What is Location Intelligence ?

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In 1854 the first instance of maps being used for geospatial analysis was recorded. John Snow created a map in which he used geolocation to determine the cause of the cholera epidemic troubling London. His map showed the location of a well where local residents who were sick had gone to fetch water and how they were all connected to one single water pump.

Business Intelligence was first coined in 1865 in a book written by Devens, and how it can be used to analyse data to maintain a competitive advantage. By the late 80s, BI had taken a more commercialised approach, allowing users to become more self-sufficient.

Around the same time, Artificial Intelligence was being discussed at Dartmouth to debate the continuous improvements in technologies capacity to fuel computer research.

The first Geographical Information System (GIS) was created in 1960 by combining geographical data and maps. The benefits of GIS, such as reducing operational costs, led to its progression. In the 1980’s the first commercial GIS software was launched. However, this technology has its limits as only select professionals have the know-how to extract the true value of geospatial data. The difficulties GIS applications have faced in regards to ease-of-use and intuitiveness have made its commercialisation challenging—a challenge Location Intelligence technology has overcome with its simple design.

In 2012, the first applied course on Location Intelligence was offered at the University of Texas by Wayne Geary. He defined it as the process of identifying the optimal location that will promote business success and overcome a variety of business challenges.

The evolution of smartphones took location data to a new level. The upsurge of mobile applications which compile massive amounts of location data started to be analysed using Big Data techniques to gain insights on the whereabouts of users. As time progressed, businesses became increasingly more aware of the need to incorporate the insights extracted from location data analysis into their corporate strategies. Only then would they successfully grow their companies and stay relevant in a turbulent corporate environment. The evolution of these disciplines is what has spurred the development of Location Intelligence technology and contributed to its technological makeup.

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