15 Minute Maps

Episode 24 - Éloïse Neff: All Terrain GIS

What if the best map isn't a map at all—but the system that makes mapping effortless? Eloise Neff spent seven years at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) building geographic information systems from the ground up. But when asked for her dream map, she has a surprising answer: she doesn't have one. Instead, she wants something better. A dream information system. In this episode, Eloise—an engineer turned GIS manager—explains why the "...information system" part of GIS is too often forgotten. She argues that most analysts spend more time fighting their software than solving problems. Her vision? A flexible, sustainable, secure system that matches your actual needs (not your vendor's sales pitch). She walks us through the delicate balance between flexibility and sustainability, the critical role of ETLs, and why data protection in humanitarian contexts can be a matter of life and death. She also shares hard-won wisdom on navigating the headquarters vs. field divide, why GIS professionals are uniquely positioned to bridge both worlds, and the single most important skill that has nothing to do with technology: truly listening. > "An information system is not a magic wand. The tool is one thing. The knowledge of the people is everything." * Why GIS is first an information system, second a mapping tool * The Ferrari vs. 4x4 philosophy of system design * Flexibility vs. sustainability: the eternal trade-off * ETLs explained (extract, transform, load) * Data as a weapon: information security in humanitarian contexts * Headquarters vs. field—and why GIS sits perfectly in between * The lost art of listening to users

Episode 23: Willa Sumer - Wildlife and water... Tackling a Californian Crisis

Why do biologists wake up at 4 AM to look for birds? And what does that have to do with California’s housing crisis? In this episode, California based GIS analyst and conservation expert Willa Sumer takes us inside the world of wildlife surveys, mitigation banking, nature conservation and environmental regulation. She explains why early morning field work is non-negotiable (rattlesnakes, reclusive species, and nesting season), how GIS helps developers avoid wiping out endangered habitats, and the idea of “selling” restored land to offset construction impacts. All this under the fascinating idea of 'Mitigation Banking' a topic I must admit I had never heard of.  Willa also pulls back the curtain on California’s manipulated landscape and reveals data is so difficult to access, and when it is available, why its hard to implement actionable plans. If you’ve ever wondered whether conservation can coexist with affordable housing, this episode is for you. LINKS: Willa's personal site [https://www.willasumergis.com] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wsumer/]

Episode 22: Mathew Roberts - Where the Money Flows

What if you could see exactly where the world’s money goes—in real time? From Swiss bank accounts to mobile money in Sierra Leone, and from colonial resource extraction to modern "resource nationalism," this episode pulls back the curtain on the hidden flows that shape global inequality. Host Hugo sits down with Matthew Roberts, Head of Geography at the International School of Geneva (and Hugo’s alma mater). Matthew shares a provocative dream map: a real-time, interactive visualization of global capital, resource wealth, and historical injustices. They discuss how AI is changing the classroom, the "geography of hope" needed to fight student eco-anxiety, and why a pen, paper, and clipboard are still the most vital tools in fieldwork. Plus, Matthew introduces the work of Social Income—proving that just 1% of your income can create a direct line of solidarity across continents. LINKS: Social Income [https://socialincome.org/en/int] Mathew's Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-roberts-ch/]

Episod 21: Max Malynowsky - Offline is the New Online

What if humanitarians had an offline-first mapping tool as reliable as a Garmin GPS? In this episode, Max Malynowsky — software engineer at the OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data — dreams out loud about a future where field teams can sync trusted, up-to-date geodata anywhere, even with near-zero bandwidth. From the chaos of contested admin boundaries to the quiet genius of ODK and XLS forms, Max and Hugo unpack why the hardest part isn't building the app — it's building the data infrastructure behind it. If you've ever tried to print 20,000 settlements or wished for a universal translator for geodata, this one's for you. Links:  Max's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxym-malynowsky/] HDX [https://data.humdata.org] OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data [https://centre.humdata.org]

Episode 20 - Saïd Abou Kharroub: The One-Stop-Shop Map

What if all the data needed to respond to a humanitarian crisis already existed — but was scattered, siloed, and hard to use? In this episode of 15-Minute Maps, I’m joined by Saïd Abou Kharroub, a GIS specialist turned information management expert, former CEO of Civ API, and current board member of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT). Saïd’s dream map isn’t a single map at all, but a one-stop, layered view of the world’s crises — aggregating data on conflict, displacement, funding, infrastructure, population, and satellite imagery into a single, accessible platform for decision-making. We discuss: * What information management really means in humanitarian contexts — beyond tools and technology * Why decision-making often struggles to connect field realities with available data * How aggregating existing datasets can unlock faster, smarter responses to crises * The role of APIs, open source data, and platforms like HOT and Civ API * Why better data doesn’t replace human judgment — but strengthens it This episode is a deep dive into how data becomes information, and how information becomes action — especially when lives are at stake.