How do you create effective GIS workflows?

1 Define your objectives and requirements

Before you start any GIS project, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish and what you need to do it. This means defining your objectives, questions, outputs, and deliverables, as well as identifying your data sources, methods, tools, and standards. By defining your objectives and requirements, you can plan your workflow more efficiently and avoid unnecessary or irrelevant tasks.

2 Design your workflow logically and visually

Once you have defined your objectives and requirements, you can design your workflow by breaking it down into smaller and manageable steps. A good way to do this is to use a visual tool, such as a flowchart, a diagram, or a map, that shows the inputs, outputs, and connections of each step. This can help you organize your workflow logically and visually, as well as identify any gaps, dependencies, or redundancies.

3 Document and communicate your workflow

A well-documented and communicated workflow can help you and others understand and follow the steps and processes involved in your GIS project. This means creating and updating documentation, such as metadata, reports, manuals, or comments, that describe the data, methods, tools, and results of your workflow. It also means communicating your workflow to your team members, clients, or stakeholders, using appropriate formats, such as presentations, maps, or dashboards.

4 Automate and streamline your workflow

One of the benefits of GIS is that it allows you to automate and streamline many tasks and processes that would otherwise be tedious or repetitive. This can help you save time, reduce errors, and increase consistency and quality. To automate and streamline your workflow, you can use various tools and techniques, such as scripts, models, geoprocessing tools, or web services, that can perform complex or multiple operations with minimal input.

5 Test and validate your workflow

Testing and validating your workflow is essential to ensure that it works as intended and produces accurate and reliable results. This means checking and verifying the data, methods, tools, and outputs of your workflow at different stages, using various methods, such as quality control, error checking, or peer review. Testing and validating your workflow can help you identify and correct any issues, errors, or inconsistencies that may affect your results or outputs.

6 Review and improve your workflow

Creating effective GIS workflows is an ongoing and iterative process that requires constant review and improvement. This means evaluating the performance, efficiency, and quality of your workflow, as well as the relevance and usefulness of your results or outputs. It also means seeking feedback, suggestions, or best practices from others, such as colleagues, experts, or users, that can help you improve your workflow. Reviewing and improving your workflow can help you learn from your experience and adapt to changing needs or conditions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?