GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Analysts are mapmakers who use GIS technology to capture and organize spatial information and present it in a digital format. They work at the intersection of data analysis, programming and cartography. Their findings are used to produce maps and make decisions about land use. GIS analysts also do fieldwork, making observations and collecting data, or verifying their findings. They use technical equipment to anticipate geographic changes and capture those changes in charts and graphs.

The maps and analysis GIS Analysts create are useful in a wide range of sectors, including, but not limited to:- local, state and federal government agencies; environmental services; natural resource exploration; urban planning and transportation; health; engineering; consulting agencies; geology; archaeology; agriculture; aerospace; ecology; conducting demographic, market and political research.

Let’s break it down into simple business-enhancing terms. What value can a GIS Analyst really bring to your business? Here’s a quick look at five key reasons why you need a GIS Analyst in your business:-

• IMPROVED ANALYSIS OF MARKET SHARE AND COMPETITION
• The ability to analyze and visualize the geographic component of data reveals hidden trends, patterns and opportunities. For example, by combining information, such as sales data, customer information, and competitor locations, with geographic data, such as demographics, territories, or store locations, a GIS Analyst can help you better understand your market, customers, and competitors. It is a valuable asset for determining new site expansions or reductions and targeting new customers.

• STRONGER LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN
• Studies show that companies using sophisticated supply chain methods achieve profit levels 12 times greater than those with less sophisticated solutions. Capacity LLC, advanced GIS mapping improves logistics, optimizes delivery routes and accelerates shipping times.

• IMPROVED COMPANY ASSET MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT
• A study by Raconteur showed that 80% of maintenance time is spent fixing issues instead of preventing them. GIS Analysts provide key visual data on operations which allows companies to predict when assets need to be replaced, how to effectively use them, and how to reduce the cost of managing them. GIS software can even be integrated with CAD software to allow engineers to visualize the status of physical assets and fix them with 3D modeling - an effective cost-saving as they can identify exactly what is needed for repairs.

• CREATE A COMMON ‘LANGUAGE’ ACROSS ORGANIZATIONAL BOUNDARIES
• The geo-spatial data and maps created by GIS Analysts create a commonality that has the power to weave together and integrate traditionally disparate business functions. This is due to each of these diverse functions ultimately being dependent upon the location and spatial relationships between real property, assets, and people.

• INCREASED EFFICIENCIES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS
• Data and analyses produced by a GIS Analyst can be shared across different business units, reducing redundant research and marketing efforts, speeding analysis of results, and allowing decision-makers to perform at a higher level of efficiency. 

In summary, GIS Analysts add significant value to your business as they are able to analyze and present solutions to the spatial components of most business problems. Let’s face it - data on its own has no value. You need a GIS Analyst’s skills to provide simple visual ways to integrate, display, and analyze otherwise complex geographic information that means nothing on its own. There’s no end to the spatial information that can be mapped and analyzed - whether it’s developing a neighbourhood, conserving a wildlife habitat, improving infrastructure, or streamlining operations. GIS Analysts’ work impacts and shapes the way humans interact with the world around them. Their analysis improves our understanding of the social, geological, and temporal dynamics that contribute to some of the world’s - and business’s - most challenging problems. The maps and reports they produce provide the necessary foundation for increased revenue, lower costs, greater efficiency and productivity, and reduced risk.

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