Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

A COMMON SYMBOLOGY ACROSS NATIONAL SECURITY STAKEHOLDERS DURING THE

2012 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES

Robin Burchfield Independent GI Consultant

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

PREVIOUS INITIATIVES - POLICE

• ACPO GI Board has held long term desire for standardisation.

• Previous attempts have failed to get off the ground.

• To my knowledge, no force has yet achieved this internally.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

PREVIOUS INITIATIVES – NON-POLICE

• Cabinet Office, Military, BGS etc.

• Plenty of comprehensive symbology standards, but not ideal for police use.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

AN OPPORTUNITY ARRISES.....

• Implementation of a web based GI portal for use by multiple police forces during games period.

• A common geographic language is required.

• Constant re-use will allow symbols to become familiar and intuitive.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

SCOPE OF COMMON SYMBOLOGY

• Not to re-design symbols available on base map layers.

• Keep symbols simple and visually impactive.

• Use both existing symbology and design new symbols depending on suitability.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

METHOD

• Pragmatic approach to meet agressive timescales.

• Stakeholders engaged to garner feedback.

• Creation of functional symbols, not trying to win an art competition.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

OBSTACLES • Aggressive timescales.

• Unable to engage all and hold participative workshops.

• Subjective feedback

• Unable to completely satisfy all.

• General nonchalance.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

EXAMPLES – SOMETHING BORROWED

- LOCOG Pictograms

- OS Street Furniture

- Cabinet Office Symbols

-  and various others

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

EXAMPLES – SOMETHING NEW

-  Olympic

- Operational

-  Person

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

EXAMPLES – SOMETHING BLUE

-  Vehicles

Police Assets:

-  People

-  Other

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

SUCCESSES

• General feedback has been very positive.

• So far, a handful of police have requested the symbols for use within their own domain.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

REFLECTION

• A bit of a mis-match of symbols and styles.

• Would have liked more time to thoroughly engage national stakeholders via regular workshops.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

LEGACY

• ACPO GI Board lead looking to move this forward as a national standard.

Mapping the Global

Village

Robin Burchfield - Independent GIS Consultant - www.spatialawareness.net

ANY QUESTIONS?

robin@spatialwareness.net