Case Study - Ordnance Survey
Sector: Engineering
Location is an essential component of most information as it underpins much of government activity and thus impacts directly on the citizen (for example, through house purchase, travel to work or emergency services response times). Ordnance Survey, established as the UK national mapping agency in 1791, produces a range of products and services. The usefulness of these products relies on field data that is increasingly gathered through the use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), previously referred to as Global Positioning System or GPS, which allow for accuracy within a few centimetres.
Emerging skills challenges
Ordnance Survey field surveyors were already well trained in using a suite of tools associated with high accuracy GPS when new tools were made available to around half of the surveyors in 2002-03. Efficiency at that time was seen to be around 40% up on the use of older equipment. However, staff were given the new equipment and a standard set of operating procedures which limited their effectiveness in situations that were outside the norm and in some circumstances may even have meant that they were not well placed to detect errors in data being collected.
Allied to a growing awareness that staff could use the new equipment even more effectively if their understanding was enhanced, a new career management process (Pathways) enabled Ordnance Survey to develop new ways of engaging in staff development. In line with government requirements the Pathways programme empowers employees through their contribution to the business rather than the length of time they have been with the organisation.
Ordnance Survey managers concluded that a tailored continuing professional development course in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) would provide further gains in productivity, both in terms of output and quality. Paul Cruddace, Product Manager & Geodetic Adviser at Ordnance Survey, believes that using a national centre of excellence such as Newcastle University to develop and deliver such a course sends an important message to its staff: personal development is taken seriously and they are provided with access to the best.
The response
Staff from the Geomatics group within the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at Newcastle University worked alongside Ordnance Survey staff to develop a three day course that would increase staff understanding of GNSS. The course aimed to provide participants with opportunities to:
- learn how Global Navigation Satellite Systems (eg GPS) work
- appreciate the causes of error in GNSS
- understand how GPS coordinates are related to Ordnance Survey mapping
- discuss how good practice in the use of GNSS can mitigate errors
- become aware of future plans for GNSS and how they may impact surveyors day to day duties
Although Ordnance Survey carries out surveys in a unique way, they were keen to see a course that would also be of interest to commercial organisations working within the sector, allowing for mixed cohorts of learners who would each benefit from the different backgrounds of their fellow delegates.
Over three days, course delegates explore the theory underpinning measurement, GPS and GNSS, judgement of accuracy and precision and kinematic GPS positioning/processing. To put their understanding of the theories into practice, groups then engage in an analysis of their daily workflow with regard to potential errors and how they might be able to improve accuracy without sacrificing efficiency. Delegates also examine ways to get the best out of new equipment that will be purchased and undertake a practical field session. Finally, they are asked to develop Ordnance Survey best practice and guidelines with knowledge they have acquired during the course.
Impact
Ordnance Survey selected key people from each of their 10 field regions to attend the first of four contracted courses on the basis that they would be able to roll out their new-found expertise to other colleagues in their area, helping to increase impact.
Tony Baginski was one of those who attended the first course. He was impressed by the professional approach and the way he was able to take away answers to the questions he had identified in advance of the course regarding error and mitigation of error.
Approaching the material from a theoretical angle first rather than focusing on particular equipment meant that as a departmental trainer, Tony was later able to produce best practice guidelines for field staff in his area. Armed with new strategies to avoid error creeping in to measurements taken in the field, staff were able to achieve better performance in terms of accuracy of data collection.
Chris Anderson also valued the course facilitators, describing their approach as “perfectly pitched”. Although offering much greater theoretical insight than typical Ordnance Survey training, they avoided overloading participants with mathematical expressions and research, keeping theoretical material firmly relevant to practical application. Chris feels that attending the course helped some participants to secure a place among a select few who are trialling new GNSS kit in the UK.
The course dovetails with other training, aligning perfectly with the Geodesy component of the Tech RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) qualification, for example.
Offering off-site development opportunities such as this is something Tony Baginski feels is very valuable, providing scope for the broader aspects of the job to be explored rather than the more insular effect of on-the-job training. To enhance this aspect, he would very much like to see development of an even more mixed cohort of learners on the course, with more coming from private companies as well as Ordnance Survey.
Chris Anderson summarised his feelings about the value by saying 'If money were no object, I think every Ordnance Survey surveyor should attend it'.
Further information:
Course specific
- Dr Stuart Edwards, s.j.edwards@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 8059
General enquiries
- Mr Christopher Hoy, christopher.hoy@ncl.ac.uk
- Teaching and Learning Awards Officer
- Research & Enterprise Services
- Telephone: +44 (0) 191 222 5886
View our PDF brochure Continuing professional development in Global navigation Satellite Systems and networking positioning (PDF: 1MB)
