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NVG
stichting nederlands genootschap voor landmeetkunde
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Geodesie
deals with two of these places a burden of responsibility
on his or her shoulders.
The way ahead
The key question that needs to be addressed is what role
can be identified for photogrammetry to play in support
ing the infrastructure of society. Given that photogram
metry is a solution, the question is to what problems
should it be applied? A crucial issue for the future is to
clarify the ownership, value and use of all land in every
country, priority being given to urban areas of the Third
World. According to the World Bank, over 50% of shelter
programmes for the urban poor have fallen into serious
difficulties because of inadequate information about the
land. Closer to home, the problems are in part rural. In
western Europe, for example, how can the European
Community administer its resources especially the Com
mon Agricultural Policy when it does not know what land
it has to administer?
It is insufficient to say that there is a solution better
photogrammetric mapping and that all that is needed
is for someone to pay for it. An increasing number of
national survey organizations are moving towards full or
substantial cost recovery and the true costs of mapping
have to be evaluated and justified. Map makers must
learn to market their skills and products. The photogram-
metrist must cease to be a technician and servant after
all much of the quality of mapping now comes from the
technology not the operator and the concept of service is
becoming unfashionable. Quality Assurance (QA) is no
answer since this is primarily concerned with the means
to an end and not the nature and quality of the end itself.
QA is a management tool that determines accountability
within an organization not the quality of the product or its
relevance. Quality may mean 'fitness for a purpose' but
the issue is to define more clearly the purpose.
The first requirement is therefore to forget the technology
and ask what problems need to be solved. Urban and
cadastral mapping and the recording of accurate environ
mental data are three that have been commented on
above. It is the type and quality of information that is
needed that must be identified in some cases simple
photo-mosaics are all that are required provided that the
necessary skills in interpretation are available. But having
identified the problems it is then necessary to market the
solutions. Skills in marketing are of paramount impor
tance if the message is to be explained to funding agen
cies and decision makers that the photogrammetrist has
a solution. A more professional approach is needed, not
to the measurement process which in general is already
to high standards but to the advice that must be given to
potential clients. The hype that is all too often associated
with remote sensing and GIS must be avoided while the
message is clearly and honestly explained. The challenge
facing the photogrammetrist is no longer a technical one.
The future lies in understanding the social, political and
economic environment and in demonstrating the rele
vance of the solutions that can be offered.
NGL, founded in 1959, is the association of four
geoditic societies in the Netherlands: VTAK, VVL,
VMDR and NVG. These four societies together ha
ve over two-thousand members, with an educatio
nal background at university and varying technical
levels. NGL co-ordinates a number of common acti
vities of the allied societies.
Besides such important matters as organizing bi
annual congresses and workshops on a broad va
riety of geodetic issues, NGL publishes the Dutch
Journal for Geodesy: NGT Geodesia. The editorial
board consists of representatives of the four socie
ties. This monthly journal is the outstanding com
munication channel of the Dutch Geodetic Com
munity.
The Journal publishes articles at scientific and
technical level, business profiles, congress reports,
book reviews, product information, reports on natio
nal and international geodetic activities and so on.
Each edition of NGT Geodesia contains 3500 co
pies.
mmr-K.
VERENIGING VAN
TECHNISCHE EN
ADMINISTRATIEVE
AMBTENAREN
VAN HET KADASTER
VERENIGING VAN LANDMEETKUNDIGEN
Vereniging
Meetkundige Dienst
Rijkswaterstaat
NGT GEODESIA 93 - 8
387
