From GIS to Analytics: A Spotlight Interview with Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director

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From GIS to Analytics: A Spotlight Interview with Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director

Can you describe your role at IMGS & DataBuilders and what a typical day looks for you?

My normal day, since our move in IMGS to a 4 day remote working arrangement, is balancing meetings & customer calls with dog walking and school runs!

I have found since then, that the working day has completely changed with pretty much meetings from morning until evening. This means the day goes fast and is always interesting (even if it is a little hectic sometimes).

As Operations Director my focus is on designing solutions for our customers and ensuring these solutions are successful from implementation through to support (in some cases working with customers for more years than I care to count).

In the last 5 years my focus has moved to supporting the vision of our Delivery Director Aoibhinn, for data driven solutions, which has led to the creation of DataBuilders. While still keeping my hand in GIS, my main focus is working with new DataBuilders customers using FME and Sisense.

To ensure customer success I spend a lot of time training our customers on these solutions which I really enjoy. In particular I have enjoyed running our accelerator program with FME which has been a huge success with the biggest training audiences I have ever seen.

We have also been delighted to be selected by Sisense, as a trusted onboarding partner, to support the implementation of Sisense solutions which I have really enjoyed leading.

How has your role evolved since you first joined?

In my 20 plus years I have had a few different titles but my role has always been focused on ensuring our customers get value from their investments in our partner solutions.

As a company we have always partnered with world class technology partners starting with Intergraph (now Hexagon) and Safe Software (FME) to bring these global solutions to customers on this island.

But in the past number of years, DataBuilders in partnership with Sisense, has expanded outside of Ireland working on analytics projects across the UK, Europe, India, USA, which has been great fun (even if it has forced me to slow down my Dundalk accent when speaking).

I have really enjoyed the move into analytics and also working with customers in completely different domains. With Sisense I onboard organisations who want to embed analytics into their software products. I am constantly surprised by the innovation and the varying product solutions we work with.

But all these customers do share a common drive, to increase analytics adoption in their software products (and hence with their customers). What we are seeing now is that using analytics isn’t just an added value, and organisations that don’t provide analytics are being left behind (Aoibhinn’s vision was right)!

Is there a project that you are especially proud of and what was your role in it?

There have been so many projects that I am proud of in IMGS. In a lot of cases, the projects we worked on were the first of their kind such as building a Fibre to the Home GIS in Siro and creating public portals with Dublin City Council. What I am really proud of is how long these solutions have lasted and continue to deliver.

How would you describe the company culture in a few words?

I think our culture is light hearted and fun but with a strong work ethic and a drive to help each other.

What do you enjoy most about working with the team?

I always enjoy coming to work and I have great fun with my colleagues especially with our Commercial Director Garrett who gets my humour and doesn’t get offended with my constant constructive advice / insults!

While I don’t the miss the commute every day to the office, I do miss the fun in the office and I do worry for the future society, as younger people may miss out by always working from home.

In IMGS we strive to have regular meetups and some really good nights out and I think that’s very important.

What's something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I am a big fan of Western Films and love nothing more than watching a John Wayne Western – particularly the John Ford directed films.

For those looking for a quick fix of a simpler time in film – start with Ford Apache featuring a very young Wayne and Henry Fonda.

What's your favourite way to unwind after work?

I spend a lot of time walking the country roads where I live, usually with our dog, listening to sport podcasts. Its interesting now that I spend more time listening to people talk about sport than actually watching sport.
With 2 teenage kids it’s hard to find the time, but I do love watching rugby and attend Leinster and Ireland matches when I can.

What's one piece of advice you'd give your younger self?

Make sure to buy a few shares in that online book company and I would say enjoy every day because time goes so fast.
I joined IMGS in 2002 and have seen such changes in that time but it still feels like it was yesterday which probably is a good complaint as I have enjoyed it so much.

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Year in review 2024

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IMGS & DataBuilders Year in Review 2024

2024 was an extraordinary year for IMGS and DataBuilders, marked by exciting milestones, collaborations, and achievements. Here’s a look back at the highlights in our “Year in Review 2024”.

January - Space, Surveyors and Students Training Session

We kicked off the year with Operations Director Ciaran Kirk participating in the 5*S – Space, Surveyors, and Students training session for the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland on January 17th. This event set the stage for the 2024 Transition Year workshops held in schools nationwide.

We kicked off the year with Operations Director Ciaran Kirk participating in the 5*S – Space, Surveyors, and Students training session for the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland on January 17th. This event set the stage for the 2024 Transition Year workshops held in schools nationwide.

February- Irish Naval Service Customer Story

In February, we released a compelling customer case study with the Irish Naval Service titled “Tracking Marine Vessels in Real Time to Enforce Common Fisheries Policy.” Built on M.App Enterprise, this solution transformed fisheries enforcement by streamlining operations, enhancing compliance monitoring, and empowering decision-making. Read the full case study HERE.

March - A Month of Dynamic Engagement and Learning

Early March: Garrett Cronin and Ciaran Kirk attended the Hexagon Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial Partner Conference in Athens, Greece, where they delivered a presentation and live demo on “Building Inspections with M.App Enterprise.”

Early March: Garrett Cronin and Ciaran Kirk attended the Hexagon Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial Partner Conference in Athens, Greece, where they delivered a presentation and live demo on “Building Inspections with M.App Enterprise.”

March 6th: IMGS and DataBuilders hosted a fully booked FME Accelerator workshop. Designed for beginners and those refreshing their skills, this session empowered participants to maximise their data capabilities.

April - Brought New Opportunities for Upskilling and Leadership

April 10th: DataBuilders hosted a hands-on Sisense workshop, teaching participants how to embed dynamic dashboards and widgets seamlessly into applications.

April 10th: DataBuilders hosted a hands-on Sisense workshop, teaching participants how to embed dynamic dashboards and widgets seamlessly into applications.

April 24th: Our first Data Webinar of 2024 explored the Sisense Compose SDK, equipping users with the tools and knowledge to build bespoke analytics solutions. Watch the webinar HERE.

We congratulated Andrew Paul, Managed Service Lead IMGS, on his appointment as Chair of the AGI Northern Ireland Board. Andrew’s goal is to work closely with the board to expand the AGI Community and networking opportunities for geospatial professionals in the region.

We congratulated Andrew Paul, Managed Service Lead IMGS, on his appointment as Chair of the AGI Northern Ireland Board. Andrew’s goal is to work closely with the board to expand the AGI Community and networking opportunities for geospatial professionals in the region.

May - Packed with Events and Milestones

Garrett Cronin and Ciaran Kirk joined Safe Software at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in London, showcasing innovations in data management and analytics.

IMGS partnered with Enet, Ireland’s largest open-access network provider, to publish a compelling customer story. Enet faced the challenge of managing approximately 120 network routing requests each month, a process that previously required extensive manual effort. To overcome this, Enet collaborated with the IMGS team to create “Click Before You Dig,” an innovative online portal that automates the request workflow.
This solution has streamlined operations, reclaiming 12 resource hours weekly and enabling Enet’s planning team to focus on strategic priorities. Read the full customer story HERE.

IMGS partnered with Enet, Ireland’s largest open-access network provider, to publish a compelling customer story. Enet faced the challenge of managing approximately 120 network routing requests each month, a process that previously required extensive manual effort. To overcome this, Enet collaborated with the IMGS team to create “Click Before You Dig,” an innovative online portal that automates the request workflow.
This solution has streamlined operations, reclaiming 12 resource hours weekly and enabling Enet’s planning team to focus on strategic priorities. Read the full customer story HERE.

May 20th: Ciaran Kirk and Gavin Park delivered a webinar titled “FME Powering Enterprise Dashboards”. This webinar steps into the world of advanced data visualisation and real-time analytics with FME. Watch it HERE.

May 29th: Ciaran Kirk delivered a webinar titled “Navigating the DataGalaxy: Best Practices for Data Cataloguing and MetaData Management”.
This session equips you with the knowledge and tools needed to transform your organisation’s data management practices, ensuring that your data is not just a collection of information, but a strategic asset. Watch it HERE.

May 29th: Ciaran Kirk delivered a webinar titled “Navigating the DataGalaxy: Best Practices for Data Cataloguing and MetaData Management”.
This session equips you with the knowledge and tools needed to transform your organisation’s data management practices, ensuring that your data is not just a collection of information, but a strategic asset. Watch it HERE.

June- Innovation, Collaboration & Team Summer Event

June 5th: We hosted our webinar “FME 2024 Unleashed – Transform Your Data World”. This session showcases how to streamline your data workflows, enhance your data analysis capabilities and unlock new opportunities for innovation. Watch it HERE.

IMGS were proud to be a platinum sponsor and exhibitor at the AGI NI Annual Conference, on June 13^th in Queen’s University Belfast. It was a fantastic day catching up with industry colleagues and attending some great presentations, including one from our Operations Director, Ciaran Kirk, titled “Mobile Working and Changing Work Practices”.

IMGS were proud to be a platinum sponsor and exhibitor at the AGI NI Annual Conference, on June 13^th in Queen’s University Belfast. It was a fantastic day catching up with industry colleagues and attending some great presentations, including one from our Operations Director, Ciaran Kirk, titled “Mobile Working and Changing Work Practices”.

On the last Friday in June the IMGS and DataBuilders team enjoyed a summer evening out at LaPeniche, the charming floating restaurant on the picturesque Grand Canal. With fabulous food and great company, all had a wonderful evening.

July - Cork City Council Customer Story

In early July, we published the Cork City Council Customer Story, demonstrating how our modern asset management solution revolutionised the council’s property management operation. This initiative, improved data accuracy, streamlined records and enhanced future planning capabilities. Read the story in full HERE.

In early July, we published the Cork City Council Customer Story, demonstrating how our modern asset management solution revolutionised the council’s property management operation. This initiative, improved data accuracy, streamlined records and enhanced future planning capabilities. Read the story in full HERE.

August - Analytics Institute Masterclass

On August 28, Ciaran Kirk delivered a virtual masterclass at the Analytics Institute, diving into spatial analytics with FME. Attendees learned how to source, integrate, and visualise spatial data using this no-code platform.

September - A Month of Innovation and Community

In early September, we published the NBI Customer Story, detailing how FME automation optimised workflows, enhanced data accuracy, and improved efficiency in the execution of broadband infrastructure projects. Read the story HERE.

In early September, we published the NBI Customer Story, detailing how FME automation optimised workflows, enhanced data accuracy, and improved efficiency in the execution of broadband infrastructure projects. Read the story HERE.

Tuesday, 17^th September DataBuilders hosted the annual Data Intelligence event in the Ashling Hotel Dublin. It was a fantastic event with a superb line-up of speakers and topics. We were delighted to be joined by Don Murray, President, Safe Software, who travelled from Vancouver to give a keynote speech on “The Future of FME”. Other presentation highlights included:

Digital Transformation with FME – Cathy Heffernan, HSE

Enabling Data Linkage on Pseudonymised Address Data – Justin McGuirk, CSO

ArcGIS REST API & AGOL, Andrew Murphy, NI Water

Empowering Public Sector Innovation with FME, Rob O’Loughlin & Kevin Rajiv, Compass Informatics

Conversational Analytics with Generative AI, Ciaran Kirk, IMGS & DataBuilders

While in Ireland, Don Murray enjoyed a road trip with the team, to the NI Water HQ.

Don couldn’t come to Dublin and not pay a visit to our No. 1 Tourist Attraction, the Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate.

September 18th: Our team volunteered at My Lovely Horse Rescue, supporting their incredible work rescuing and rehabilitating animals. A rewarding and fun day was had by all!

September 18th: Our team volunteered at My Lovely Horse Rescue, supporting their incredible work rescuing and rehabilitating animals. A rewarding and fun day was had by all!

October - Sisense Building Dashboards Accelerator

October 9th: We hosted a virtual Sisense Building Dashboards Accelerator, where participants explored advanced modelling techniques, how to create impactful dashboards and leveraging Sisense AI for powerful analytics.

November - NI Water Customer Story and GeoComm 2024

In late November we published our latest customer story “NI Water Enhances Operational Efficiency through Intelligent Robotic Process Automation”, highlighting the fantastic work and outcomes that NI Water have achieved with FME.
NI Water’s adoption of automation, particularly through FME integrated with AI, has transformed their operations.   Read the case study HERE.

In late November we published our latest customer story “NI Water Enhances Operational Efficiency through Intelligent Robotic Process Automation”, highlighting the fantastic work and outcomes that NI Water have achieved with FME.
NI Water’s adoption of automation, particularly through FME integrated with AI, has transformed their operations.   Read the case study HERE.

On November 28th, Andrew Paul, Managed Service Lead IMGS and AGI-NI Chairperson joined the geospatial community from across the UK and Ireland at The Royal Geographic Society buildings in London for AGI GeoCom 2024. The event showcased innovation, collaboration, and future directions in the geospatial industry.
Andrew penned a blog providing an overview of highlights from the event and key takeaways for the Geospatial Community. To read this blog in full click HERE.

December - FME Certification and Festive Fun

Robyn Dennehy, Managed Service Lead at IMGS was awarded the FME Flow Certification of Accreditation in early December. Congratulations Robyn!

Robyn Dennehy, Managed Service Lead at IMGS was awarded the FME Flow Certification of Accreditation in early December. Congratulations Robyn!

Also, congratulations to Gavin Park, Chief Technology Office at IMGS and DataBuilders, who renewed his FME Certified Training certification from Safe Software in December. Well done, Gavin!
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The IMGS and DataBuilders team finished the year in style at our Christmas Party in the stunning Clontarf Castle Hotel on Saturday, December 14th. It was a night filled with festive cheer, exceptional food, lively entertainment, and fantastic company. A perfect way to wrap up the year together!

The IMGS and DataBuilders team finished the year in style at our Christmas Party in the stunning Clontarf Castle Hotel on Saturday, December 14th. It was a night filled with festive cheer, exceptional food, lively entertainment, and fantastic company. A perfect way to wrap up the year together!

As we start 2025, we’re excited to build on last year’s achievements and embrace new opportunities. Thank you to our clients, partners, and team for making 2024 a remarkable year!

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Reflections on GeoCom 2024: Advancing Geospatial Insights

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Reflections on GeoCom 2024:Advancing GeoSpatial Insights

By Andrew Paul, Managed Service Lead, IMGS and Chair of AGI Northern Ireland

Last week, the geospatial community from across the UK and Ireland gathered in the Royal Geographic Society Buildings in London for AGI GeoCom 2024. The event showcased innovation, collaboration, and future directions in the geospatial industry. This year’s conference celebrated the theme of “Geospatial Empowerment for a Connected Future” and brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts.
Here are some highlights from the event and key takeaways for the geospatial community:

Opening the Stage for Geospatial Excellence

GeoCom 2024 kicked off by reflecting on AGI’s achievements, including hosting the 2024 AGI Awards during GeoBusiness earlier this year. Plans are already underway for the 2025 Awards, promising to celebrate even more groundbreaking contributions to geospatial science and practice.

Andrew Paul & Dr. Sara Stewart at GeoComm 2024

Government Priorities and Geospatial Strategy

Insights from the UK Government and the Geospatial Commission took centre stage. Alexandra Notay highlighted the importance of geospatial data in connecting places, housing, and planning, with initiatives like the Radix Big Tent focusing on housing delivery and urban development strategies.

Geospatial in Land, Property, and Infrastructure

The property sector stood out as a key beneficiary of geospatial advancements:
The Data Sharing Gateway and promotion of UPRNs (Unique Property Reference Numbers) aim to enhance property data integration.
Addressing infrastructure planning challenges, such as flooding impacts, brought the importance of geospatial data into sharper focus.
Projects like broadband rollout underscore the critical need for streamlined access to land registry data to address issues like wayleaves and bureaucratic hurdles.

Geospatial Technology Transforming the Future

From the macro to the hyper-local, technology and innovation sectors highlighted some of the innovative work being supported by AGI. Highlights included:
WorldPop showcased satellite-derived small-area population data, including applications like estimating building footprints and monitoring settlement changes with AI models.
CREDO demonstrated how climate resilience relies on geospatial insights by integrating energy, water, and telecoms data to assess risks to critical infrastructure.
World Forest ID used genetic testing to trace illegal timber trade, spotlighting the global impact of geospatial data on sustainability and governance.
Ken Field’s keynote session on ethical cartography touched on the ethics and politics of mapmaking, reminding us of the responsibilities that come with presenting data visually.

Looking Ahead: Regional Focus and AGI's Future

GeoCom 2024 concluded with exciting announcements for the AGI’s roadmap:
Networking events in Bristol (2024) and Greater Manchester (Q1 2025).
GeoCom 2025 is set to take place in Scotland on February 27th, 2025, hosted by AGI Scotland.
AGI Northern Ireland’s conference will return again to Belfast (Q2 2025).
A return to London in November 2025 at the Royal Geographical Society, where the AGI Foresight Report 2030 will continue the tradition of forward-looking geospatial insights.
At IMGS, we are inspired by the vibrant discussions and cutting-edge developments showcased at GeoCom 2024. The future of geospatial technology is brighter than ever, and we look forward to playing our part in shaping this exciting landscape.

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Aoibhinn Stuart

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Aoibhinn Stuart, Delivery Director IMGS Balancing Projects, People & Family Time

Can you describe your role at IMGS?

As the delivery director my focus is on resourcing, project management, strategy and cost effectiveness across the company as a whole. I work closely with the operations director to agree growth planning and forecasting, new business channels and customer retention. I am also tasked with CFO responsibilities such as setting objectives around revenue growth and profitability for the company. So, like most people, I wear many hats on a day-to-day basis.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Usually, the first thing I do is check my emails, and review my calendar for the day. Then I run around the house chasing my children to get dressed and find socks / coats / lunch boxes / random P.E gear before the school run. Once drop offs are done, I will grab a coffee and usually kick off with a team’s call. I would have a lot of calls between the hours of 9-4 after which I get a chance to reply to emails etc and catch up on the many actions I have accumulated in that day!
Evenings consist of kids sports activities, walking, Pilates and cooking dinner. After dinner I usually do another catch up on emails and any outstanding tasks from the day. After which, I force my kids to watch T.V with me for an hour in the evenings as “Family Time” or else I would never see them. They actually love it, even though in public they would like to pretend I don’t exist.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Usually, the first thing I do is check my emails, and review my calendar for the day. Then I run around the house chasing my children to get dressed and find socks / coats / lunch boxes / random P.E gear before the school run. Once drop offs are done, I will grab a coffee and usually kick off with a team’s call. I would have a lot of calls between the hours of 9-4 after which I get a chance to reply to emails etc and catch up on the many actions I have accumulated in that day!
Evenings consist of kids sports activities, walking, Pilates and cooking dinner. After dinner I usually do another catch up on emails and any outstanding tasks from the day. After which, I force my kids to watch T.V with me for an hour in the evenings as “Family Time” or else I would never see them. They actually love it, even though in public they would like to pretend I don’t exist.

Do you have a favourite company or team event that you've attended in the last 12 months and why?

I recently attended the Analytics Summit in October. It was a great event, very interesting as always. There was a lot of chat regarding AI, but also the need for sustainability and awareness of environmental impact. I came away wondering how we marry those two topics. Tech, as we know is not the most environmentally friendly industry, so we really need to do better at ensuring we continue growth without wrecking our planet. It’s the only one we have.

If you could learn any skill instantly, what would it be?

The ability to learn languages with ease. I am useless with languages. Give me numbers all day long, but languages refuse to embed in my brain.

What would your perfect weekend look like?

Forest walks, roast dinners, red wine and family time. It’s very important for me to take time to be grateful, appreciate all we have. I think we live in a world where we are always wanting and consuming. Not enough time is spent appreciating all we have.

Is there a book or podcast that you would recommend to others and why?

Ah so hard to choose, I loved ‘the bookseller of Kabul’, ‘The catcher in the rye’ and one of my favourites is ‘to kill a mockingbird’.

What would your perfect weekend look like?

Forest walks, roast dinners, red wine and family time. It’s very important for me to take time to be grateful, appreciate all we have. I think we live in a world where we are always wanting and consuming. Not enough time is spent appreciating all we have.

Is there a book or podcast that you would recommend to others and why?

Ah so hard to choose, I loved ‘the bookseller of Kabul’, ‘The catcher in the rye’ and one of my favourites is ‘to kill a mockingbird’.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where you go and why?

I would love to go to Japan. I have travelled a lot and Japan has always been on my list. The culture is so different and I love immersing myself in different cultures.

You win the lottery! What’s the first thing you would do?

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this over my lifetime! I would pay off my mortgage and that of a few key people in my life. Then I would take a year to travel and come up with a plan for me to get involved with a cause I believe in, I would have to have a purpose and feel the money helps to change more lives than just mine.

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IMGS & DataBuilders Year In Review 2023

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IMGS & DataBuilders Year In Review 2023

2023 was yet another dynamic, thrilling, and successful year at IMGS, and we’re eager to share our major achievements with you in our “IMGS and DataBuilders Year in Review 2023” blog.

January - DataBuilders Kicked off 2023 with a
"Sisense Fusion Embed Webinar"

During this webinar Ciaran Kirk and Conor McIntyre demo how Sisense Fusion Embed can add value to your existing analytic offerings, thereby ensuring faster adoption and an improved customer experience.
This webinar demonstrates how Fusion Embed can:
Seamlessly integrate analytics to your product or service.
Customise your analytics offering to suit your application.
Deploy in the cloud or on-prem while ensuring the security of your solution.
You can view this webinar HERE

During this webinar Ciaran Kirk and Conor McIntyre demo how Sisense Fusion Embed can add value to your existing analytic offerings, thereby ensuring faster adoption and an improved customer experience.
This webinar demonstrates how Fusion Embed can:
Seamlessly integrate analytics to your product or service.
Customise your analytics offering to suit your application.
Deploy in the cloud or on-prem while ensuring the security of your solution.
You can view this webinar HERE

February - IMGS Presented with a 20 Yr. Hexagon Partner Award

In February, Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS, was delighted to accept an award on behalf of IMGS, at the Hexagon European Partner event in Mallorca. This award notably, celebrates IMGS being a Hexagon Partner for 20 years.
IMGS are a Hexagon SIG (Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial) Platinum Partner and work with them to provide organisations with powerful solutions that help make sense of the dynamically changing and challenging world.

March - Data Quality with FME Webinar

On March 8^th,Ciaran Kirk and Gavin Park presented a webinar titled “Data Quality with FME”. You can view this webinar HERE.
This webinar illustrates how FME can detect and repair data quality issues and furthermore, you will also see how FME is used to provide data preparation and data stewardship, to ensure only quality data is used to deliver quality insights.

On March 8^th,Ciaran Kirk and Gavin Park presented a webinar titled “Data Quality with FME”. You can view this webinar HERE.
This webinar illustrates how FME can detect and repair data quality issues and furthermore, you will also see how FME is used to provide data preparation and data stewardship, to ensure only quality data is used to deliver quality insights.

April - New CTO Announcement and Hosting the
IMGS GeoIntelligence Event 2023

New CTO Announcement for IMGS & DataBuilders

In early April we were delighted to announce the appointment of Gavin Park, as Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for IMGS and DataBuilders. Consequently, Gavin’s appointment further strengthens our executive leadership team.
Gavin brings a wealth of experience spanning over two decades to the role. This experience will play a key role in our next phase of growth across both IMGS & DataBuilders.
As CTO, Gavin is responsible for leading the development of the next phase of modern and sustainable solutions for our customers, while ensuring a strong synergy between IMGS and DataBuilders.

IMGS GeoIntelligence Event 2023

The IMGS GeoIntelligence Event 2023 took place in the Ashling Hotel, Dublin 8 on Thur, 20^th April.
We had a fantastic line-up of presenters from across the island of Ireland and Europe showcasing the latest advancements in Sustainability, Digital Twin and Remote Sensing, We enjoyed presentations from Hexagon, Dublin City Council, Cork City Council and Leica Geosystems.

May- IMGS & DataBuilders Host Accelerator Workshops, the Team Enjoy a Volunteer Day at Peter McVerry Trust and
AI Awards Finalist

FME Accelerator

On May 16^th IMGS hosted a popular, free, and interactive FME training workshop “Building Data Pipelines FME Accelerator”. This session teaches participants how to get the most use from their data with FME.
This training workshop is best suited to users beginning their FME journeys and users refreshing their FME Knowledge.

Sisense Accelerator

On May 30^th, this was followed up with an equally successful free and interactive Sisense workshop “Building Sisense Dashboards Accelerator”. This workshop provided an introduction to, Data Modelling and building an Integrated Analytic Dashboard with Sisense.

Sisense Accelerator

On May 30^th, this was followed up with an equally successful free and interactive Sisense workshop “Building Sisense Dashboards Accelerator”. This workshop provided an introduction to, Data Modelling and building an Integrated Analytic Dashboard with Sisense.

Team Volunteer Day!

At the end of May, the team headed to the Peter McVerry Trust Mid-Regional Service, at Kerdiffstown House in Naas for our annual volunteer day.
We had a very productive and enjoyable day, painting fences, picnic tables and outdoor seating in the glorious sunshine.

Analytics & AI Awards Finalist

At the end of May, DataBuilders were thrilled to announce that our customer, Diaceutics PLC, were selected as a finalist in The Analytics Institute of Ireland “Analytics Innovation Award” category.

Analytics & AI Awards Finalist

At the end of May, DataBuilders were thrilled to announce that our customer, Diaceutics PLC, were selected as a finalist in The Analytics Institute of Ireland “Analytics Innovation Award” category.

June - HxGN Live Global Event, Analytics & AI Awards,
DataGalaxy Webinar, IMGS/ DataBuilders Summer Staff Night
and AGI-NI

Digital Transformation of Property Asset Mgt.

Ciaran Kirk sat down with Beth Keener, at the HxGN Live Global Event in Las Vegas, 12-15 June. They discussed how IMGS have helped local authorities in Ireland to digitally transform their property asset management, by moving from paperwork to real-time insights with M.App Enterprise from Hexagon.
Click HERE to watch the full interview.

Analytics & AI Awards 2023

On June 15^th we attended the Analytics & AI awards at the beautiful Mansion House, where our customer, Diaceutics PLC, were the worthy winners of the Analytics Innovation Award for 2023. What a fantastic fun night it was with great hospitality and company!

Analytics & AI Awards 2023

On June 15^th we attended the Analytics & AI awards at the beautiful Mansion House, where our customer, Diaceutics PLC, were the worthy winners of the Analytics Innovation Award for 2023. What a fantastic fun night it was with great hospitality and company!

IMGS & DataBuilders Summer Night Out!

On Friday June 23^rd we enjoyed a summer night out at Fade Street Social. Great food, drinks, and atmosphere on a rare balmy evening in Dublin.

AGI NI Conference

IMGS were a platinum sponsor at the 2023 AGI NI Conference in Belfast.
Ciaran Kirk and Garrett Cronin travelled to the Belfast event on June 28th, where Ciaran presented “Property Asset Management in local authorities in Ireland”.

AGI NI Conference

IMGS were a platinum sponsor at the 2023 AGI NI Conference in Belfast.
Ciaran Kirk and Garrett Cronin travelled to the Belfast event on June 28th, where Ciaran presented “Property Asset Management in local authorities in Ireland”.

August - FME & ArcGIS Training,
DataBuilders and DataGalaxy Partnership

FME & ArcGIS Training

From 1-3 August, IMGS ran an FME and ArcGIS on-line training course. This course shows how you can set up FME to work with ESRI. It covers traditional data formats and using ArcGIS Pro with FME to enable access, as well as how you use the next generation of GIS Platforms like ArcGIS Online or Portal Features service.
Watch our website training page and social media channels for details of training opportunities in 2024.

DataBuilders & DataGalaxy Partnership Announcement

At the end of August DataBuilders formally announced its partnership with DataGalaxy , to advance Data Governance Solutions in Ireland. DataGalaxy are an innovative company, specialising in metadata management and enterprise data governance.
You can view the full press release HERE.

DataBuilders & DataGalaxy Partnership Announcement

At the end of August DataBuilders formally announced its partnership with DataGalaxy , to advance Data Governance Solutions in Ireland. DataGalaxy are an innovative company, specialising in metadata management and enterprise data governance.
You can view the full press release HERE.

September - Safe Software "The Peak of Data Integration" Conference in Bonn, DataBuilders Data Intelligence 2023 event

The Peak of Data Integration

Garrett Cronin, Commercial Manager, Gavin Park, CTO and Hrvoje Vukasinovic, Technical Lead IMGS travelled to Bonn, Germany for the Safe Software Conference “The Peak of Data Integration” from the 5^th – 7^th September.
On September 6^th Hrvoje delivered a presentation on “Migration of National Child Protection Data using FME Automations”. Then, the following day, Gavin and Garrett presented “Delivering Web Applications with FME.”

IMGS Marketing Momentum Award

IMGS and DataBuilders were delighted to be announced as the 2023 Winners of the Marketing Momentum Award at “The Peak of Data Integration” Conference. It was certainly the perfect end to a superb partner summit..

IMGS Marketing Momentum Award

IMGS and DataBuilders were delighted to be announced as the 2023 Winners of the Marketing Momentum Award at “The Peak of Data Integration” Conference. It was certainly the perfect end to a superb partner summit..

Data Intelligence 2023 Conference

On September 20^th, DataBuilders hosted the Data Intelligence 2023 conference in the Ashling Hotel, Dublin. It was an engaging event with a superb line-up of speakers and topics including:
New Horizons with the FME Enterprise Platform – Don Murray, Safe Software.
Digital Transformation: The “Fit It” App – Mark Geoghegan, Dublin City Council.
Enterprise Data Integration – Sean O’Boyle, Northern Ireland Water.
Data Linage & Governance – Ciaran Kirk & Conor McIntyre, IMGS.
Digital Reality Modelling & Visualisation – Gavin Park, IMGS & Pierre Nowacki, Sphere.
FME Supporting a New Monitoring System for Farming – Walter French, Compass Informatics.

October - Analytics Institute Summit, Accelerator Training,
3D Digital Realities Webinar

IMGS Stand at the Analytics Summit in the CCD

On October 4th the DataBuilders team exhibited at the Analytics Summit 2023 in the Convention Centre Dublin.
We enjoyed considerable interest at our stand throughout the day and consequently met so many inspiring people across a range of industries, who are doing amazing things with data!

Ciaran Kirk and Conor Doyle discuss "Harnessing the Power of Embedded Analytics"

At the 2023 Analytics Summit, Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director, DataBuilders and IMGS, hosted a fascinating fireside chat with Conor Doyle, Business Intelligence and Product Manager, Luzern eCommerce. They discussed the topic “Harnessing the Power of Embedded Analytics.” You can view this session HERE.

We are looking forward to the 2024 Analytics Summit already!

Ciaran Kirk and Conor Doyle discuss "Harnessing the Power of Embedded Analytics"

At the 2023 Analytics Summit, Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director, DataBuilders and IMGS, hosted a fascinating fireside chat with Conor Doyle, Business Intelligence and Product Manager, Luzern eCommerce. They discussed the topic “Harnessing the Power of Embedded Analytics.” You can view this session HERE.

We are looking forward to the 2024 Analytics Summit already!

FME Accelerator at TUD, Bolton St., Dublin

Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS and DataBuilders, delivered an FME Accelerator Training Workshop, to the 4th Year Geographic Surveying students in the Technological University Dublin, Bolton St, on Friday, October 20^th.

3D Digital Realities Webinar

At the end of October, Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS & DataBuilders and Andrew Paul, Remote Sensing Lead, IMGS hosted our “3D Digital Realities” Webinar.
In this session, you learn how Safe Software’s FME and Hexagon Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial technologies, provide an end-to-end solution for building and managing 3D digital realities. You can view this webinar at your leisure HERE.

3D Digital Realities Webinar

At the end of October, Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS & DataBuilders and Andrew Paul, Remote Sensing Lead, IMGS hosted our “3D Digital Realities” Webinar.
In this session, you learn how Safe Software’s FME and Hexagon Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial technologies, provide an end-to-end solution for building and managing 3D digital realities. You can view this webinar at your leisure HERE.

November - 2 FME Webinar Hosted this Month,
Hrvoje Vukasinovic Awarded his FME Certified Trainer Badge

Save Time & Boost Productivity with No-Code Web Apps Webinar

During the month of November, we hosted 2 FME focused Webinars. The First webinar “Save Time & Boost Productivity with No-Code Web Apps”, was run in conjunction with Dublin City Council and Safe Software.
In this hour long webinar we explored the power of #FME for delivering web apps. Click HERE to view this session.

FME Top Features 2023 Webinar

The 2^nd webinar titled “FME Top Features”, hosted by Ciaran Kirk and Gavin Park, delivers an overview of the latest features in #FME & how they can elevate your business & data to new heights.
Click HERE to view this session.

FME Top Features 2023 Webinar

The 2^nd webinar titled “FME Top Features”, hosted by Ciaran Kirk and Gavin Park, delivers an overview of the latest features in #FME & how they can elevate your business & data to new heights.
Click HERE to view this session.

FME Certified Trainer Badge awarded by Safe Software

Congratulations to Hrvoje Vukasinovic, Technical Lead at IMGS, who recently received his FME Certified Trainer Badge, from SafeSoftware.

December - Christmas Celebrations and Final Webinar of 2023

Christmas Party Night

We enjoyed our Company Christmas night out in the fabulous Iveagh Garden Hotel on Friday December 8^th. A lovely festive night was had by everyone and a great start to the party season!

Christmas Party Night

We enjoyed our Company Christmas night out in the fabulous Iveagh Garden Hotel on Friday December 8^th. A lovely festive night was had by everyone and a great start to the party season!

Sisense Top Features Webinar

In December we hosted our final 2 webinars of 2023. The first webinar was hosted by Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS and DataBuilders and Conor McIntyre, Business Development Executive DataBuilders. This webinar is titled “Sisense Top Features” and showcases the latest functionality released by Sisense.
You can view this webinar on demand HERE.

Actionable Analytics with Sisense Webinar

The 2^nd webinar “Actionable Analytics with Sisense”, was hosted on December 14^th by Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director and Conor McIntyre, Business Development Executive.
In this webinar you see how Sisense provides actionable insights where you most need them. The first part of the webinar provides an overview of Sisense BloX. Sisense BloX makes it easier than ever to create custom actionable analytic applications from complex data, by leveraging powerful prebuilt templates to integrate application-like functionality into dashboards.
The second part of the webinar covers Sisense Infusion Apps. Sisense Infusion Apps are for users who spend most of their time outside of their BI.
You can view the full recording of this webinar HERE.

Actionable Analytics with Sisense Webinar

The 2^nd webinar “Actionable Analytics with Sisense”, was hosted on December 14^th by Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director and Conor McIntyre, Business Development Executive.
In this webinar you see how Sisense provides actionable insights where you most need them. The first part of the webinar provides an overview of Sisense BloX. Sisense BloX makes it easier than ever to create custom actionable analytic applications from complex data, by leveraging powerful prebuilt templates to integrate application-like functionality into dashboards.
The second part of the webinar covers Sisense Infusion Apps. Sisense Infusion Apps are for users who spend most of their time outside of their BI.
You can view the full recording of this webinar HERE.

We are excited to see what 2024 has in store for IMGS and DataBuilders!

IMGS & DataBuilders Year In Review 2023 Read More »

IMGS Year In Review 2021

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2021 was a very busy and prosperous year for IMGS and we would like to share some of the key highlights with you in our “IMGS Year in Review Blog”.

February - Location Intelligence 2021

We hosted our first virtual event of the year: Location Intelligence 2021 with excellent presentations from Hexagon on the latest M.App Enterprise Updates and from our own Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS, who focused on Predictive Analytics using M.App Enterprise and how Photogrammetry is being used in Land and Property Services in Northern Ireland.

March – FME 2021 Sneak Peak

Garrett Cronin, Commercial Manager IMGS and Gavin Park, Lead Solutions Consultant IMGS hosted a webinar in early March giving us a sneaky peak of all that is cool and new in FME 2021!

May – FME World Fair 2021 Sponsorship

IMGS were delighted to be one of the partner sponsors for the Safe Software FME World Fair that ran 4-14 May 2021. On the 2^nd day of this event Garrett Cronin and Gavin Park teamed up again to present “Infusing & Embedding Analytics with FME, Snowflake & Sisense”.
Also in May, IMGS Operations Director Ciaran Kirk, took part in a webinar hosted by The Analytics Institute of Ireland which examined how the adoption of analytics are greatly increased by the embedding of analytics into enterprise systems.

June – Platinum Sponsor at the AGNI 2021

The AGNI Conference was hosted virtually on June 17th with the theme “Geographic Information: Supporting a sustainable future”.   IMGS, as one of the Platinum sponsors had the opportunity to address attendees and Ciaran Kirk, Operations Director IMGS delivered a presentation within the sustainable theme titled – “Solar Farm Monitoring with Hexagon M.App Enterprise”.

July – Launch of Zero to Dashboard in 3 Months

IMGS were featured in the Irish Tech News Business Showcase on July 17^th to highlight the launch of our Zero to Dashboard Platform.
To coincide with the launch of our new platform we also produced a Zero to Dashboard webinar providing an overview of our Data Intelligence platform solution and the benefits it delivers.

September – FME Intelligence 2021

Like many events in 2021 our annual FME Intelligence event went virtual aswell. The highlights of this event included presentations from: Don Murray (Co-CEO and President) – “The Future of FME” and customer presentations from NI Water: “FME in NI Water – Helping things flow and Dublin City Council: “Dublin City Council Digital Transformation”.

November – Analytics Institute Summit 2021

On Nov 23^rd IMGS attended the Analytics Institute Summit in the Convention Centre Dublin, as a partner sponsor. We hosted branded booths both on-line and at the Convention Centre on the Day. We were supported on the day by our Data Intelligence Platform Partners – Talend and Sisense. This was an excellent event with fantastic content and we look forward to a larger presence in 2022.

December – Sisense Certification

Sisense certification was the focus for the last quarter of 2021 and we’d like to offer a huge congratulations to the following IMGS Team members that successfully completed their Sisense Certification with flying colours!
Keith Duffy – Applications Engineer IMGS – Sisense Solution Developer & Sisense Embedded Analytics Professional
Kieran Massey – Applications Engineer IMGS -Sisense Solution Developer & Sisense BI Consultant
Ryan Bannon – IT Solutions Lead IMGS – Sisense Solution Developer & Sisense Embedded Analytics Professional
Aoibhinn Stuart – Delivery Director – Sisense Analytic Project Manager

Training Courses Delivered by IMGS in 2021

IMGS had a very busy training schedule in 2021, with all 8 FME Training Courses that we ran booked to capacity. The list below details the course topics delivered during this period.

FME Desktop Standard x 2

FME Desktop Advanced

FME Server & Cloud

FME & ArcGIS Online

FME & Open Data

FME & Reporting

FME & Python

Thank You

We would like to thank all of our customers and partners that supported us in 2021 and we look forward to continued success for 2022 and beyond.

Find Out More

At IMGS, Data Intelligence and information are at the core of what we do. We provide solutions to automate data flows, visualise information and power data insights for a wide variety of customers included Local Authorities, Government Agencies, Utilities and Communications Organisations.
Our data solutions are built on our partner’s technology platforms and serve the citizens of Ireland every day, from managing water and electric networks to publishing key e-Government information through Government Portals. Through our market leading partners, we provide organisations with end to end solutions that drive operational and capital efficiencies.
To learn and to arrange an initial data session with us, please CLICK HERE to fill in our contact form.

IMGS Year In Review 2021 Read More »