Welcome to our second FME Community User Spotlight! Every month, we’ll be spotlighting a user in the community whose active participation and helpful contributions have been invaluable to the community. We’re excited to highlight their experiences and insights!
User Spotlight: Joep Kuijvenhoven @joepk
What’s your name?
Joep Kuijvenhoven
What company do you currently work for?
I work for Avineon-Tensing, a GIS consultancy based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
What’s your current job role and title?
GIS Consultant
Tell us more about what you do and how you use FME?
As a GIS consultant, the purpose of my FME usage can vary. I am currently using FME to improve the data quality of two databases that describe the same road network. A large part of this workflow is automated, but another part involves preparing and processing input from an editorial team.
Why did you join the FME Community?
I grew up using many online forums, and I really enjoy the culture of online communities. This is what initially drew me to the FME Community. Helping others and learning more about FME in the process is what keeps me engaged.
What tips do you have for users on how to get the most out of the FME Community?
This might be obvious, but use the search function! The FME Community has been around for a long time and the odds are pretty high that your question (or a slight variant) has been asked before. Also, check out the Ideas page and do not hesitate to post your own ideas!
Tell us about some of the exciting use cases you’ve built using FME.
I am currently working on a couple of workspaces where geospatial analyses are performed using FME and compared to a database containing both user input and FME input. My workspace checks for differences between the datasets and (based on if the data is user-derived or FME-derived) either updates, inserts, or deletes from the database.
What’s one of your favourite tips or tricks for using FME?
When facing a problem in FME I try to do the crux using different approaches. This helps me see the problem from different perspectives and allows me to find the best solution faster.
If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things with you, what would they be?
I would probably go with 1) A solar-powered hi-fi installation, 2) A literal tonne of records, and 3) one of those adjustable bouldering boards with endless routes.
I am putting a lot of faith into finding a sharp stone on the island, because I really don't want to swap any of these out for a knife.
If you could work from anywhere in the world, where would it be?
This summer, I was hiking in the Haut-Jura region in France. I could definitely see myself working from a small cabin in a meadow in the middle of a sub-alpine mountain range like that. Maybe I would even do some cow herding/cheese making in the morning and some GIS in the afternoon.
