What level of QGIS expertise do I need for basic business mapping versus complex spatial analysis?
Basic business mapping like customer locations and territory boundaries requires intermediate skills - someone with 3-6 months of QGIS experience. Complex spatial analysis like site selection modeling, network analysis, or statistical spatial analysis needs advanced expertise with 1-2 years of experience and strong analytical background. The key difference is whether you need custom analysis methods or can use standard tools.
How can I verify someone actually knows QGIS well versus just listing it on their resume?
Ask to see their portfolio with diverse project examples and documented methodologies. Have them walk through a specific analysis they've completed, explaining their approach and decision-making process. Test their knowledge of coordinate systems, data quality issues, and when they'd use different analysis tools. A real expert can troubleshoot problems and explain trade-offs between different approaches.
What are the main limitations of QGIS that I should know about before hiring someone to use it?
QGIS excels at analysis and desktop mapping but has limitations in enterprise deployment, mobile data collection, and some specialized industry tools. It requires more technical expertise than some commercial alternatives and lacks the extensive support ecosystem of proprietary software. However, its Python integration and plugin system often provide workarounds for most limitations.
How well does QGIS integrate with business systems like CRM, ERP, or databases we might already have?
QGIS integrates excellently with most databases including PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL through direct connections. It can connect to web services, APIs, and cloud platforms. For CRM/ERP integration, it typically requires custom scripting or middleware, but Python integration makes this very feasible. Most business data formats are supported either natively or through plugins.
How long does it typically take to set up QGIS for business use or complete a spatial analysis project?
Basic QGIS setup and configuration takes 1-2 weeks including data preparation and workflow development. Simple analysis projects like territory mapping take 2-4 weeks, while complex multi-criteria analysis or custom automation projects can take 2-3 months. Timeline depends heavily on data quality, complexity of analysis requirements, and integration needs with existing systems.
What ongoing maintenance or support will I need after a QGIS project is completed?
QGIS projects need periodic maintenance for software updates, data refresh procedures, and potential troubleshooting. Plan for quarterly check-ins to update workflows and annual reviews for major version upgrades. If you have automated processes or custom scripts, expect occasional debugging and enhancement requests. Training internal staff reduces long-term support needs significantly.