May 2009, Aylesbury: ESRI (UK), the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has launched the Enterprise Lab; a purpose-designed suite at ESRI (UK)'s HQ that will encourage public bodies and private companies to explore the power and potential of GIS.

Underpinned by an enterprise standard infrastructure comprising the latest ESRI and partner technology, the Enterprise Lab brings data to life, modeling real-world examples to demonstrate how GIS can join up every part of an organisation – from local government to utilities to insurance or any other sector - to bring significant benefits.

The Enterprise Lab also provides ESRI (UK) with a research and development facility to build industry-based scenarios, working alongside customers and business partners in a realistic enterprise environment. As well as encouraging organisations to think more widely about GIS, this offers invaluable insight into how GIS at an enterprise level can easily share information, ensuring that decisions can be made with complete knowledge.

Current scenarios include using GIS to manage a flooding emergency with multiple agencies involved and planning security and logistics around a VIP visit. Scenarios developed in the Lab focus on various individual roles, not just GIS professionals but also senior executives, revealing where GIS can improve productivity and efficiency through accurate information, improved analysis, idea sharing, integration and collaboration.

Richard Waite, ESRI (UK) Managing Director, said: "GIS should never be just a means to an end. In the right hands, GIS provides real world solutions to real world problems. During the past five to ten years GIS has grown from being a technology for GIS professionals to an enterprise resource, providing a single view of all geographic linked-data.

“GIS use, along with its benefits, will continue to grow significantly through a second generation of applications. Our investment in the Enterprise Lab reflects the growing recognition that organisations that put geography and GIS at the heart of their business, integrating with established corporate-wide technologies and business applications, realise benefits that they could never have imagined. What we are offering through the Enterprise Lab is a blank canvas - a creative, safe environment equipped with the latest technology to really push their thinking.”

GIS has many critical uses worldwide from tracking widespread communicable diseases or disaster relief to asset management for utilities companies and the Enterprise Lab will add more scenarios as it develops. As well as the latest ESRI technology, the Enterprise Lab includes touch screen computers, an interactive whiteboard, full wall projection, mobile devices and multiple demo pods to aid interaction and understanding as tabular data is transformed into map data for spatial visualisation and analysis.

About ESRI (UK) ESRI (UK) ( www.esriuk.com) is part of the global ESRI network. With the single, largest pool of GIS expertise in the UK, the company is the technical authority on GIS. ESRI (UK) provides solutions, technology and services including off the shelf applications built on the ArcGIS software suite and an extensive range of consulting and training services. Its offerings meet a range of business needs in different markets including Business, Local & Central Government, Defence, Public Safety, Utilities and Telecommunications, as well as catering for system integrators and application developers through the ESRI Developer Network. ESRI (UK)’s customers include both public sector clients such as Leeds City Council, Metropolitan Police, DCLG, The Environment Agency and businesses including Thames Water, RSA Group and The AA.

 ESRI (UK) helps businesses become more profitable and public service more efficient through the better use of geographic information. The ability to understand customers' needs and harness the power of GIS for the long-term benefit of organisations is what ESRI (UK) calls Visionary Thinking.