written by

Charles Raffensperger

December, 2019

Ok, so you want to use SpatialWorx to collect and compile a lot of data about your operations and assets. Great! But where do you start? And what do you do with the raw data you collect? And most importantly, how can you extract value and insights from that data?

All the data you collect has value - every bit of it. And value that could go far beyond its simple value as a collection of attributes of a set of objects, notes, or points on a map. The question is, how do you go about unlocking that greater value and use it to your advantage?

Raw data, by itself, is useless unless it has context, and with proper context and analysis you can turn that data into information. And with that information you can analyze trends and patterns, see relationships, draw conclusions, and use the results to produce actionable insights.

I've laid out some practical advice below on exactly how you can turn your raw data into insight.

"The goal is to turn data into information,
and information into insight."
- Carly Fiorina

Outline Your Goals

Begin by first determining what you are trying to achieve and developing a plan that aligns with your goals.

• Context: What specifically are you trying to achieve? Who is invested in the project's results?
• Need: What needs can be addressed by intelligently using the data you collect? What will this project accomplish that was difficult or impossible before?
• Vision: What will meeting these needs with data look like? What is the logic behind the solution?
• Outcome: Who will use the resulting information? How will you measure success?

Collect Only Data That is Useful

Once you have a set of clearly defined goals in place, make sure you are collecting useful data to begin with. Make sure that it includes a set of feature layers that are meaningful, the forms you design allow field crews to capture all the necessary attributes for every feature, and the graphical symbology lets you to easily make visual inferences about the data and relationships between features and their physical locations.

Additionally, consider if there are other external data sources you can pull into your project that would lend context to the actual data you are collecting. Ask yourself if there is any more data or information available that would help make your data more meaningful? For example, would it benefit your project to pull in Census data that shows median income levels for your area of interest as another layer (or layers) to overlay during and after your field survey is complete?

Ensure Your Data Is Accurate

In some ways this is tied to the first point because your project model should have rules built-in that govern the validity and accuracy of the data your field teams collect. But it really goes beyond that because it is as much about the data collection process as it is about any system enforced data rules. You need to have a set of clearly defined processes and expectations in place that drive the accuracy of your data. Embedded rules only serve to augment the overriding processes, not the other way around.

Don't Discount Visual Data

The data you've collected is available in two different formats: graphical and tabular (non-graphical) and each can be equally important in extracting meaningful information. Graphical information includes the display styles of the data objects on the map where color, symbols, and other visual characteristics can make a difference in how you interpret the data. Even the base map layers can make a difference - for example, changing or adding a topographic base map can help you discern the elevation of the area surrounding a point or feature of interest and use that information to drive a decision or action plan.

Export, Aggregate, Analyze

Once you have a compilation of your own data that is a large enough sample to work with, decide on the output format (or formats) that would provide the best platform for you to extract meaningful information from. Export the data out of SpatialWorx into the desired format(s) using the tools provided. Once you have a set of exported data you can optionally aggregate it with data from other sources and then query it based on the objectives of your project. This process yields information pulled out of the raw data.

From Information to Insight

So, how do you now get from information to insight? What tools or processes can you use to pull meaning out of your data and information? Although every organization has different goals and objectives here are a few things that apply to any project and dataset.

• Sort, filter, group, and segment your data in ways that will maximize and highlight meaning.
• Use visualization tools to display your information in charts, graphs, heatmaps, or any other visual media or format so it is easier to see relationships and trends. This process brings your data to life and by itself can lead to insights.
• Share your data with others, either inside or outside your organization, to foster valuable new insights by filtering it through the different perspectives and experiences of others.
• Examine everything to find out what is missing and plug it in - at this point you may find you don't have the right information or even enough information to gain the right perspective you need to transform that into valuable insights; if that is the case review the entire process and fill the gaps.
• Draw conclusions and develop insights - assuming you now have the big picture this is the point where it all comes together in clarity.

Turn Insights Into Actions

Now that you have valuable insights that you've carefully gleaned from the data you collected it's time to put them into action. This means taking a careful look at your goals and objectives. And while this is very subjective for every organization and project here are some hypothetical examples of insights that could drive actions.

• The results of your political survey show your candidate has a higher level of support among women than men in one particular neighborhood; take an action to find various women's groups in that area and schedule speaking engagements
• The results of your wildlife survey of mountain lions in a specific county in California indicate they don't have access to a viable food source on their side of an interstate highway; take an action to develop plans for tunnels under the highway to allow unfettered movement into areas with more sources of food
• The results of your inspection of fire hydrants indicates a pattern of possible failures in one specific area due to variance in water pressure levels that are frequently higher than in other areas; take an action to review the water system and track down the cause of pressure variances as well as replace the hydrants that are most prone to failure
• The results of your survey of vehicular accidents along one stretch of city roads indicates a higher incidence than in other parts of the city; take an action to evaluate lighting conditions and road surface conditions and make recommandations on changes