Workforce and its Impact on the Development of Geospatial Technologies to Support the Delivery Management of Urban Infrastructure: Current Status and Future Needs- A Case Study of Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Geospatial technologies have created new opportunities for handling spatial information and are becoming more frequently used in many fields. As with other information and communication technologies, receiving growing attention in many disciplines where exerted efforts have been made to take full advantage of their rapid developments. Today, geospatial tools are employed in various fields related to urban management and planning, where they have become important tools in improving decision making. This, in turn, has led to a substantial demand for a qualified workforce able to harness the potential of these technologies. This study focuses on geospatial technology workforces working in the agencies responsible for service delivery in residential neighbourhoods in the city of Riyadh. The Delphi technique was used to understand the needs of the workforce and to highlight the aspects that can support users of these technologies to improve related activities. The study found that there is a shortage of qualified professionals who can bring about the desired outcomes regarding the potential offered by the use of these technologies. Issues of awareness, capacity-building and retention of qualified employees, along with lack of incentives, pose similar problems preventing the development of relevant activities. The results provide a number of strategies that may contribute to positive changes that can be implemented to overcome the challenges. https://doi.org/10.23953/cloud.ijarsg.482