Redesigning GeoWeb DNV: The District of North Vancouver’s GIS Website (Shawn McLeod)
GeoWeb DNV is the District of North Vancouver’s GIS website. Originally launched in 2001, GeoWeb provides the public with a variety of information where data can be downloaded, maps can be viewed, and applications can be accessed all from one platform. The original concept for GeoWeb was two-fold: to build a website to house multiple applications; and to build focussed rather than single “one size fits all” applications. Today, this approach is still very much alive but with the advent of new technologies GeoWeb is undergoing a radical redesign.
The impact of Google Maps on our digital society has created a paradigm shift in the world of web-mapping. As a result, new technologies have allowed the DNV to develop specialized GIS applications that bring performance and functionality together under a contemporary design. While building specialized GIS applications requires greater resources the benefits are clear: a focussed, single-purpose application can offer content-rich information while maintaining an intuitive interface. Slated for launch by fall 2009, the new GeoWeb will include a variety of robust applications spanning themes such as census, engineering projects, natural hazards, and property information.