  And finally, if anyone is left in the room and time allows, the meaning of life will be revealed.  In color.

Custom models, tools, and scripts can all be used to perform specific tasks in ArcGIS, including specialized geoprocessing, analysis, mapping, or data management workflows. However, when you need to customize a Desktop application (ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcScene, or ArcGlobe) in a way that requires using the mouse to interact with the display or performs an action in response to a separate event, it may be time to consider an add-in. Python has now joined .NET and Java as a language that can be used to author Desktop add-ins (though unfortunately not yet in ArcGIS Pro). This session will cover the basic steps used to create, debug, test, and distribute several types of Python add-ins, including Buttons, Tools, Combo Boxes, Menus, Toolbars, and even Application Extensions. In addition, we'll discuss several third-party packages that can be used to extend the functionality of your Python add-ins, along with how you can search for additional packages or modules.

There has been much deliberation over the past few years about establishing and developing a supply chain for roadway data. Specifically the data need for building a comprehensive Linear Referencing System (LRS) and an address range roadway segments to meet the multitudes of business requirements, known and unforeseen. This presentation will talk about the key concepts that need to be recognized, agreed to, and supported in order to effectively support data supply chains and multi/intra organizational needs.

Drones provide an affordable means of capturing images of natural and man-made land-based features in areas that may be difficult to access or lack coverage in other datasets. Drones are perfectly suited for monitoring scheduled events, monitoring environmental changes, observing the impact of natural disasters and more. Drone2Map for ArcGIS streamlines the creation of professional imagery products from drone-captured still imagery for visualization and analysis in ArcGIS. Drone2Map provides high quality 2D and 3D GIS imagery products that bring unique value to multiple areas of your enterprise GIS.

Between 2001 and 2014 there were over 1.7 million traffic crashes in Arizona. Due to the volume of crash point data 2D display often does not clearly convey the number or density of the crash locations. When developing a process for sliding window analysis, a method for analyzing road segments that provides a snapshot of crash distribution for equal windows of road, an opportunity for displaying crash frequency in 3D became apparent. The presentation will demonstrate the use of ArcMap, ArcScene and Google Earth to create and display 3D Crash Frequency Models. This method could be easily adopted across multiple disciplines to enhance data visualization.

The business of government is to provide services for the community. In GIS that typically means providing maps and services related to the jurisdiction. Of course, in the real world, life does not stop at jurisdictional boundaries.

How can governments jointly serve their citizens, businesses, and emergency services with, better than Google, mapping? Can they control access to value-added attributes, while sharing the basics? How do we promote our value-added details through use by others? And, how can we automate, to avoid unnecessary and additional work requirements?

This session will look at ways that governments can preserve their data integrity and still share the core elements needed to build these high-value internal and external map services for our citizenry.

GPS Data Collection is at the core of GIS and forms the foundations of the GIS on the Gila River Indian Community. The majority of all of the GIS data used within the Gila River GIS contains data collected in the field with a GPS unit. Over time, more advanced GPS equipment has been used and better methods applied to the collection process in order to improve upon the quality of the data collected. This presentation will introduce the audience to the equipment and methods that are used to: collect GPS data, record metadata, and incorporate GPS data into the Gila River Community Geodatabase.

Hiring and training tribal members to use GIS to preserve historical tribal data is a crucial investment. As a community tribal member, our lack of GIS experience is aided by our knowledge of the surrounding environment. Cultural boundaries are easily overcome because of our understanding of the community to both the land and the people. Finding candidates amongst community members is easier said than done. This session will show the value and importance in hiring tribal members with little GIS knowledge but with an abundance of tribal knowledge and experience.

The application of repeat-pass synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) interferometry to characterize the distribution and rate of ground subsidence is of profound significance in identifying and managing the risks associated with ground deformation. Interferometry has the capacity to detect and quantify changes in terrain elevation by comparing phase variances from satellite-based radar technology.

The goal of this presentation is to help participants understand applied InSAR technology by walking through how data are analyzed and interpreted while cross-examining the results from two sites, the McMicken Dam and the Peoria feature. Since 1992, Amec Foster Wheeler has been studying land deformation throughout various parts of Arizona. We have been applying interferometric synthetic aperture radar to monitor specific areas of interest on an annual basis. During these studies, data have shown very little subsidence occurring at the McMicken Dam since 1992, however a relatively small subsidence'bowl' near the dam appears to have been related to the earth fissuring in that area. Comparatively, another proximate 'bowl' called the Peoria subsidence feature, has shown the largest magnitude of subsidence since 1992.

USDOT is an active leader in developing the National Address Database (NAD). This presentation will focus on federal activities to develop a functional NAD including determining stakeholder needs, conducting pilot projects, efforts to make address points an FGDC A-16 Framework Theme, developing effective governance leadership roles and the identification of best practices. It will also discuss Arizona's participation in this effort and explain why the NAD is important to Arizona and the Nation.

An online resident redistricting application developed by Phoenix firms Research Advisory Services and Engineering Mapping Solutions featured real-time interactive editing of proposed districts, with immediate movement-by-movement feedback on population and demographic changes. Small data windows responded to mouse hovers to assist in selecting areas to move. Plans could be saved to work on later, and be submitted electronically. A PDF file of instructions and redistricting plan goals to be achieved was printable from within the application. A hide-able side-bar window briefly outlined the steps in creating a plan. A three-page plan analysis report was emailed to the resident within 24 hours.

This was the first online citizen redistricting program to be offered by local governments (six in all) in Arizona. As governments face increasing pressure from political parties to adopt maps that allow incumbents to select their own voters (instead of the other way round), giving the public the opportunity to submit maps was found to be a healthy 'safety valve'. And, in 2012, four citizen maps got adopted! Tony Sissons will show how the requirements of the U. S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act, and other redistricting principles were accommodated in the application's design.

Open Data allows organizations to use the ArcGIS platform to provide the public with open access to their authoritative data. ArcGIS Open Data gives organizations a quick way to set up public-facing websites where people can easily find and download data in a variety of open formats or access data through open APIs. An ArcGIS Open Data page can easily be configured with an organization's own look and feel. An organization can manage ArcGIS Open Data content through ArcGIS Online groups, allowing an organization to quickly share or remove access to their data.

This presentation will go into details about the CAD data and how the County is migrating its parcel level CAD data, PLSS section lines, and section corner control into a Parcel Fabric Geodatabase using the Local Government Data Model. Which will serve as the foundation for improving Parcel Fabrics position and spatial accuracy over time through self-healing methods using GPS positioning and Parcel Fabric adjustments rules based on Least Square Methods. This presentation will cover automation of the migration process, using CAD, SQL, Python scripts and models, quality control topology rules, GIS section corner creation, GPS Parcel Fabric control points, and Parcel Fabric adjustments.

An emergency plan is a critical document for ensuring the safety and well being of every community. In this presentation you will learn how the Salt River Indian Community built a preliminary emergency plan from start to finish, plus plans for future data integration into the plan. The discussion will include the use of Data Driven Pages, CAD file georeferencing, creation of a map book, and distribution through a mobile app

The use of GIS data and products continues to grow and will continue to do so as additional professions further integrate GIS data and products into new applications. More and more government operations rely on GIS inputs and/or applications to support their customer services. The general public is continually exposed to location-based products through mainstream offerings such as Google Maps, GPS location and routing applications, and Open Data initiatives. As this growth continues, the potential for misinterpretation and/or misuse of GIS data and products increases. GIS professionals have a responsibility to ensure that end-users of their data and products have a clear understanding of what they are getting and limitations on what they use it for. This presentation will review guidelines that have been developed to date, discuss their effectiveness and overall use, and explore future directions that can be worked towards by GIS professionals to help decrease the potential for misuse. The following items will be included for review and discussion:

• GIS metadata standards that provide data/product quality indicators.
• A standard disclaimer as a "heads-up" regarding GIS product use.
• Guidelines for classifying GIS data/products and preventing misuse.
• Cooperative outreach efforts to further educate GIS data/product producers and end-users.

One of the responsibilities of any jurisdiction that has infrastructure is maintenance. Since there is often more work than agency personnel, some of these maintenance functions need to be contracted out. In Maricopa County, street sweeping is one such contracted maintenance function. To ensure that the job was done right and all areas were actually swept, inspectors would usually drive the routes after the scheduled sweeping. Improving this process through use of GPS tracking, GIS mapping and analysis and creation of a custom web application tool has greatly sped up and improved the inspection business process, enabled quick verification of invoices and reduced costs. Walking through the steps taken to move the inspection process from field to office using the best available technologies will be the topic of this presentation.

The mission of NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) is “to define, maintain and provide access to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) to meet our nation's economic, social, and environmental needs." NSRS is the nation’s system of latitude, longitude, elevation, and related models and tools, which provides a consistent spatial reference foundation for the nation. Familiar to geospatial professionals, the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83) and the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) are the primary user components of NSRS. This presentation will describe the current status of NSRS and will include information about geodetic control data and tools, the national network of GNSS Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), and the popular Online Positioning User Service (OPUS) utility. NGS’ ongoing effort to modernize NSRS, culminating in 2022 with the replacement of NAD83 and NAVD88, will be reviewed, the current status described, and suggestions proposed for user preparation. Included in the discussion will be information about the nationwide Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) program and related Geoid Slope Validation Surveys (GSVS), which together are helping formulate a next-generation geoid model, thereby evolving a new paradigm in nationwide elevation determination capability.