I joined CE Geotech shortly after the company began incorporating GIS into its field data collection processes. In the geotechnical industry, compliance testing is typically carried out across large construction sites using site reference grids, often created in CAD software. Despite this, GIS remains underutilized for marking test locations. To address this gap, we adopted GIS Cloud and its Mobile Data Collection (MDC) app, allowing us to capture both the location and results of field tests. This setup enabled clients to view data in real time through their own secure, web-based map viewers.

While effective at first, the addition of Trimble’s location services to obtain centimeter-level accuracy on Easting and Northing coordinates introduced new challenges. Staff were required to switch between multiple apps: Trimble for location data, Excel for calculating test results, and MDC for entering and submitting final data. This multi-platform approach created friction for new users and slowed down adoption of the system. Commercial alternatives like ArcGIS could streamline parts of this workflow, but they come with high costs and limit our ability to control and monetize client access to data.

To overcome these issues, we implemented a solution that combines commercial and open-source GIS tools. We established a PostGIS database as a central data hub, which integrates with GIS Cloud, Merginmaps, and QGIS. This setup allows us to automate the import of GPS data directly from our devices and input raw test results into a form that performs real-time calculations to eliminate the need to switch between apps. The result is a seamless, efficient workflow where data is entered, processed, and visualized in a unified system, while maintaining the flexibility to deliver customized, real-time map viewers to our clients.