EcoInformatics International

Canadian Institute of Geomatics Futures Dialogue 2005, Ottawa

The 98th Annual CIG Conference “Geomatics Empowering the Future,” held in Ottawa in June 2005, provided the appropriate opportunity to launch the first Futures Dialogue.

The theme of the discussion was set by Jack Smith, Director of Science and Technology Foresight, Office of the National Science Advisor, PCO, with a keynote address on S&T Foresight & Geomatics: Enabling New Tools for Policy Futures. A multi-stakeholder panel was composed of Terry Tarle (Vice-President, Sierra Systems); Bob Moses, (President, PCI Geomatics); Keith Thompson (past Scientific Director of GEOIDE); Jeff Labonte (Director General, Data Management and Dissemination Branch , NRCan); and Brian Maloney (Surveyor General of Ontario).

The Questions the futures panel addressed What long term strategic foresights will keep our community at the leading edge of innovation and application? What barriers will have to be overcome? What unique opportunities exist for partnerships, alliances, education, and integration of technologies?

The Future’s Panel presents a multi-stakeholder and multi-technology foresight of the Future. The panel used a simplified version of strategic architecture to map their visions of the future and explored strategies how to get there.

Some of the observations:

• Increasing rate , acceleration of change
• The emergence of good governance as strategic intent reflects the higher value-added products and services from Geomatics.
• A change in management approach from managing core competencies to managing for good governance and good practice. This in itself is already reflected in issue management and response approaches and the emergence of distinct communities of practice.
• The market becoming the major driver of geomatics rather than government.
• Significant changes in the profession and business environment; the need for expanding the profession and new partnership and coalitions
• Geomatics tools and technologies expanding faster across society than the profession and the business segment can adapt.
• Best practice or next practice? best practice today reflects the optimum convergence of technologies and practice of the past. The accelerated rate of change requires focus on developing and implementing “next” practices now.
  

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