PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
Enhance your conference journey by participating in our pre-conference workshops. In addition to the main conference featuring technical sessions, we offer various workshop that enable you to dive into specific topics.
To book a workshop please do so during the registration process. If you have already registered and would like to include a workshop please update your registration using the link provided in your confirmation email. For assistance, please contact figandlocate@geospatialcouncil.org.au.
Reference Frames in Practise (RFIP)
Date options: Saturday 5 April | Sunday 6 April | 1.5 day Workshop
Time: 0900-1700 (Sat) – 0900-1200 (Sun)
Fee: $175
Room: Level 12 – North
The main focus is on reference frames in general with a specific focus on UN initiatives, global and regional frames as well selected national case studies.
The technical seminar is aimed at surveyors, spatial professionals, students and operational geodesists who are interested in learning more about practical aspects of reference frames from some of the world’s leading geodesists and geodetic surveyors.
For information on the program please visit the FIG Website.
LEVERAGING ICESat-2 DATA FOR GEOSPATIAL APPLICATIONS — EXPLORING ICESat-2 DATA APPLICATIONS IN ELEVATION MAPPING WATER HEIGHT, AND BEYOND
Date options: Saturday 5 April
Time: 0900-1100
Fee: $50
Room: Level 12 – South
In this session, you will learn how to:
- Easily create animated visualizations of geospatial timeseries data
- Attach contextual events to explain trends and patterns in the data
- Collaborate with others by sharing datasets and exchanging insights
- Enable others to follow your work, comment, and receive notifications on updates
We will also showcase how Mapipedia can be used to display a variety of data, including:
- Global average life expectancy trends since the year 1800
- Personal geotagged photos from recent travels
- The historical formation of the United States and its evolving flag designs
- GPS tracking data from wildlife monitoring efforts
Unlocking Spatial Data: Human-Centred Design for Digital Twin Success
Date options: Saturday 5 April
Time: 0900-1100
Fee: $75
Room: Podium 3
This interactive workshop explores how Human-Centred Design (HCD) can make spatial data more accessible, impactful, and user-friendly for your audience.
Facilitated by Terria’s Human-Centred Designer, Amber Standley, the session focuses on practical techniques to help professionals enhance their spatial data and digital twin projects.
The workshop is tailored for infrastructure consultants, planning professionals, and GIS specialists who want to design, prototype, and create proof-of-concept projects that effectively engage non-technical stakeholders and communities.
What to Expect
Practical HCD Approaches: Learn methods to map processes, engage users, and design data catalogs tailored to real-world needs.
Introduction to Digital Twins: Receive step-by-step guidance on building prototypes and proof-of-concept models, featuring case studies from early adopters.
Storytelling for Impact: Discover techniques to clearly communicate project goals and outcomes.
Who Should Attend?
– Infrastructure professionals looking to initiate or enhance digital twin projects.
– GIS consultants seeking to expand into 3D and digital twin applications.
– Local government professionals aiming to make their spatial data more user-friendly and valuable to both industry and the public.
Interactive Activities
– Mapping user workflows and designing data catalogs for improved accessibility.
– Hands-on prototyping of digital twins using Terria.
– Applying HCD principles to enhance usability and impact.
Key Takeaways
– By the end of the session, participants will:
– Understand how to begin or advance their digital twin projects.
– Gain practical experience in prototyping and designing data catalogs.
– Learn effective strategies for engaging users and demonstrating the value of digital twin projects.
This workshop offers a collaborative space to share ideas and gain practical skills that can be applied immediately. It’s also an opportunity to learn from experts designing the future of spatial data.
OGC approach of increasing interoperability with geospatial information
Date options: Saturday 5 April
Time: 1400-1700
Fee: $75
Room: Podium 3
OGC Rainbow will further assist with Machine-Leaning and AI tools.
How to Build a Professional Practice Profitably
Date options: Saturday 5 April
Time: 1400-1700
Fee: $75
Room: Podium 4
Workshop Overview:
Surveyors Australia’s Business Academy for Surveyors, established in 2019, has transformed over 150 surveyors, planners, engineers, and administrators into confident leaders of thriving businesses. This workshop brings key components of the Academy to FIG 2025, offering delegates practical insights into Strategy, Storytelling, Sales, Pricing, Profitability, People, Risk, and Succession Planning.
Delegates will explore tools and frameworks to:
1. Build sustainable business units within larger organisations.
2. Develop the foundational skills needed for a successful private practice in surveying.
Key Focus:
The session addresses one of the industry’s greatest dilemmas: Surveyors graduate with strong technical expertise but limited business training. Bridging this gap is critical as we tackle:
– The aging workforce and how to ensure seamless leadership succession.
– The skills shortage and ways to grow capability through effective business systems.
With a focus on key metrics (the numbers) and key people (your team), delegates will gain practical skills to navigate challenges and ensure long-term profitability and growth.
What Delegates Will Take Away:
– Practical lessons from real-world successes in building resilient businesses during economic uncertainty.
– Tools to understand and improve key business metrics for profitability.
– Skills to tackle people-related challenges, from recruitment to succession planning.
– A blueprint for leading a sustainable, future-ready surveying practice.
Why This Matters:
Surveyors Australia is committed to empowering technical professionals with the business acumen to lead confidently. This workshop will equip delegates with actionable insights to drive business success, overcome workforce challenges, and thrive in a competitive environment.
Climate Masterclass
Date options: Sunday 6 April
Time: 0900-1200
Fee: $75
Room: Podium 1 & 2
ArcGIS Parcel Fabric for Modern Cadastral Systems (Esri)
Date options: Sunday 6 April
Time: 0900-1700
Fee: Free of charge
Room: Podium 3 & 4
With increasing uses of parcel data, accuracy and completeness are critical. In this workshop, attendees will learn about the Parcel Fabric data model and how to extend it for their organization’s data. The parcel fabric supports an authoritative system of record for land management, with each parcel tied to a legal document that allows historical lineage to be easily viewed and changes to be tracked. The workshop will cover several key components of the parcel fabric including: easy data migration, extensibility, parcel-based measurements (COGO), land transaction/survey record management, built-in quality control, and configurable workflows.