Knowledge Base

Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, link data to location. This allows your organisation to see patterns, plan projects more effectively, and make informed decisions. GIS helps you manage land, assets, or networks by turning raw data into clear, visual insights that guide action. 

GIS solves a wide range of location-based challenges by turning complex data into spatial intelligence. It can:

• Identify sales gaps or underserved areas for business development
• Run countrywide site feasibility studies using layered datasets such as terrain, zoning, and access
• Support biodiversity mapping to pinpoint areas needing conservation efforts using open data from MAGIC or data.gov.uk
• Streamline field data collection, replacing manual site logs with digital survey apps to reduce admin time

In short, GIS helps you understand where things happen and why - improving planning, performance, and sustainability.

GIS connects spatial features to real-world data, whereas CAD focuses on design and measurement.

CAD tools like AutoCAD or SolidWorks are excellent for engineering drawings and 3D modelling. GIS platforms such as Esri ArcGIS or QGIS are designed to analyse, store, and display geographic data in its real-world context.

GIS is about visual representation of features and how they relate to everything around them.

All of the above are different tools that can be used to visualise geographic information. 

• Esri provides a commercial suite of enterprise tools that are comprehensive and well-supported.
• QGIS is open-source and flexible, giving users strong analytical control and freedom to customise.
• MapLibre focuses on modern web mapping, ideal for online visualisation and lightweight applications.

The tools you decide to use depends on your scale and infrastructure. Oftentimes a GIS system is made up of a number of interconnected tools with specific workflows to fulfil all requirements effectively.

In many cases, no. Web-based GIS platforms such as ArcGIS Online or MapLibre allow you to view and interact with maps through a browser.

If you need to analyse data or run more advanced processes, desktop tools like QGIS or ArcGIS Pro provide the necessary functionality. The level of access you need depends on whether you are viewing, editing, or analysing data.  

The accuracy of GIS depends entirely on the quality of the data that goes into it. GIS itself is a framework for displaying and analysing data, not creating it.

To improve accuracy, it’s important to validate datasets regularly, maintain consistent coordinate systems, and document sources clearly. We often help organisations clean and prepare their data to ensure they are building on a reliable foundation.

Public datasets such as those on data.gov.uk are well maintained but should always be reviewed to understand their collection and update cycles.

Yes! most modern GIS platforms connect easily with everyday business tools. Spatial connectors and APIs make it possible to link datasets from Excel, databases, or cloud storage directly into GIS maps, and to embed live GIS layers inside Power BI dashboards for richer visual reporting. 

These integrations let teams combine spatial insight with existing analytics and workflows. A GIS specialist can help configure these connections securely so that updates flow both ways, ensuring your maps and dashboards always reflect the latest data.

A GIS Consultant can be a valuable addition at any stage of your geospatial journey.  Bringing in a consultant ensures that your investment in GIS supports wider business goals and delivers results you can measure. 

Whether it is to advise on the implementation of a new system, to assist in fragmented tool consolidation, or conducting a full review of current GIS workflows to help improve efficiency, we can provide expertise at every level to help your business make the most out of it’s geospatial investment.

Typical engagement points include:

• Designing and implementing new GIS solutions
• Consolidating fragmented tools or data sources
• Reviewing existing workflows to identify efficiency gains
• Supporting compliance, reporting, or decision-making frameworks

A GIS consultancy helps organisations use spatial data more effectively. We work to make sure that GIS isn’t just a technical asset but a tool that supports operational and strategic decisions. 

On a typical day, we might:

• Develop spatial strategies and roadmaps
• Build automated data pipelines and validation processes
• Configure interactive web maps and dashboards
• Deliver staff training and technical support
• Advise on data governance, security, and system integration

We follow our Discovery → Scoping → Delivery → Review pathway:

1. Discovery: A collaborative workshop to understand context, data, and objectives.
2. Scoping: Defining deliverables, workflows, and dependencies.
3. Delivery: Implementing solutions in clear, trackable phases.
4. Review: Ensuring outcomes meet expectations and identifying next steps.

Projects are costed according to the scale of work and level of integration involved. Some are fixed-fee, others are phased or delivered through a retainer, depending on what suits your team best.

Not at all! Many organisations engage us as their external GIS team. We can also work alongside your analysts, IT staff, or planners to strengthen internal capability. This flexible approach means you only draw on our support when it’s needed.

If you already hold datasets, metadata, or documentation, sharing these helps us get up to speed quickly. Knowing your coordinate systems, formats, and workflows allows us to align the solution with your current setup from the outset. Any existing data or documentation helps accelerate the Discovery process. This may include:

• Core datasets (spatial and tabular)
• File formats and coordinate systems
• Existing reports, schemas, or maps
• System architecture diagrams or integration points

The more context we have early on, the more precise and efficient our recommendations can be.

It varies with scope. We prefer to deliver in stages so that progress is visible and value is realised early. 

Timelines vary by scope and integration complexity:

• Small web applications or dashboards: 2–6 weeks
• System migrations or data modelling: 6–12 weeks
• Full enterprise GIS setups or integrations: 3–6 months

Strategic GIS defines what you need and why — setting direction, governance, and priorities.

Technical delivery builds how you’ll achieve it — through configuration, coding, and deployment.

We combine both, ensuring that your technology stack directly supports your strategic goals. Explore this further on our Divisions page.

We operate under strict data protection protocols, including:

• Full UK GDPR compliance
• Encrypted storage for all hosted data and backups
• Controlled access via role-based permissions and audit trails
• NDA-backed confidentiality for all project personnel

Security is embedded in every stage of delivery, from system design to final handover.

By centralising your data in a structured geodatabase or cloud GIS platform such as ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, or PostGIS, we can unify layers from CAD, Excel, and field apps into one accessible source of truth, complete with version control and metadata standards.

Often this is due to mismatched identifiers, inconsistent schemas, or legacy formats. We resolve this through:

• API development or middleware integration
• ETL pipelines (Extract–Transform–Load)
• Data model alignment and key standardisation

The result is seamless data flow between GIS and your wider business systems.

We use open formats such as GeoPackage, GeoJSON, or File Geodatabase, maintaining attribute integrity and coordinate systems. Schema mapping and QA checks ensure minimal data loss or rework during migration.

Adopt a single, organisation-wide spatial reference — typically British National Grid (EPSG:27700) for UK operations — and publish a set of approved base maps. Publishing a standard set of base maps for all users avoids confusion and ensures accuracy across projects.  accuracy across teams.

Data quality management involves both automation and governance. We apply:

• Attribute and geometry validation rules
• QA dashboards for error tracking
• Controlled editing environments with versioning
• Clear ownership for dataset maintenance

This improves confidence and reliability in your spatial information.

Often because it feels too technical or doesn’t fit how people work. Adoption improves when tools are easy to access, relevant to users, and clearly explained.

 We design systems that are simple to use and provide clear value to every team.  

User experience comes first. We focus on clean, intuitive design and build web apps that only show the tools each user needs. Role-based permissions keep interfaces simple and relevant, encouraging people to engage with GIS confidently.

Setting up an enterprise GIS usually involves planning the infrastructure, configuring security, migrating data, and establishing clear governance.

We tailor this process to your IT environment and document every step so that systems are maintainable and future-proof.

We provide hands-on workshops and practical guidance using your own data. Training is adapted to each role so that users understand both the tools and the reasoning behind them.

Projects often struggle when data preparation is rushed or users aren’t involved early enough. Skipping governance or overcomplicating tools can also cause issues.

A structured, collaborative approach avoids these problems and helps ensure long-term success.

GIS brings together layers of wind, solar, terrain, and grid data to identify the most viable renewable energy sites. It helps developers weigh opportunities against environmental and logistical constraints before committing significant resources.

Case Study – RWE Solar Development (UK)

RWE used a GIS model built in ArcGIS to automate land-parcel screening for solar projects across the UK. The platform consolidated over 200 datasets, allowing staff to evaluate land parcels in minutes rather than hours. This improved planning success rates and provided consistent evidence-based decisions. Resource Centre | Esri UK+1

Read more: RWE Case Study – ArcGIS for Solar Resource Centre | Esri UK (Note: external reference)

​What this means for our clients

Applying GIS at the feasibility stage reduces wasted effort, helps you prioritise the most promising sites, and supports transparent planning submissions.

GIS provides a single, visual view of your land and property assets. It links ownership data, planning constraints, and site performance, helping estate and asset managers make faster, more informed decisions about acquisitions, disposals, and maintenance.

Case Study – Savills Land Referencing & Assembly Platform

Savills faced the challenge of fragmented systems and information silos in their land-referencing and land-assembly work. To streamline this, they implemented a cloud-GIS platform called SMART (Savills Mapping and Referencing Tracker) in partnership with technology provider Idox.

With SMART in place, project teams gained a unified map-driven system for uploading, accessing and analysing land-interest data rather than relying on multiple spreadsheets and legacy trackers. The result was a marked improvement in data access, stakeholder engagement and project efficiency.

Read more: Savills Geospatial Case Study – Idox & Savills (Note: external reference)

What this means for our clients

For portfolio owners or estate managers, adopting GIS in this way means you shift from reactive asset management to proactive decision-making that is based on spatial insights rather than just tabular data.

GIS provides a way to visualise and manage spatial information about finds, excavations, and historic environments. It supports site recording, heritage impact assessments, and landscape-scale analysis.

Case Study – Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project

Led by the University of Birmingham and partners, this project used GIS to integrate geophysical survey data with LiDAR and aerial imagery across the Stonehenge landscape. The approach revealed over 17 previously unknown monuments and allowed researchers to map buried structures without excavation.

Read more: Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project overview (Note: external reference)

What this means for our clients

GIS helps heritage professionals make sense of complex landscapes. It allows careful balancing of conservation priorities with development needs and provides a transparent evidence base for decision-making.

Infrastructure and utilities projects depend on clear spatial understanding — knowing where assets are, how they connect, and what constraints exist. GIS brings design, survey, and operational data into one shared system, supporting both planning and delivery.

Case Study – National Grid Infrastructure Programme

For a major corridor upgrade, National Grid used GIS to integrate land ownership, environmental constraints, and engineering design data into a single platform. Field teams accessed live maps through mobile devices, reducing survey duplication and improving coordination with landowners and contractors.

Read more: Utilities & Infrastructure Mapping & GIS – Fisher German case study (Note: external reference)

What this means for our clients

Embedding GIS into infrastructure projects creates one source of truth for teams on the ground and in the office. It supports better communication, reduces project risk, and strengthens governance across the project lifecycle.