The sheer amount of statistics collected as the world entered the age of Big Data transformed computers from simple tools for processing data into complex machines able to present the results of this processing as compelling visuals with little to no human input. And when it comes to presenting the evolution of phenomena that vary in space and time, there is no better solution than a map.
As part of a project involving a major institutional client, we developed a FOSSGIS-based custom spatial visualisation widget for use with Microsoft’s PowerBi. Integrating with an environment that includes a plethora of graphical representations for data, the developed widget, built on top of OpenLayers, provides a novel view of data with spatial characteristics. Unlike the default map widgets, it allows the use of custom, time-enabled geometries, as well as custom basemaps, consumed using open standards (GeoJSON, WMS), custom projections (with Proj4js), feature zoom across the International Date Line and complex visualisation using charts on top of choropleth maps. We thus show the advantages of using open-source GIS technology on top of proprietary frameworks, providing advanced, project-specific features supported by a wide community.
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