Stepping Out From Under ESRI's Shadow

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June 11, 2017
Aug 11, 2022
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5
 min
Stepping Out From Under ESRI's Shadow

Any professional working in the Geospatial domain is inherently familiar with ESRI and their software. They were already the established GIS juggernaut well before I dipped my toe into the Geospatial discipline for the first time in 2003. However, my current position places me with a client that values Open Source Geospatial offerings above all, and having to come out from under the comfortable umbrella of ESRI products has forced me to grow as a GIS Analyst in exciting and unexpected ways.

I found that ESRI’s familiar tools and powerful algorithms had largely become a crutch over the years, easily leaned upon without the need to completely appreciate the underlying geometries and complex calculations taking place. Entering the Open Source Geospatial world, I was left with a need to not only vet the tools that I was using, but to bridge the gap where comparable ESRI functionality had not yet been introduced.

Just as the adage goes, I found that “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Operating without the ESRI safety net, I was forced to dig deeper into the algorithms I once took for granted, or develop my own through a deep dive into Python coding and other documentation. Through a combination of available software (QGIS, GeoServer, etc.) and custom Python development, I found myself coming out stronger on the other side, a better and more competent practitioner of the Geospatial craft.

I also found a thriving and helpful community within the GIS Stack Exchange (https://gis.stackexchange.com/) while undertaking my journey into largely unfamiliar territory. I would not hesitate to recommend this resource to both those GIS Professionals venturing into Open Source solutions as well as ESRI adherents.

In conclusion, where I had anticipated my departure from ESRI to become a hindrance in my GIS career progression, I found that it instead dramatically enhanced my understanding and overall capabilities. So, I challenge my fellow Geospatial practitioners to step out of their comfort zones, and if you’ve neglected to delve into Python programming or exploration of the ever-growing Open Source offerings, there’s no time like the present to get onboard and become a more rounded Geospatial Professional.