Blog

Automation of Semi-Dynamic Maps with Geoprocessing

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

With the increasing focus on information security across all sectors of government, IT policies are placing increased restrictions on information architectures, including GIS. While these restrictions may not prevent the development of a robust enterprise geospatial architecture, the approval and accreditation processes can introduce significant delays, during which work must continue. This is where workarounds come into play.

LIDAR Applications

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Light detection and ranging, or LIDAR, is a type of remote sensing technology that is similar to radar. It is used in a variety of geographic and environmental applications to model and analyze the physical world.

Often mounted to an airplane or motor vehicle, the sensing unit uses radio waves and the measured time delay between pulse transmission and reflected pulse receipt to determine the distance from an object. There are two styles in which this data can be received by the unit. Some units use what is called “discrete-return,” which only records data at predetermined precise locations (space or time). Some refer to this style as “point” because it returns information specific to locations. The other type of data receipt is called “waveform,” which records data nearly continuously from the unit.

How to Create a Favicon for Your Website

Friday, February 22, 2013

A favicon is a small icon associated with a website or a web page. Many favicons are simply the logo of the organization or business. In a browser, a favicon appears next to a website title when bookmarked. You will also see them in your browser tabs, and if you’re using Internet Explorer, the address bar. Firefox previously allowed them in the address bar, but removed this feature early last year to increase security and hide fraudulent SSL-esque favicons.

Why use a favicon?

Having a favicon is by no means essential to your website. However, a favicon becomes part of your site’s identity, gives your site a professional look, and can actually improve the overall quality of a website. Because we notice images before we read text, a favicon can also help your visitors find your website quicker in their bookmarks or from a group of open tabs.

Four Principles of Small Business Teaming

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

As a small professional services company, Zekiah is constantly evaluating opportunities and making decisions about how to approach and/or respond to those opportunities. One of the most important decisions that can be made as part of the bid/no-bid process is teaming. For small businesses, teaming can be the life blood of business development and building a good team can be the difference between a win and a loss. What follows are four principles regarding teaming that have served me well during the course of my career:

Best Practices for a Data Collection Event Using a GPS Unit

Friday, December 7, 2012

I have been a part of three different data collection efforts that collected line geometry and infrastructure of recreational trails. One effort was the development of the Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) Trails Inventory Program. This effort involved collecting trails data in FWS national wildlife refuges across the United States. The second was an effort to collect trails data on all of the recreational trails at Haleakala National Park in Hawaii. This effort was based upon the FWS trails data collection with a few minor changes to how the data was collected. In the third effort I was responsible for taking the data to its final state and for training field staff employed by the Student Conservation Association.

Based on these experiences, I have come to understand that the keys to a successful data collection effort lie in:

· Communication

· Planning

· Flexibility, and

· Very clear goals of what is to be accomplished.