Build or Buy? Upcoming GBA Webinar Explores Software Strategy for Geoprofessional Firms

 

As geoprofessional firms adopt new technology, many face an increasingly important decision: Should they develop their own software tools or invest in established commercial platforms?

GBA’s next Knowledge Sharing Webinar will help firm leaders and technology decision-makers evaluate that choice. Build vs. Buy: Navigating Software Strategy in Geoprofessional Practice will be presented by Seequent on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

Programming in geoprofessional practice can take many forms, from scripts and low-code platforms to APIs, custom applications, and AI-enabled “vibe coding.” These tools can help firms address specific needs and experiment with new workflows, but developing software internally can also introduce risks and costs that are easy to underestimate.

Presenters Mark Skinner, CEng MICE, CITP MBCS, and Carl Grice will examine the technical and cultural factors that encourage geoprofessionals to create their own solutions. They will discuss issues such as security, compliance, maintainability, access, transparency, quality assurance, privacy, and return on investment.

Attendees will also learn how established software platforms can be integrated and extended to support innovation, connected workflows, and competitive advantage without preventing firms from meeting their specific business and technical needs.

The webinar is free and open to GBA members and nonmembers. Attendees will earn 0.5 PDHs.

Continue Learning with GBA’s Industry Partners

Before the October 29 webinar, GBA members can watch Seequent’s previous Knowledge Sharing Webinar, Understanding Ground Risk: It All Starts with the Data, and explore how connected, standardized geotechnical data can support better risk assessment, collaboration, and decision-making. The recording is available in the members-only GBA webinar library, where you can also find recordings of other Knowledge Sharing Webinars, including the September 24, 2026 event with Esri: From Static Reports to Spatial Insights with Geotechnical and GIS Integration.

Upcoming Knowledge Sharing Webinars

All webinars begin at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
• November 19, 2026: Presented by BoreDM
• December 17, 2026: The Competitive Advantage Hidden in Your Geotechnical Archive, presented by Quire
• January 28, 2027: Presented by ConeTec
• February 25, 2027: Presented by SpectraQEST

The GBA Knowledge Sharing Webinar events are a series of free online learning opportunities for GBA members and guests that directly connect them with our industry partners who are creating impactful technology to elevate the geoprofessions.