BCDC GIS, Graphics, and Technological Services

The San Francisco Estuary Institute is working to provide support for the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) though Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Graphics, and Technological Services.

To support BCDC’s stated needs, SFEI deploys its notable staff with expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), graphical design, and website development. The categories of work that SFEI provides support identifies: (1) GIS Services; (2) Web and Print Graphic and Layout Design; (3) Creation of effectively designed, visually rich, and visionary reports, plans and materials related to scientific work, policy advisory, and land use; (4) Development of communication materials to reach a range of audiences; and (5) Collaboration with subject expert staff and scientists concerning GIS analysis, cartography, and design support.

GIS Services: SFEI is able to leverage its extensive GIS experience and long-standing institutional capacity to provide expert support to BCDC for both routine and specialized GIS tasks. We are able to assist data acquisition, assessment, editing, production and analysis, as well as provide responsive technical assistance and help develop institutional best practices. SFEI assist with presenting data in ways targeted to BCDC’s internal and external audiences through cartographic products, quality geodata with clear documentation, development of web maps and web tools, and communication strategies.

Web and Print Graphic and Layout Design: SFEI has provided layout and graphic design support for BCDC’s web and print needs.  SFEI routinely designs maps and graphics of varied specifications and formats for posters, journal articles and PowerPoint presentations. Our printed reports are designed with a level of professionalism that enhances and complements the level of scientific rigor and insight they contain. Leveraging our experienced application development team’s talents, we develop web maps, tools and interfaces that are able to help BCDC’s audiences explore and access complex data in the useful ways. SFEI creates cartographic elements for the web using proprietary tools such as ESRI’s ArcGIS Online, and also with custom software and web platforms developed at SFEI.

Creation of effectively designed, visually rich, and visionary materials: SFEI has assisted BCDC in updating its reports, plans and other existing materials. This service includes planning reports, staff reports, land use plans and other advisory and policy documents. SFEI has extensive experience creating layouts for annual reports such as The Pulse, a distinctive publication with a 20-year history and features many graphics, figures, maps and infographics which help to convey complex and salient information. Our historical ecology reports provide ample evidence of our most advanced storytelling and design techniques. As science and policy evolves, documents and plans must be updated utilizing the most current and applicable approach. SFEI’s compelling graphical styles and layouts engage the audience and help to highlight critical information. Map figures are, of course, a specialty of SFEI, as is incorporating methods and scientific research into comprehensible and engaging forms.

Development of communication materials: SFEI is known for our production of high quality presentations and communication materials. We utilize websites, posters, slide decks, video and infographics to communicate the scientific work done at SFEI to our stakeholders. The Institute has expertise in advanced software packages such as ESRI ArcGIS and Adobe Create Suite. SFEI leverages this experience to assist BCDC in the creation of exhibits, posters, slides, web graphics, story maps, and open source web map platforms to make research, policy and plans accessible and understandable.

Collaboration with subject expert staff and scientists: SFEI works collaboratively with BCDC staff in order to provide relevant and efficient assistance and support. We use a wide suite of software and formats of GIS and scientific data as well as different methods of data transfer, task requests and project management. BCDC staff experience support in producing maps, conducting GIS analysis, graphical support for project and programs as well as answering day-to-day questions.

Work Examples:

The Adapting to Rising Tides Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer

One of the largest projects we have been working on for BCDC is the Bay Area Flood Explorer, which is part of their Adapting to Rising Tides Portfolio. This is an exciting web application that allows the user to interactively select different scenarios of sea level rise and storm surge and visualize, at a county scale, the impacts on the bay area communities. In addition to displaying Depth of Flooding, and Disconnected Low-lying Area data sets, the explorer displays some of SFEI's own data sets, such as the San Francisco Bay Shore Inventory.

BCDC 2016 Annual Report

SFEI has also provided the design and layout work for BCDC's 2016 Annual Report. We have created a number of infographics and updates to the layout in order to modernize and update it's look and feel. The infographics help to covey the history and progress that BCDC has made over time.