Innovation

Through our unique partnerships and investment, we operate at the forefront of R&D, putting innovation at the very core of our work.

These innovations enable us to deliver better solutions, faster and cheaper and can be broken down into the following categories.

Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is at the heart of Alcis innovation and includes such methods as user contributed maps.  This is where people are encouraged to use their own means to add value and accuracy to map their local area.

This could be people uploading photos and videos with their mobile phones or marketing where a security incident has taken place that they have witnessed within their local region.

Other data gathering techniques include using SMS as a method to gain responses from locals to specific questions or polls.

Social Data
Our teams of innovators use social data to get the big picture view of individual attitudes when engaging with complex issues within fragile and developing regions.

For example, we use Twitter (if appropriate) to gauge public opinion and emotion, measuring how change impacts on the communities involved.  When these attitudes/tweets are geo-referenced and overlayed onto a map, this can be a powerful tool when fully analysing an area of interest.

Software
Our GIS experts use best-in-class software to carry out data analysis and regularly trial new cutting edge software tools that allow them to work to a higher level when visualising data in unique and interesting ways.

This could be an animation or infographic or interactive map viewer that allows the client to analyse their area of interest themselves using our tools.  A recent example is the Alcis GeoExplorer.

Technologies
Given the rapid advance in all technologies, Alcis is constantly searching, assessing and adopting innovative technologies that bring significant benefits to our clients.

For example, a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) with the latest high resolution photographic equipment onboard, may be used to gather imagery from hard to reach or high risk areas.

R&D
Through collaborative arrangements with academic institutions, organisations and SME's, Alcis ensures that its developments remain relevant to those operating in fragile and conflict affected regions.