Put a map on It: why OSINT vendors keep getting geospatial wrong

Written By James Villeneuve

There’s a Portlandia sketch where two quirky shop owners “put a bird on it” to make anything look like art. A teapot, a tote bag, a chair — suddenly, it’s special.

We see the same thing in OSINT.

Too many vendors “put a map on it” and market it as real-time situational awareness.
A few markers on a basemap. A zoomable globe. Maybe even a slick toggle between satellite and street view.

Looks great in a demo. Fails fast in the real world.

A Map Is Not a Capability

A map is the final mile — a visualization layer for something much more complex. Without the right geospatial data pipeline, backend infrastructure, and UI, that shiny map is just a static canvas for incomplete or inaccurate information.

If your backend can’t:

  • Ingest and normalize geospatial datasets from multiple sources

  • Handle temporal and spatial queries at scale

  • Maintain accuracy and data provenance

  • Integrate seamlessly with your core OSINT workflows

…then your “situational awareness” feels more like cartographic cosplay than intelligence capability.

Customers Can Tell the Difference

Intelligence analysts know when geospatial features are a bolt-on gimmick. They’re not fooled by spinning globes and animated pins. When the stakes are high - protecting people, assets, and brand reputation, they want:

  • Context: Location, time, and relevance in one view

  • Trustworthy data: Structured, searchable, verified

  • Analyst efficiency: Fewer clicks, faster answers

They’re not buying maps. They’re buying decisions supported by accurate geospatial intelligence.

Pleiades Neo Imagery

Building True Situational Awareness

If you’re serious about geospatial in OSINT, build it from the inside out:

  1. Data Architecture: Design for ingesting, normalizing, and enriching location-based data at scale.

  2. Analyst-Centered UI: Make the map serve the workflow, not the other way around.

  3. Performance & Accuracy: Prioritize fast rendering, precise geocoding, and reliable filtering over visual gimmicks.

  4. Integration: Ensure the map complements a broader intelligence picture, rather than standing alone.

Why This Matters

In a crowded OSINT market, to simply “put a map on it” is tempting. It demos well. It sells the sizzle. But once in the hands of a real user, it will be tested, and if it fails, it damages trust faster than it built excitement.

True geospatial capability takes more than a pretty interface. It takes infrastructure, data integrity, and workflows that help analysts act with confidence.

Build that first.
Then, and only then, put it on a map.

James Villeneuve