ATGIS is part of Tablelands Regional Council
Improving community safety through Wildfire Mitigation…
An Open Source Case Study
FOSS4G 2009
Alistair Hart, Coordinator GISAtherton Tablelands Geographic Information Services
Presentation Content
• Website functionality
• Website architecture
• Why select Open Source?
• What issues did we run into?
• How did we solve them?
Where is ATGIS located?
Sydney
Atherton
Two rules of this web project
1. This is not a GIS
2. The rule of least astonishment
Why? Target audience…
Wildfire hazard management stakeholders• Almost entirely non-spatial professionals• Rural firefighting volunteers (often farmers)
Website Features
• User admin console• Create maps online
• Layer control (inc. labelling)• Custom layer creation• PHP forms to attribute custom objects• PDF map creation• Custom URL link tool
• Download facility• GIS data• Pre-constructed PDF maps• Documents (reports, presentations, etc)
• File Exchange• FEEDBACK FORM
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
http://wildfire.atgis.com.au
PDF Map Creation
Online digitizing function
• Capacity to add fire trails, water access points, hazards, prescribed burns etc.
• Can add attributes to each of these objects
• http://wildfire.atgis.com.au/maps/?k=45,8,48,101,6,5,7,1,12,14,104,16,U411&l=48,101,1,27,28,12,16&x=145.38619&y=-17.37095&z=15
Managing submitted data
Architecture - summary
Classical vendor profile
OS community creativity
Why Free & Open Source?
• Startup and ongoing maintenance costs (licensing vs development)
• Capital focussed project funding base ($$ for startup but not maintenance)
• Reinforcing our ethos of ‘code once, not licence annually’
Why Free & Open Source?
• Access to developer skills => Recruit/Contract OS technology skills base generally more abundant than closed source
• Capacity to increase scalability across multiple processors and locations at no additional cost
• Eg. portable wifi-webmapping service for disaster response
Re-use for low-cost community projects
Re-use for low-cost community projects
What issues did we encounterand how did we solve them?
• User support• self-help animated GIF files• online feedback tool• face to face training and telephone support
• Speed of information deliveryMany users still on dialup internet (~20%)• Performance tuning tile server• OS products – small footprint
• Dependency on vendor goodwill (ie. Google)• License terms are dynamic but have shifted in our favour (so
far)• Interested in alternatives (eg. Open Layers)
Issues and resolution 2.0 (iR 2.0?)
• ‘Deep’ technology stack requires a broad skills base to support
• Funding for maintenance (like there is none…)
• Commercialisation - converting offering from service based solution, to a solution able to be maintained by end-users (NQWMP 3.0?)
• OS acceptance in the public sector
Where to from here?
• Functionality enhancements scheduled• Tighter integration with smartphones
• Sourcing of appropriate technology stack to manage ongoing maintenance liability (any feedback?)
• Review code to ensure sustainable development resource
• Another great project… presented at Barcelona!
Questions?