Introduction
In GeoEngineering, engineers, planners and other professionals collaborate to design, build and
manage society’s infrastructure. Integral to the development of GeoEngineering as an effective
collaborative work environment, is the need for efficient communications—the ability to share
ideas and information unencumbered by geographic and organizational barriers. Today, however,
the most efficient, economical and widespread way to communicate is over the Internet, using
the simple interface of the World Wide Web.
The Internet serves as an ideal communications medium in which GeoEngineering can thrive. Its
strengths lie in its ability to supply information to specialized and disparate groups effectively,
economically and with unprecedented timeliness. These capabilities make the Internet ideally
suited to support the collaborative nature of GeoEngineering.
This marriage of communications and GeoEngineering technologies is both advantageous and
natural. Both the Internet and GeoEngineering are connective technologies. They embrace open
standards, linking dissimilar and formerly incompatible computer platforms and data formats.
Both are enabling technologies. They let users replace outmoded work processes. Organizations
have embraced both to bridge the gaps between departments, suppliers, partners and customers.
Web-enabled GeoEngineering will hasten these advances.
GeoEngineering as Collaborative Model
Planners and engineers who develop, maintain and manage infrastructure are on the front lines in
the drive to reinvent their organizations to be more efficient, competitive and responsive to their
customers. They are responsible for everything from roads and highways to energy distribution
networks, from wastewater and storm sewers to land ownership records. The success of their
collective efforts in a complex and constantly changing environment is essential to our societal
well-being.
GeoEngineering was born in the convergence of computer-aided drafting (CAD) and geographic
information systems (GIS). This convergence effectively breaks down many technical and
organizational barriers and lets planners and engineers collaborate in new ways, beneficial to the
organization and to their customers and constituents.
GeoEngineering
GeoEngineering represents a new, highly collaborative business model and professional
discipline for organizations and individuals involved in infrastructure management.
