Acquiring satellite data can be a complex process, often fraught with significant challenges for EO professionals. While the promise of readily available data is made by many across the industry, the reality of negotiating and acquiring specific satellite images can be far more complicated.
So, how long does it really take to secure the data you need?
We launched a survey aimed at EO users to gain a clearer picture of the satellite data landscape. We gathered insights from 390 people across Geoawesome’s social channels (LinkedIn, X, YouTube Community, and Instagram Reels).
The survey participants represent a highly diverse and global community of geospatial professionals, including data scientists, GIS analysts, engineers, researchers, founders, and government officials. Many of them hold leadership roles or advanced research positions across public institutions, universities, NGOs, and private companies involved in Earth observation, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and spatial data technologies. Their experience spans multiple sectors, including sustainable development, remote sensing, space technology, and infrastructure, reflecting both academic depth and practical expertise.
Our aim? To see firsthand insights into the real-world experiences of those navigating the satellite imagery market right now. From confusing pricing structures and slow sales processes to limitations in data options, we want to uncover the key pain points to help explore potential solutions. Could platforms like UP42 offer a smoother path? Let’s find out.
Q1. On average, how long does it typically take you to obtain the satellite imagery you need from initial request to delivery?
Our first question aimed to get a snapshot of how things are. Respondents picked from the following time periods when asked how long it typically takes them to obtain satellite imagery, from initial request to delivery:
- Less than 24 hours
- 1-7 days
- 1-4 weeks
- Over 1 month
📊 Findings:
A majority of users receive their imagery within 24 hours, but a significant portion still experiences delays. Nearly a quarter wait up to a week, while around 8% receive their data more than a month later. Notably, 17% of respondents reported waiting over a week for their data, pointing to persistent challenges in timely delivery. Receiving Earth observation data within 1–7 days appears to be a stable pattern for a considerable segment of users.
🔍 Observations:
This tells us that the industry is still experiencing growing pains related to data delivery turnaround. The stability of the 1-7 day timeframe suggests consistent processing time for a segment of the market, while increases in longer delays are areas to focus on.
The potential for rapid data delivery exists, but the experience would benefit from improved infrastructure, data processing, or delivery mechanisms within the industry. It is also likely that those who consistently receive their data quickly are already experienced professionals who have established workflows, tools, and partnerships in place. For newcomers or users with less established connections, the process can still be slow or fragmented, highlighting the need for more accessible and standardized delivery solutions across the sector.
These findings are only part of the story. Next, we asked people about the most frustrating part of the satellite imagery acquisition process.
Q2. What is the most frustrating part of the satellite imagery acquisition process for you?
To get an idea of what really grinds the gears of EO data users, we asked them to pick from a selection of common frustrations associated with acquiring satellite data.
- Confusing pricing models
- Slow response time of the provider
- Limited data availability
- Complex licensing terms
📊 Findings:
As you can see in the graph below, the most common complaint, which accounts for 40% of the total, relates to the complexity of pricing models. This is followed by limited data availability, responsible for 29% of the complaints, and complex licensing terms, with 19% of the issues people mentioned. The data shows a growing concern about limited data availability, while frustration with confusing pricing models appears to be declining.
🔍 Observations:
Our research highlights a nuanced landscape where users are increasingly frustrated by data scarcity and licensing complexity.
While the industry might be making steps towards simpler pricing, the challenges of finding the right data and navigating licensing agreements seem to be becoming more pronounced. It appears that accessibility, not just cost, is a major hurdle for those seeking to use satellite data.
The 29% of respondents who responded with limited data availability highlight a growing mismatch between user needs and current satellite coverage. Data scarcity, whether due to restrictive terms or incomplete data sets, can make or break a project.
This tells us that the core issue isn’t just about price anymore: it’s about usability. For the satellite imagery industry, this means the next frontier of innovation is no longer just about reducing costs, but about creating truly flexible, accessible solutions that meet the evolving needs of people across industries. Accessibility is the new competitive advantage.
Q3: How often do you encounter challenges finding the specific type of satellite imagery you need for a project?
Next, we wanted to know if challenges with finding specific data types were a commonplace occurrence. Were they something that people have come to expect, or do they occur now and then? Respondents chose between:
- Rarely or never
- Occasionally
- Frequently
- Almost always
📊 Findings:
According to the survey, 55% of respondents frequently or almost always experience difficulty finding the specific imagery they need. This suggests a persistent challenge within the industry, where over half of users struggle to locate appropriate satellite data for their needs. Meanwhile, only 9% of respondents reported rarely or never experiencing such difficulties, indicating that smooth access to imagery remains the exception rather than the norm. The overall trend points to a need for more intuitive discovery tools and better metadata practices to reduce friction in imagery search and selection.
🔍 Observations:
These findings reaffirm the need for improved access to satellite data. As the demand for satellite imagery grows and applications stretch across industries and become more specialized, users are finding it increasingly challenging to locate the precise data they need.
It’s important to keep in mind that facts such as cloud cover, spatial and temporal resolution limitations, and fragmented data sources likely contribute to these frustrations.
Unified platforms like UP42 offer a glimpse of what’s possible by consolidating diverse data sources and streamlining the search and ordering process. However, these solutions must keep pace with user needs to meet the growing demand for highly specific, high-quality imagery.
Q4. Which factor most influences your choice of satellite imagery provider?
To understand what people are looking for from their provider of choice, we asked what factor influences their decision the most. Changing priorities in the geospatial industry over the years have led us to a place where the amount of data is rarely an issue anymore, with data streaming from space in abundance. After looking at the top factors in the market at the moment, respondents picked from the following:
- Data quality and resolution
- Cost and pricing structure
- Ease of ordering process
- Speed of data delivery
📊 Findings:
In general, data quality and resolution took precedence with 50% of respondents selecting it as the factor that influenced them the most. This was followed by cost and pricing structure at 31%. Notably, the speed of data delivery seemed to be a less significant factor with an overall ranking of 6%.
🔍 Observations:
The geospatial industry is evolving rapidly, with a growing focus on cost-effectiveness and user-friendly solutions. It’s clear from the results of this question that cost is increasingly becoming a dominant factor. Why? This may be due to tighter budgets across all industries. This shift reflects broader trends we’re seeing as prices rise, and economic pressures force organizations to optimize their spending on satellite data.
As applications for satellite imagery expand, users are seeking more flexible and cost-effective solutions. This is evident in this small sample survey already, as the industry heads towards a more customized, accessible data acquisition process.
Why was the speed of data delivery the lowest priority? This suggests either a long-term project focus, with geospatial applications, such as climate change analysis and urban planning, often prioritizing data quality and cost efficiency over immediate delivery. Users now focus on these factors, indicating that data access has improved to the point where urgency is no longer a primary concern.
Q5. How much time do you typically spend researching and comparing satellite imagery options before making a purchase?
This question aimed to understand how users navigate the research and selection process. It has become a crucial step for industry stakeholders. The time spent comparing and evaluating satellite imagery options can tell us a lot about decision-making strategies and market dynamics. When asked how much time they typically spend researching and comparing options before making a purchase, respondents could choose between:
- Less than 1 hour
- 1-5 hours
- 5-10 hours
- Over 10 hours
📊 Findings:
The majority of respondents, 32%, spend less than an hour of their time doing research and comparing options. 26% said they spend 1-5 hours on this, while 26% invest over 10 hours.
26% of respondents are reporting that they spend over 10 hours on this step.
🔍 Observations:
This shift towards shorter research times could be down to the change in the year, bringing a fresh perspective on the time spent researching. As users become more familiar with providers and their offerings, they may spend less time researching for subsequent purchases. These repeat purchases could be an interesting area of research for the future, as companies looking to support users with data acquisition look to create solutions that keep them coming back for more.
The findings above suggest that quick decision-making is becoming increasingly important. Providers and resellers may need to focus their efforts on simplifying offerings and improving the clarity of their value proposition to cater to those looking to spend less time researching, and more time using satellite data.
Data overload could be a reason why the majority of respondents spend less than an hour on this step. The growing volume of available satellite data can be overwhelming, causing them to limit their research time. This also may explain why 1-5 hours and over 10 hours weren’t far behind, as answers. While time constraints exist, these findings suggest that users still want to ensure they’re making informed decisions and comparing options effectively. As the industry matures, streamlining the process even further is required.
In the business world, companies that offer strong customer support and guidance can play a critical role in reducing this burden. By assisting users in navigating data platforms, clarifying product options, and matching datasets to specific needs, support teams can reduce decision-making times and enhance user confidence, particularly for those who are new to the field or overwhelmed by information.
Q6. What improvement would most enhance your satellite imagery acquisition experience?
We then wanted to hear from users themselves. What would improve their overall experience? Rather than guessing or assuming from industry experts and companies alike, asking users themselves through small-scale surveys like this or larger market research helps create solutions that truly make a difference. Respondents selected one of the following:
- More transparent pricing
- Faster turnaround times
- Wider selection of products
- Simplified ordering platforms
📊 Findings:
The survey results showed that transparent pricing had the highest importance for our respondents, with 50% voting for it overall. Simplified ordering platforms was next with 25%, and a wider selection of products remained the lowest in the ranking.
🔍 Observations:
User-friendly solutions are continuously emerging. This explains the consistent demand for simplified ordering platforms, underscoring the ongoing need for accessible and intuitive interfaces.
These findings suggest that the industry should focus on developing more transparent pricing models while continuing to improve user interfaces and the ordering process. In time, those organizations that can offer clear, competitive pricing structures while maintaining high-quality data and user-friendly platforms are likely to gain a significant advantage in the market.
Q7. How often do you need to negotiate custom pricing or terms to get the satellite imagery you require?
Let’s take a closer look at how often users need to negotiate. The frequency of custom pricing negotiations tells us a lot about both user needs and industry practices. Survey respondents could pick from the following options when asked how often they need to negotiate:
- Never
- Rarely (<25% of purchases)
- Sometimes (25-50% of purchases)
- Frequently (>50% of purchases)
📊 Findings:
Strikingly, 64% of respondents rarely or never require custom pricing or terms, while 29% frequently negotiate.
🔍 Observations:
It may be down to enhanced standardization of pricing models or reduced flexibility from providers. The popularity of pay-as-you-go pricing models may also be reducing the need for custom negotiations, as these offer more flexibility without requiring long-term commitments. As users become more experienced with satellite data products, this could result in more straightforward purchasing decisions, without the need for extensive negotiations. Automated platforms created thanks to the rise of user-friendly satellite data ordering solutions and marketplaces are streamlining the purchasing process, further reducing the need for custom negotiations.
These findings align with the growing demand for transparent and predictable pricing observed earlier in this survey, as well as other industry surveys, such as GSOA’s pricing trends 2025 panel in January 2025.
All of this suggests that the satellite imagery market is moving towards more transparent and standardized pricing models. However, the fact that 29% of users in our survey frequently negotiate custom terms indicating there is a significant segment of the market with specialized or complex needs that require tailored solutions. Organizations that are able to serve both types of customers well are those that will stand out in the coming years.
Q8. What is your preferred method for searching and ordering satellite imagery?
Finally, our last question looked to know if users had a preference for how they search and order data. We asked them to select either:
- Direct from the satellite operator
- Through resellers/distributors and marketplaces
- Other
📊 Findings:
A significant majority of respondents, 63%, prefer to order directly from satellite operators. Meanwhile, distributors and marketplaces’ usage is at 28%.
🔍 Observations:
While a majority of respondents answered that they prefer to get their data directly from satellite operators, there may be some differing viewpoints amongst them.
In theory, a preference for ordering directly from operators indicates that users value the reliability and perceived quality of getting data straight from the source.
However, as we’ve seen (and experienced ourselves: https://geoawesome.com/eo-hub/a-short-tale-about-how-i-wanted-to-buy-satellite-imagery-and-how-difficult-it-was/), satellite operators often don’t make it easy to buy directly from them, especially if you’re a medium or smaller-sized business.
Many of our respondents may use direct ordering because it’s compatible with existing workflows, especially for governments, which larger satellite companies prioritise for larger multi-year contracts.
Meanwhile, the emergence of user-friendly platforms like UP42, Arlula, and Planet Tasking has changed the game. The slower adoption of respondents could be due to habit, lack of awareness, or concerns about data quality. However, for customers who need to buy data from multiple providers, platforms here have a clear competitive advantage, especially when they standardise data formats across providers.
The fragmentation of the industry, with various operators, resellers, and marketplaces all competing for users’ attention is another big factor to consider. This complexity might slow down the adoption of new ordering methods.
Whatever the reasons, these findings suggest that while the satellite imagery market is evolving, there’s still room for growth in alternative ordering methods. Users are looking for diverse ordering methods, giving marketplaces and resellers the chance to highlight their unique value propositions that both address concerns and demonstrate clear advantages over direct ordering.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Our survey pulled back the curtain on the real challenges people face when trying to get the satellite data they need. While these insights provide a valuable snapshot, longitudinal studies with a larger sample size would validate and expand our current understanding.
That being said, it’s obvious even from this small-scale survey that getting satellite data isn’t always straightforward.
Users are tired of:
- Hunting endlessly for the right image
- Dealing with complicated pricing
- Struggling with clunky ordering systems
What they really want is simple:
- Clear pricing
- Easy-to-use platforms
- Reliable, high-quality data
✔️ Key takeaways:
- Data accessibility remains a significant hurdle, with 61% of respondents frequently struggling to find specific imagery.
- Cost considerations are gaining prominence, now rivaling data quality as a key decision factor.
- Users are spending less time researching options, suggesting a need for more streamlined, transparent offerings.
- There’s a growing demand for pricing transparency, with 54% of respondents citing it as the most desired improvement.
- Direct ordering from operators still dominates, but there’s potential for alternative platforms to gain traction.
While progress has been made, there’s still work to be done. By focusing on these key areas, the industry can move towards a future where high-quality satellite data is actually more accessible, affordable, and easier to use for all.
The companies that figure this out won’t just survive, they’ll become the go-to solution for users who need accurate, timely data without the runaround.
The satellite data world is changing. And the game-changers will be those who listen to what users actually want, not what they think users want.
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Earth Observation in Banking and Finance: How Spatial Insights Drive Decision-Making and Support Communities – Meet UX Researcher, Cyhana Williams
Editor’s note: This article was written as part of EO Hub – a journalistic collaboration between UP42 and Geoawesome. Created for policymakers, decision-makers, geospatial experts and enthusiasts alike, EO Hub is a key resource for anyone trying to understand how Earth observation is transforming our world. Read more about EO Hub here.
While many financial institutions are beginning to adopt geospatial technologies, there are many areas of finance and banking, as well as other industries that stand to benefit from the spatial component. From informing location-based decisions to supporting the communities they serve, companies have much to gain from adopting geospatial technologies.
We spoke to Cyhana Williams on the topic. As a customer-centric, geographically-minded professional, her background in both GIS and UX research makes her perfectly placed at the intersection of location and people. Currently at Microsoft working in User Experience Research, Cyhana is also the Co-Founder of African Women in GIS—creating a community of African women in the geospatial industry across the world.
Q: Hi Cyhana, thank you for joining us! We loved your Looking Up With UP42 episode and learned that you studied geography and resource development at The University of Ghana, could you tell us more about your path to becoming a UX Researcher and how this intersects with your background in geospatial technologies?
A: Thank you for inviting me to share my thoughts on this important topic. My background is in geography and psychology. After school, I worked in a GIS and software company startup. Then I was in an FMCG company before I landed my current role as a UX researcher at Microsoft.
During my journey, I’d say that I did some research as I was working as a GIS technician at the startup since I took on multiple roles. One of the roles was research because I worked as a Project Manager on a pest and disease control system software that had a GIS component and needed research. Since we were a startup with few staff members, I had to take on the researcher’s role. That was how I entered the UX research field without knowing.
Currently, the research I do isn’t directly related to GIS in the sense that we don’t work with GIS tools. But the research that we do forms the base layer of multiple technologies out there.
I’d say it intersects with geospatial in the way we conduct the research. You need to consider the location component of where your data is coming from.
I do research concerning people. So where are the people I’m talking to located and what are their thoughts? How different is it? That is in terms of cultural, location, and even subcultural differences. All those things come together and give me the geographical aspect of UX research.
Q: In the episode, you mentioned there are many industries that stand to benefit from geospatial insights. Could you describe what the value of the spatial component is for companies that aren’t currently using geospatial technologies? Particularly, those in the banking and finance sectors.
A: I’d say a lot of it. There are a lot of values that the banking and financial sector is losing out on if they don’t incorporate location data. There are 3 things I’d mention:
- Geo Targeted marketing
- Resource allocation
- Risk management.
For geo targeted marketing, it is quite common in business development. Whenever you’re creating a product, you need to do targeted market research. For financial institutions, there is no difference.
For example, back home in my country Ghana, particularly in Accra, when I was a student I realized that a lot of the banks on our campus had products that targeted students. They knew students would be there for four years, they’d probably be working, some would have money from their parents, and they would want to save but some wouldn’t be able to save a lot. So as financial institutions, they created financial packages, little savings packages, and investment packages where the starting amount was low enough for students to benefit from—they were able to come in and open an account with a very low amount.
It worked for both parties. Students were able to save enough and banks were able to succeed in getting more customers. That’s geo-targeted marketing. You target a specific area, a specific demographic in that area and then you pivot your products to suit that particular market. It’s really niche and it’s more intentional and beneficial as you have more data to back your strategies. So, it makes more business sense. Banks need to first understand their customer, so they can satisfy them with the products that they are providing.
Resource allocation is one of the basic uses of geodata that I think a lot of banks are currently using. That’s how they choose a location for a particular product or asset. With this, it’s not about necessarily targeting a particular demographic but more in relation to large numbers.
For example, in some Western countries, there are not as many ATMs, but back home in Accra we have a lot of them in various locations.
The great thing is that no matter what bank you belong to, you can use whichever ATM. So it’s very helpful to have any bank’s ATMS located where most people are. Areas with more public amenities such as markets, hospitals, and schools are great locations. Banks pick places that have a high concentration of people, majority of the time. That’s how they allocate resources for economic benefits.
The second aspect of resource allocation is in relation to branches – when it comes to expanding banks or financial institutions. Financial institutions and others need to target areas that are growing. If a bank wants to be forward-thinking with projection in mind—they would target upcoming areas — using geodemographics and population data to inform their decisions.
One thing about urbanization is that people move to where resources are provided and vice versa. Banks should pay attention to forecasts – which areas are going to be more important and populated in 5-10 years’ time?
The final point is risk management. This ties into resource allocation because while trying to target the best places to situate a branch, banks need to pay attention not only to the population but also the geography of the area.
There are certain parts of the world, due to climate change and other reasons, that have natural disasters. Back home in Accra, we have floods since Accra is a plain. There are some areas where flooding can be very severe and those areas become waterlogged. Banks need to keep this in mind since banks are also real estate investments.Thus, their locations need to be geographically safe.
Looking at the geographic element- this isn’t just physical geography but also sociocultural, economic, and psychological – in relation to the society in that area. Will people feel safe in my bank to transact business? Will people want to come to this location to deposit money?
These values, if considered together, can help banks make informed decisions.
Q: A new study has found that Earth observation data can unlock value for the financial services sector. The report created in collaboration between the UK Space Agency’s Unlocking Space for Business programme and the Ordnance Survey shed light on how accurate and detailed location data can enable better investment decisions, particularly in sustainability and biodiversity net gain. What are your thoughts on this? Particularly, relating to the potential value EO data can unlock for the financial sector, the sheer volume of data out there, and the knowledge needed to use it effectively and appropriately.
A: What they’ve shared is very true. To be honest, I hardly see reports about EO data— especially in relation to investments and where to target markets or expansions.
Especially in this time of climate change, financial institutions and banks need to pay particular attention to EO data. Although vector data can be accurate for certain forms of analysis – I would say that EO data gives you a better picture of reality. Whether it’s forecasting an approaching tornado or heavy rain potentially triggering a landslide, your systems should be able to predict and alert you of such things.
This report definitely impacts people, i.e., the financial institutions and the people who have saved in those banks. One particular institution that can benefit from EO data is insurance companies. For example, let’s look at a company that handles reimbursement of insurance for farmers. With climate change and agricultural loss – a financial institution utilizing satellite imagery will be able to and have definitive proof that the land has been affected and compensation claimed can be given. There is the benefit of risk management and efficient resource allocation.
Q: Are there any people or companies that are revolutionizing the banking industry by bringing geospatial insights into domains like customer experience, customer behavior, risk assessment, and resource allocation? If so, what do you like about their approach and where do you see this going next?
A: One that came to mind is a company called Esoko in Ghana. This company provides geospatial insights for farmers by providing them with information about market changes, climate conditions, and weather changes—while sharing farming strategies and advice for weather-specific crop growth.
Esoko combines GIS data with financial services in addition to information provision. They’ve tried to bridge the gap between the financial services and the farmers in Ghana. That’s really important since back home in Ghana, depending on where you are, many agricultural issues occur and need financial institutions’ backing. For example, on cocoa farms.
Where do I see this going? I hope more financial institutions will open up to this idea and provide packages that will cater to people’s needs like that. This is where geo-understanding comes to mind. Understanding who lives in a particular area as well as what does and doesn’t work for them. In rural Ghana, most farmers don’t use smartphones, instead they use analog phones. If banks want to create a system for them, they need to take into account the user’s way of doing things, their circumstances, and their limitations. An app will not work if the right internet and device infrastructures are unavailable. Instead, SMS services with a short code and call services are the types of technologies that will be more beneficial to rural farmers.
That doesn’t mean a high-tech app solution shouldn’t be created either. It’s important to cater to and understand people before you introduce solutions to them – since they will be using those solutions, not you.
That’s why it’s very important to incorporate geospatial insights and have an understanding of the geospatial component in target markets. I’m hoping to see this approach being used by banks if they are not doing so already.
Q: Could you tell us what customer-centric means to you? And in what way does the crossover between customer pain points and GIS technologies lead to industries being truly customer-centric?
A: I’ll answer with a story. There was one instance at my first workplace where we created a really cool pest and disease management system, as I mentioned before. The smartphone app could scan larvae worms during an infestation and let farmers know what type it is. Since some look similar in their larvae stage – the system was trained with lots of images. The app worked by allowing a farmer to detect the worm, and then automatically suggest ways to mitigate the issue. It also sent an alert to the agricultural officer of that area to alert the other farmers about the larvae found – and to stock up on pesticides in preparation for the worst.
However, when we presented this app to an agricultural organization, while they were very impressed, they pointed out a crucial missing piece. We had forgotten to pay attention to our users. While creating it, we focused on urban farmers who had access to good infrastructure, yet the people who faced the infestation issue the most were rural farmers. They also formed the majority of those without smartphones thus, they wouldn’t have had access to our app.
This was our ‘aha’ moment. Rural farmers make up a huge percentage of farmers in Ghana. We made the mistake of building the product first, and then testing it on urban farmers, without a steady understanding of who the user really was.
That’s why it’s really important that whatever GIS technologies you want to introduce to particular user groups – you need to properly understand people in terms of infrastructure. Do they have the right infrastructure to use this? Is the app too heavy to load on the 2G network? Some areas in Ghana only have Edge, and wouldn’t get 4G or 5G. Ask yourself: can your app work on those network levels?
To be truly customer-centric is to have an understanding of people who will use your services or products so that you can tailor the solution accordingly, with geodata being front of mind. In the future, I think we’ll see a lot more localization and personalization from truly customer-centric products.
Q: There’s definitely a lot to gain from location data! Cost is something that often comes up in the discussion around geospatial data extending beyond the geospatial industry. How do you think financial institutions can use spatial insights to better understand and serve their customers while reducing costs and increasing revenue?
A: I think financial institutions need to see location data as a long-term investment. Those who start incorporating location data now will reap the benefits after a lengthy research period.
This research is the only way they can get better insights to make more informed decisions. Once they take these intentional steps—talking to the person who will use their products and learning about their challenges, how they live, and what they need—they’ll build a foundational understanding of their user.
As mentioned before, geospatial data can be utilized for risk management, geo-targeted marketing, and resource allocation. Using geospatial data for these processes reduces decision-making time and helps to monitor and evaluate risks. The overall efficiency of the company increases exponentially. Spatial insights are not only beneficial for customer relations and understanding but it is also beneficial to the company’s operations and management. This, in turn, can help to reduce costs and increase revenue.
Q: Could you share your experience of working in UX research and GIS – what areas of improvement are needed to make geospatial technologies more accessible for customer-centric roles? Is there enough of an understanding of how spatial insights drive decision-making and support communities?
A: The cost of some GIS tools is quite high. Usually, it’s Western businesses that incorporate GIS in their decision-making. However, in many regions including Ghana, some businesses often can’t afford premium GIS tools nor do they see the full value.
Balancing costs in data collection is crucial. In a previous role, we used a mix of expensive and free tools to optimize our investment while maintaining data quality. This approach helped increase revenue while managing costs.
It’s important to note that not everywhere is the same. Not every company can afford expensive tools and this is an accessibility challenge that should be improved. There should be affordable packages for good GIS tools.
Another key area of improvement is UX research tools. The UX research world, closely tied to design, considers location factors in tool usage and research methods. Incorporating GIS technologies into UX research tools, especially for survey and quantitative research, could greatly enhance data representation. For instance, adding location data at the city or country level to UX research tools would be valuable, as precise coordinates aren’t always necessary.
So if UX research tools can be combined with GIS tools that would be really impactful. Existing data analysis tools like Excel already have some geographic components. However, making more complex GIS functionalities accessible in these tools, alongside videos or tutorials, would help support people without extensive GIS backgrounds.
Also, I think it’s important to be vocal about changes we need to see in our tech tools, in order to make a difference.
In terms of how much understanding there is around how spatial insights drive decision-making and support communities—I don’t think there is much at the moment. It is still quite niched.
Many people are unaware of Geographic Information Systems as a field, particularly its technological aspects. Promoting GIS integration in various tools and industries could help bridge this knowledge gap and unlock valuable insights across sectors.
Q: Lastly, we love the work you’re doing to promote women in tech through African Women in GIS. Could you tell us more about this community and the impact you’ve seen it have in helping women across the world and across all industries?
A: Thank you! The African Women in GIS community has been thriving for five years, thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and the contributions from our members, supporters, and collaborators. Our organization was created to provide a safe space for African women in the GIS industry worldwide. We offer a platform for access to opportunities, education, projects, news, mentorship, and guidance.
The idea originated from a conversation between my co-founder, Chidimma Umeogu, and I, where we realized we both struggled to find information about GIS jobs and connect with other women in the field. After I completed my studies, I wanted to explore the potential of a GIS career. This led me to establish a community, and after reaching out to Chidimma, who had started her own group, we decided to merge our efforts into what is now African Women in GIS.
Over the past five years, with the help of dedicated volunteers, we’ve organized numerous events and collaborated with various organizations. We’ve enabled our members to gain real-world experience by working on projects that enhance their portfolios. Also, our resource webinars cover topics like securing scholarships and writing proposals for research grants.
Mentorship has been a key component of our community. Many members have participated in mentorship programs that provide career guidance and networking opportunities—helping them gain clarity about their career paths.
Our mission is to bridge the gender gap in the African geospatial industry by encouraging more women to enter the field and creating opportunities for them to shine. We aim to inspire the next generation of African women by showcasing successful female role models in geospatial careers.
We welcome collaborations and new members! You can connect with us on LinkedIn, X, and our website: https://awigis.org.
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