2026-09-03 –, Room2
How JR West Democratized Geospatial Data to Tackle the Technical Succession Crisis
Speaker : Hirofumi Hayashi
The Crisis
Facing a critical labor shortage and the retirement of veteran staff, JR West needed to preserve 'tribal knowledge' regarding their vast infrastructure and maintain safety with a shrinking workforce.
The Strategy
Moving away from specialist-only GIS tools, the company developed the 'Digital Rail Map'—a mobile-first, search-centric platform accessible to all employees, designed to mimic consumer map apps.
The Result
The tool achieved mass adoption with over 10,000 Monthly Active Users, transforming how field teams navigate, coordinate, and manage safety in real-time.
For an overview, please visit this site.
https://media.jrw-ip.jp/solution-product/products/6399/
PostgreSQL and PostGIS
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martin server
python
GIS Engineer at Applied Technology Co., Ltd. (応用技術株式会社), working on WebGIS and geospatial data processing with open-source geospatial technologies.
Hirofumi Hayashi is a GIS developer with over 35 years of experience.
As a founding member and former Vice Chair of OSGeo Japan, he has been instrumental in promoting open-source GIS technologies both in Japan and internationally. He played a pivotal role in the localization of OSGeo4W and authored some of the earliest guides on WebGIS construction.
Currently, he focuses on developing geospatial information systems for the railway industry and educational applications for disaster information. He also serves as a member of the FOSS4G-ASIA Organizing Committee.
His influential contributions have been recognized with the Good Design Award (2024).
I am the Product Manager for DigitalRailMap and work in the IT System Design Department at JR West Japan Consultants Company.
Section Chief, IT System Design Department, JR West Japan Consultants Company
I work as a railway construction consultant, engaged in system development, data management and technology development related to GIS.