For many local governments, utilities, and public agencies, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become an essential tool for planning, infrastructure management, public communication, and decision-making. Maintaining a full in-house GIS team, along with software, training, and data upkeep, can be costly and difficult to sustain. That’s where on-call GIS services can make a difference. At…
Read More
In today’s GIS environment, it’s easy to focus on the next custom application, automation, or advanced workflow. At Sain, we build those solutions every day. But in the pursuit of innovation, I’ve seen something consistent across organizations of all sizes: core GIS skills quietly erode over time. Fundamental skillsets like editing, analysis, and cartography are…
Read More
I had the privilege of chairing the Spirit of Lauren Committee this year. When I was asked to take on the role, I felt both honored and a bit nervous. Honored because this award represents so much of what makes Sain Associates special and nervous because, after serving on the committee before, I knew just…
Read More
When I first joined what is now the Geographic Information Systems Association of Alabama (GISAA) in the mid-2000s, the organization was known as the Alabama Chapter of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA). I started as a passive participant, but my involvement deepened in 2014 when I served as the Central Region representative….
Read More
Every October, Sain Associates honors the memory of Lauren Nickles, a beloved coworker who passed away in 2017, by presenting the Spirit of Lauren Award. Lauren embodied qualities like hospitality, kindness, dedication, and persistence during her time with us. Each year, we gather to celebrate the values Lauren taught us by recognizing an employee who…
Read More
Severe weather conditions are common throughout the Southeast. Whether it is tornado and hurricane season or a snow and ice storm, there are many benefits of utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) during these conditions that people may not normally consider. During severe weather, GIS capabilities are more than likely used in some capacity to assess…
Read More
It’s not unusual for counties and cities to have old, outdated information about their systems, such as water and wastewater utility systems. I’ve seen these situations many times throughout the years, and a Geographic Information System (GIS) is a perfect solution for turning existing data into something that’s much more useful. We recently worked on…
Read More
Municipalities contract with engineering consultants to provide on-call geographic information systems (GIS) services for various reasons. Some of these reasons include the need for specialized expertise that may not be available in-house, the desire to supplement existing staff during peak workloads, and the need for flexibility in staffing levels. Additionally, working with consultants can sometimes…
Read More
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow you to visualize, question, analyze, interpret, and understand data to reveal relationships, patterns, and trends. At Sain Associates, we use GIS to support the following engineering activities: converting GIS data to and from CAD, generating aerial clips and 3D contours for design projects, creating GIS-based analysis and report maps for…
Read More
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the nation, schools have turned to online learning as a means to finish the 2020 school year. Many school systems have adapted to this new normal, but what about Alabama’s rural communities that do not have the broadband infrastructure to support the demand? The Alabama State Legislature defines “broadband”…
Read More