The Highland Council

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The Highland Council

Fujitsu worked with the planning department to create a business plan. This recommended the rollout of a system that would give access to GIS through a simple web browser connected to the council’s intranet. The solution would require two new servers dedicated to the storage of Ordnance Survey information and the hosting of the mapping software.

Customer's Challenge

The Highland Council had several Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications. There were over 90 users, mainly within the planning and technical services departments, that handled issues relating to planning applications, transport, roads and buildings. The department was experiencing a rising number of requests from other departments for GIS style output, such as detailed street maps, and for access to GIS software for more sophisticated uses. Very often these requests were relatively simple, arising from a need to know, for example, in which ward a particular property stood.

The council recognised a need to make GIS open to a wider audience, particularly as it was working towards the integration of its management systems. However, it knew that GIS software was expensive to purchase, complex to use, would demand more desktop power and would increase training and support overheads. The challenge was to find an appropriate and affordable way to meet current demand and also plan for the future.

Fujitsu's Solution

Fujitsu worked with the planning department to create a business plan. This recommended the rollout of a system that would give access to GIS through a simple web browser connected to the council’s intranet. The solution would require two new servers dedicated to the storage of Ordnance Survey information and the hosting of the mapping software.

Benefits to our Customer

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) development in the council had been geared around software that cost £800 - £1500 or more per seat, required specialist training and needed to run on high specification PCs. The council now has GIS search and view facilities on 3,500 desktop PCs at an implementation cost of £34 per user. The capability allows for simple map viewing, through access to planning applications to sophisticated asset management. The new system allows the council’s Service Points to improve responsiveness to customers, particularly with regard to planning and community works.

Web GIS is also expected to play a key role in future CRM (Customer Relationship Management) applications because it allows easy identification of an address, using a map interface.

The new system is delivered through an expandable infrastructure that will enable the building of specific applications on both the Intranet and Internet. To support future development, the system provides monthly usage reports indicating the type of access, length of use and numbers of concurrent users.

“The GIS project is an ideal example of modernising government. It allows us to store data once for multiple uses; giving us a powerful way of sharing information, reducing costs and improving service,” said Jon Shepherd, GIS Manager, Planning and Development Service. “Previously we had to buy an expensive licence for each user, now we have one central licence, which allows an unlimited number of users.

High-end desktop GIS is still required for a small number of specialists involved in data creation and management, sophisticated analysis and cartographic work, but we have the potential for developing more powerful web-based applications now which may answer some of these needs.”

Our Approach

After identifying requirements, Fujitsu created a technical design in association with the software supplier; procured and installed suitable servers; integrated the new software and hardware with the existing infrastructure; conducted rigorous testing then rolled out a pilot to a small number of users.

The system went live to all 3,500 users across the council in July 2002. “There’s been a huge amount of interest,” said Jon Shepherd, GIS Manager, Planning and Development Service. The system was designed so that, with an additional server providing appropriate security, it could be made available to the public via the council’s web site in the future.

Our Expertise

While the council had some internal GIS expertise, Fujitsu complemented this with its own experience in GIS plus its knowledge of infrastructure management and its system integration skills. Fujitsu also brought commercial acumen and took responsibility for management of the third part supplier. As Fujitsu was already responsible for the council’s IT infrastructure, it knew that everything was in place as it rolled out the application.