Celebrating the data pipeline to our maps
This GIS Day, we celebrate a year of developing our Data Improvement Programme.
These days, data is crucial for every service - especially maps. However, for data to be useful, it must have integrity. To protect and improve the integrity of the spatial data we use for our maps, we spent the last year running our Data Improvement Program. Our goal is to verify public outdoor access rights across various parcels of land using modern automated workflows.
Public access matters
Communities need to know where they have public access rights to enjoy our natural surroundings and public spaces. However, accurately representing these rights in data is a complex task. Our programme enhances the accuracy of our data and helps us identify areas that need further technical or human analysis. By doing so, we can gauge the completeness and reliability of our maps.
Achievements this year
Our GIS Team has made progress in five key areas:
- Script analysis: We have taught our system to automatically analyse the original data using logic and reference materials to identify public access areas.
- Refining public access components: Our GIS team collaborates closely with our operations team to define and refine the components of public access to help our script identify parcels of public access.
- Codifying operational logic: We are codifying the components of public access, allowing us to ensure data consistency.
- Constructing a data pipeline: We built a data pipeline incorporating a structured decision-making hierarchy. When data about a land parcel enters the pipeline, we look at the land's statutory purpose, title purpose, title memorials, and critical third-party data to determine whether it has public access.
- Leveraging modern techniques: To handle and analyse free-text queries, we're employing contemporary methods such as Python regular expressions, Pandas DataFrames, and Natural Language Processing.
Looking ahead
Once our data pipeline is fully up-and-running, we will make iterative improvements to reduce uncertainties. By reducing the number of data points that require follow-up human analysis, we can process more data and improve the quality of our data.
The Data Improvement Program represents our commitment to transparency, accountability, and improving public access rights. By ensuring that our spatial data is accurate and comprehensive, we contribute to the wellbeing of our communities by allowing them to enjoy the spaces that belong to us all.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to innovate and improve.