Location technology is hardware and software (such as Maptitude mapping software) that allow you to leverage space, place, time, and geography in order to make more informed decisions using data that have a geospatial component.
Most data in spreadsheets and databases have a place-based component that is created or measured and analyzed using location technology. Two-dimensional (2-D) maps are a great way to visualize your organization’s tabular records, allowing you to quickly see the information and trends hidden in your geographic data.
Just as we have all used digital maps and directions because they are an intuitive way for people to understand and analyze data, it is also true that three-dimensional (3-D) geographic information systems (GIS) are a powerful location technology for understanding and working with big data, such as that for transportation systems. When you zoom in on a 3-D GIS simulation, you are essentially filtering by space and time what would otherwise be a huge amount of raw and complex data. For example, if you are planning a new shopping mall, you can show members of the public what impact it would have on their evening commute by dropping into one of the simulated vehicles. And rather than forcing them to relive their future commute, you can speed up the simulation allowing an exploration of several what-if scenarios so that stakeholders can decide on the best possible plan.
Location technologies can use data from an organizations’ systems and in a wide variety of file formats. This ability to merge and overlay datasets exposes errors and holes in data collections, resulting in a need to standardize, synchronize, and clean the information held in disparate sources.
Being able to analyze and share location information via location software empowers an organization to make better informed decisions when:
Location technology companies include organizations such as Caliper Corporation that produce location software such as Maptitude mapping software. Maptitude uses integrated location-based data to enhance your own results, adding location intelligence to your "business intelligence" toolkit.
Location technology platforms such as Foursquare use data on customers to rank different types of businesses, such as fast-food chains, with Maptitude user Hardees (CKE Restaurants) highly ranked.
Location technology is powerful and versatile and can be used in most industries to explore a variety of tasks. Follow this link to see how various sectors use location technology.
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