From Data to Decisions: Strengthening Governance with Satellite Insights

 From Data to Decisions: Strengthening Governance with Satellite Insights

During NL Space Week 2024, we hosted an innovative workshop during the “Satellite Applications for Governments” event,  which was organised by the Province of South Holland in collaboration with NL Space Campus and the Netherlands Space Office. The workshop aimed to equip local governments with practical tools and insights for effectively utilising satellite imagery in their operations. 

‘’Satellite Applications for Government’’: Event Overview

The event took place at the Provincial House of South Holland in The Hague and focused on the application of satellite data for municipalities, provinces, environmental services, and water boards. The session was designed for municipalities, provinces, environmental services, and water boards, offering practical tools for harnessing satellite data. Participants discovered how to leverage satellite data’s omnipotent applicability to almost all sectors of modern society to translate information into actionable insights with minimum effort and time compared with traditional methods. The audience, which was transformed by means of the workshop into a group of experts, explored innovative solutions for pressing issues such as climate adaptation, biodiversity, urban planning, sustainable mobility, and air pollution.

Three key traits were reinforced during the workshop interactive session:

  1. Innovating with Satellite Data: Attendees explored the capability of satellite data to disentangle complex human or natural processes and (eco)systems and translate information about phenomena (or effects of these phenomena) into actionable insights either for climate adaptation, biodiversity, sustainable mobility, or spatial planning.
  2. Identifying Hidden Patterns and Challenges: Unique sensor capabilities (optical, radar, hyperspectral, thermal) were showcased, revealing otherwise invisible to human perception or scale, underlying issues such as pollution, heat stress, water quality, and many others. The key transformative objective was to migrate from disengaging and dry theoretical case studies to delve into real-world problems encountered or experienced by the audience. 
  3. Collaborative Problem-Solving: Participants from all different backgrounds and with different levels of expertise engaged in generative cycles of innovation as teams to find joint solutions to their specific challenges, empowering them with the disruptive power of space technology and its applications.

The collective effort of the group transformed the workshop space into a forum for innovation, where decision-makers and data-driven professionals teamed up to scout for new technological solutions to their most pressing challenges.

The Workshop Approach to Solve Most Pressing Challenges by Empowering Innovation with Satellite Data 

In the first part of the “Satellite Applications for Governments,” event Province South Holland introduced the strategic role of space for a policy which was confirmed by Coco Antonissen from NSO, who else introduced the audience to the multitude of solutions, data and sensors that their office offer to those interested to innovate with satellite data. The event continued with a presentation from Boen Groothoff from the City of Amsterdam, who also introduced the Space4Cities EUSPA project and the imminent procurement of innovative solutions for cities with satellite data (currently in the market consultation stage). Then, Joep de Koning from Delfland Water Authority dived into the use of satellite data for water quality and quantity management and monitoring. He presented a few concrete examples of identifying and monitoring water channel vegetation overgrown within cities with high-resolution optical satellite data. Toward the end of the first part of the event it took place a session of pitches from space industry speakers. Well-known companies such as Spheer.Ai, S[&]T, Mapture, and Sensar presented their solutions for real-world issues, laying the groundwork for the collaborative workshop to follow. Finally, at the end of the first part of the event, Joris Kruse from dotSPACE helped the audience to familiarise themselves with the Innovation Canvas. This canvas is a tabletop exercise tool designed and customised to assist workshop participants in their quest to generate ideas and concepts with the help of satellite data. It was previously utilised on many occasions (masterclasses, webinars, project scoping, summer schools, SBIRs, workshops, etc.) as a concrete resource for guiding innovation sessions and rapid prototyping in their journey to find solutions to their identified challenges with the help of satellite data.

Innovation Canvas: A Gateway to Solutions

The Innovation Canvas is an essential framework for users at all levels, guiding them through a multi-step process to identify and define problems while developing viable solutions. The current event canvas focused on four key areas:

  1. Problem Definition: Users identify the challenges they face, establishing the foundation for solution development.
  2. Solution Development: Participants map out the strategies, resources, and drivers necessary to transform their ideas into actionable concepts.
  3. Paper/Rapid Prototyping: The first concept or drawing of the prototype meant to spark system thinking
  4. Define Functionalities and Feasibility: Define a minimum set of requirements/ functionalities (in this case, time vs. resolution) and assess feasibility as a function of the solution’s impact and complexity.

This comprehensive tool provides a 360-degree view, considering technical, economic, business, social, and environmental factors. In as little as one to one-and-a-half hours, participants can create prototypes that serve as a foundation for further technological development and scoping. With all the ingredients for innovation at hand, the participants are making a rational leap from a rough idea to a concrete concept. From this point onwards, the path for accelerated innovation is open as participants identify within the canvas their pressing needs, the current situation, what are the external drivers and stakeholders, and what is the value added of adopting new technologies such as satellite data and applications.

Workshop Outcomes: From Challenge to Innovation 

During the workshop, participants developed six innovative concepts, each aimed at addressing specific challenges using satellite data:

  1. Urban Planning: Utilizing Sentinel 1 satellite data to monitor land subsidence and improve spatial planning.
  2. Heat Seeker: Mapping heat islands, heat stress and heat loss using existing optical and thermal satellite imagery to enhance energy efficiency.
  3. NOx to NIx: Leveraging TROPOMI and optical satellite data for improved nitrogen detection and environmental management.
  4. Development Locations: Implementing Digital Twin technology to better manage natural areas and optimise energy usage.
  5. Mutation Signaling: Using SAR data to update outdated BAG (Basic Registration Addresses and Buildings) information for enhanced regulatory enforcement.
  6. TopDAK: Employing digital tools to modernise roof planning methods in line with contemporary requirements.

One of the hosts of the workshop, Andrei Bocin-Dumitriu, noted the collaborative nature of the workshop: “The concepts were created on the spot by the participants. We organised the attendees into groups and facilitated discussions to identify relevant challenges. Each team ultimately selected one challenge to work on. The audience included public administration representatives, including those from water boards and regional governments, with varying levels of GIS knowledge.”

Drive Innovation: Download the Innovation Canvas Now!

The Innovation Canvas is a valuable resource for anyone, regardless of their technical background, to structure ideas and develop them into comprehensive concepts. By guiding users through problem identification to creating prototypes, the canvas fosters a systematic approach to project development.

We encourage all participants and interested parties to download the Innovation Canvas and explore its capabilities for enhancing their projects. By leveraging the insights gained from this workshop, stakeholders can effectively utilise satellite data to drive innovation in public administration and related fields.

Click here to download the canvas

Photo by Herman Zonderland

Article edited by Andrei Bocin-Dumitriu

Kacia Rutkoŭskaja

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