Designing ORBIS: A Scalable GIS Platform for Everyone

Through workshops and user interviews, we gathered feedback that helped shape the ORBIS platform’s data layers and interface. Here are the key insights:

• Meaningful Visualisations: Users emphasised the need for clear, engaging visualisations that could combine different types of data, such as ThermCERT-style(one of the biggest project for Astrosat) data with satellite insights.
• Scalable and Global: Existing tools were too localised (focused on specific cities, often US-based) and limited in scope. ORBIS needed to deliver data at scale while being adaptable to various regions and use cases.
• Holistic Functionality: Beyond data, users suggested features that add practical value, like enabling individuals to store and share personal information — for example, medical details that could assist homeless communities.
• Community Empowerment: Users wanted ORBIS to facilitate connections within communities, helping people reach out and offer support where it was needed most.

These insights became the foundation for designing ORBIS, ensuring the platform not only simplified data access but also empowered users with tools to address real-world challenges.

Through collaborative workshops with stakeholders, we aligned on the vision and scope for ORBIS. These sessions clarified critical priorities, such as ensuring the platform could:

• Balance simplicity for non-expert users with robust features for GIS professionals.
• Offer modularity to accommodate diverse industries and use cases.
• Focus on intuitive workflows, like setting up data layers and analyzing geographic insights.

The workshops also helped define the minimum viable product (MVP) and identify key features to prioritise for the initial release, setting a clear roadmap for development.

• Outdated and Complex UI
  Most GIS tools were cluttered, unintuitive, and visually outdated, catering solely to GIS professionals. This allowed ORBIS to stand out with a clean, modern design and an accessible user experience.
• Lack of Multi-Layer Integration
  Competitor platforms rarely allowed users to combine, filter, or visualise multiple data layers seamlessly, limiting analysis capabilities.
• Overly Localised Solutions
  Many tools were region-specific (e.g., U.S.-centric or city-based), making them irrelevant for broader, global use cases.
• Minimal Collaboration Features
  Few platforms provided collaborative tools like user annotations, comments, or role-based access, hindering teamwork across organisations.
• Missing Customisation & Reporting
  Competitors could not customise reports or export specific visualisations, which limited flexibility for diverse user needs.
• Thermal Mapping Gaps
  Advanced visualisations like ThermCERT’s thermal data were missing, creating an opportunity for ORBIS to lead with this unique capability.

These findings underscored the need for a user-centric, intuitive GIS platform that could combine flexible data integration, collaboration tools, and global scalability – all while delivering a visually modern experience tailored to both technical and non-technical users.

To address the lack of collaboration tools, ORBIS introduced features like role-based access, shared annotations, and comments. Admin users could easily manage team permissions and set up datasets for wider use.

• Impact: Teams worked more efficiently, with admins enabling access and non-expert users contributing insights through clear workflows.

We integrated ThermCERT-style thermal mapping and advanced data visualisations, which set ORBIS apart. Workshops with data analysts ensured the visual outputs were accurate, clear, and impactful for end users.

• Impact: Users could visualise complex information easily, whether identifying fuel poverty or tracking deforestation trends.

ORBIS enabled users to seamlessly combine, filter, and analyse multiple data layers in one view. This flexibility helped teams derive actionable insights without struggling to connect disparate datasets.

• Impact: Users could mix thermal data, satellite imagery, and uploaded datasets to answer specific questions and make informed decisions.

We made it easy for users to analyze specific sections on the map. Once an area was selected, ORBIS provided a detailed breakdown of all available data related to that region, from thermal layers to community insights.

• Impact: Users could quickly identify trends, access targeted information, and find actionable insights tailored to specific geographic locations.

We included options for users to save their visualisations, export data, upload their own data and customise reports based on their needs. This ensured ORBIS was adaptable to various workflows and use cases.

• Impact: Users saved time by creating tailored outputs that suited their organization’s goals.

We designed ORBIS to be a scalable solution, capable of supporting data layers across different regions and global challenges—not limited to a single market. This was essential to meet the needs of diverse sectors like government, nonprofits, and private organizations.

• Impact: The platform provided value on a local and global scale, supporting projects from UK-based health inequalities to international deforestation monitoring.

We tackled the clutter and complexity seen in traditional GIS tools with a clean, intuitive interface. Despite having multiple features and ongoing concepts in development, we ensured the platform remained visually clear and easy to navigate. Thoughtful prioritisation and streamlined design choices allowed us to balance functionality without overwhelming users.

• Impact: The modern UI made it easier for non-expert users to explore features, access key data, and interact with the platform confidently, while still accommodating advanced workflows for GIS professionals.