ConsultancyGIS News
Salford GIS Help Crime Fighters
We have recently run a series of successful MapInfo training courses for Lancashire Constabulary. The courses were broken down in to Intermediate and Advanced levels, based around their data, and held on-site at their Headquarters in Hutton, Lancashire.
During this time we trained over 40 staff and analysts.
Scott Keay, Senior Intelligence Analyst said, “Salford GIS provided an excellent and very professional service. All the trainees remarked about having their high expectations met, while the trainer was extremely knowledgeable and always had an answer to any query or question anyone in the group raised”.
27th April 2010
Making Free Data Priceless
There is an old adage which states, 'If it's free then it's not worth having!'. In April 2010 the Ordnance Survey have set out to prove that this advice is a very long way removed from the truth.
Since earlier this month a number of high profile and high value data sets which did cost thousands, if not tens of thousands of pounds, have been made available for free public download. And there are more to follow in May.
Couple this with the increasing sophistication of Open Source desktop mapping software, and high powered, data rich, analytical GIS is now within the grasp of even the smallest organisation on the tightest budget.
Salford GIS can help steer both experienced GIS users and organisations with no previous experience, who want to understand how to make better use of free data, not only that from the Ordnance Survey, but also a myriad of other free data sets available on the internet.
Give us a call on 0161 278 2440 to see how we can make 'free' become priceless.
Ordnance Survey Free Data
13th April 2010
Free Data from the OS?
Just seven days after the closure of the much anticipated 'Ordnance Survey Data Consultation' the Prime Minister has made an announcement to whet the appetite of those who wish to feast on geographic information.
In a speech on 'Building Britains Digital Future' Gordon Brown stated:
"And following the strong support in our recent consultation, I can confirm that from 1st April, we will be making a substantial package of information held by Ordnance Survey freely available to the public, without restrictions on re-use. Further details on the package and government’s response to the consultation will be published by the end of March.
"And I can also tell you today that in the autumn the Government will publish online an inventory of all non-personal datasets held by departments and arms-length bodies - a 'domesday book' for the 21st century. "
Many in the industry have been startled by the speed of the announcement and while the meat still needs to be added to the bones it is clear that the releasing of any information, along with the proposed 'doomsday book', will bring geographical analysis to the desktop of many organisations who had previously been deterred by high entry costs.
Salford GIS is ideally placed to help those new to the wonderful world of spatial analysis by independently advising on data and systems, training users, and undertaking bureau or outsourcing work.
23rd March 2010
GIS Lifebelt
Salford GIS is pleased to announce the launch of a new concept in supporting GIS users - GIS Lifebelt.
Since its inception, Salford GIS has earned a reputation for highly effective GIS training courses that provide attendees with an excellent grounding in the use of what can be complicated software.
Whilst face-to-face teaching is the best way for new and experienced staff to learn and improve their GIS skills, Salford GIS wanted to ensure that the training shouldn’t stop with the end of the course.
Salford GIS Director Rob Knight explains: “Once back in the office users often find the pressures of work hinder their ability to remember everything learnt in the relatively relaxed environment of the training room. Colleagues demanding data to be added, maps to be produced or analysis work to be completed within tight timescales can be difficult to cope with. People need access to support on demand."
Understanding this need saw Salford GIS create and introduce the GIS Lifebelt. The GIS Lifebelt is a support package that means users are never left to struggle on their own again; help is always at hand.
Rob Knight again; “Owners of a GIS Lifebelt have access to a comprehensive online library of tutorial videos backed up with support via telephone/email from Salford GIS consultants should they need it. By working with our customers, we have found that people prefer support that is quick and easy to access, and in particular would prefer self-service access to that support rather than repeatedly contacting their GIS Manager or IT helpdesk.
There are some fantastic advances in GIS at the moment, but at the user level there are a lot of people still trying to master the basics. The Online Tutorials are carefully designed to be user friendly and concise, enabling subscribers to continue to learn as they go.”
Initially for ArcView™ and MapInfo® software, the tutorials available as part of the GIS Lifebelt use UK data and will constantly evolve in line with the customer feedback, to cover more topics and new software releases.
GIS Lifebelt
5th October 2009
Summer Offers on Training
Want to save some money on the cost of GIS Training?
For our ArcGIS and MapInfo courses we're offering reduced course fees for dates scheduled in July, August and September 2009!
For two-day courses, single places are available at £450 each (were £550) and if you book two or more people they're only £400 per person!
For one-day courses, the fee is just £250 (was £300)
Remember these prices only apply to scheduled course dates between July and
September (see below for schedule), so don't miss out!
Reduced rates apply to the following dates only:-
Introduction to MapInfo - 7th & 8th July
Introduction to MapInfo - 8th & 9th September
Advanced MapInfo - 23rd July
Advanced MapInfo - 17th September
Introduction to ArcView - 14th & 15th July
Introduction to ArcView - 15th & 16th September
Intermediate ArcView - 30th September & 1st October
Advanced ArcView - 29th September
Click here to reserve a place
2nd July 2009
GIS Online Tutorials Imminent
Over the past few months we have been working extensively to develop a set of practical, comprehensive and invaluable on-line tutorials which we will be offering as a service to public and private sector clients.
These tutorials will be available initially for ArcView 9.3 and MapInfo 9.5, and will be regularly added to and upgraded to new versions of the software as they are released by their vendors.
Costs to access the tutorials will be very competitive and will allow access for up to fifty individuals across an organisation.
ArcView course coordinator Rob Knight commented 'These easy to use tutorials are designed to complement our existing taught course in that they allow people to refresh their memories about functions that they may not regularly use, or find better ways of working.'
Watch this space for a release date. If you want to be at the front of the queue, initial enquiries can be made to rob@salford-gis.co.uk
30th June 2009
Barcelona Bangers Sites Launched
As we mentioned last year, Paul and Chris are driving £200 worth of scrap metal down to Barcelona at the end of May in aid of Charity.
Two websites have been launched, a blog of the build-up to the event and a justgiving site where you can gift-aid a donation to the charity MapAction.
Click on the link below to find out more. Barcelona Bangers Details
6th March 2009
Launch of GeoNorth Consortium
Salford GIS Ltd and Manchester Geomatics Ltd are pleased to announce the launch of a new joint-venture, The GeoNorth Consortium.
The GeoNorth Consortium will provide a wide range of GIS and Information Management Services via a single point of contact, with a particular focus on services designed for local & national government organisations and agencies.
Both founding companies have built their reputations on vendor independence and customer service, with particular areas of excellence in LLPG/NSG Consultancy & Maintenance, GI Strategy and Training,. They aim to offer solutions that are practical, imaginative and cost-effective, driven first and foremost by business need
As Rob Knight from Salford GIS explains: “We have respected each other’s work for a long time and have come to the realisation that we seldom compete despite both companies being based within a few miles of each other. We’re looking forward to working together on more and more projects where we can leverage one another’s expertise to the benefit of our clients.”
Ed Scrase from Manchester Geomatics adds “ we are both keen to maintain our independence, but the various skills and services we each offer are highly complementary. The vision is that by pooling these resources through a consortium we will be able to offer clients a more comprehensive range of services and a more complete solution
The GeoNorth Consortium can be contacted on 0845 8677112, www.geonorth.co.uk
7th October 2008
7th October 2008