Building the Foundations of the GeoInsight Pilot: A Methodology for the Integration of Complementary Information with Geoscientific Data

GeoInsight was an 18-month pilot project developed in the latter part of Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future Program (2016-2024). The aim of this pilot was to develop a new approach to communicating geological information to non-technical audiences, that is, non-geoscience professionals. The pilot was developed using a human-centred design approach in which user needs were forefront considerations. Interviews and testing found that potential users wanted a simple and fast, plain-language experience which offered basic information and provided pathways for further research. GeoInsight’s vision is to be an accessible experience that curates information and data from across the Geoscience Australia ecosystem, helping users make decisions and refine their research approach, quickly and confidently. In the GeoInsight pilot, selected products for energy, minerals, water, and complementary information from Geoscience Australia’s Data Discovery Portal and Data and Publications Catalogue were examined to (1) gauge the relevance of the information they contain for non-geoscientists and, (2) determine how best to deliver this information for effective use by non-technical audiences. This record documents the technical details of the methods of the four sections listed below: Indigenous Regions: This dataset provides a regionalised representation of data relevant to the water, minerals, and energy themes, as well as summary information, which includes, statistics and regional summaries. The Indigenous Regions provide the geographic boundaries from which the GeoInsight pilot was built upon. Population Centres: Summary information showcasing the top three population centres for each region. Top Industries: Summary information showcasing the top three industries ranked by employment for each region. Infrastructure: To show complementary information relating to infrastructure (e.g., roads) and their context to energy, mineral and groundwater resources. Infrastructure is particularly useful in supporting the extraction and transportation of commodities of Australia’s mining and energy industry. This record will be updated, including a change log, when the scope of information or methods for generating the data change.