To correct these problems, the City recently placed all departmental GIS systems under the management
of its information systems department. With this move, the City expects to reduce its annual GIS
maintenance cost, get better returns through improvements in departmental operations, and optimize the
use of staff and computing resources.
The remaining parts of this paper address the issues brought about by integrating a multi-utility GIS by
presenting the general framework and strategies being implemented in the City’s new GIS Program.
Integration issues
The decision to integrate a multi-utility GIS is done in the political arena. The decision-makers have to
be convinced that integration is viable and cost-effective. The largest cost involved in integrating a
multi-utility GIS is commonly the cost of converting applications and data into a single GIS. However,
this cost is usually readily offset by the reduced cost of maintaining one system instead of multiple
systems. The next major hurdle is convincing existing staff to change and learn a new system. There is
normally the option to replace existing staff but they are usually retained because of their knowledge of
the data and undocumented exceptions of the existing system.
This paper will address the technical aspects of integration.
The following are major factors and options that have to be considered when integrating a multi-utility
GIS:
Organization and Staffing
| Factors
|
Options |
- What types of GIS deployment options are available?
|
- Stand-alone/LAN PC
- GIWMAP Server
|
- What should be considered in selecting deployment option?
|
- Budget and priorities
- User requirements
- Number of users
- System and data availability
- Application
- User sophistication
- Technical Requirements
- Software-hardware requirements
- Licensing costs and constraints
- Computing capacity and performance
- Technical support/training
|
System and Data Integration
| Factors
|
Options |
- What ways can existingsystems be integrated?
|
- Hardware: minimum & standard servers & protocols
- Database: standard data formats& RDBMS
- Application: standard tools, interface& API
- Data: standard data model & control redundancy
|
- How to integrate GIS andlegacy data?
|
- Standardize common location data types: address, site name,parcel-id, building name, street name, zip code, telephonenumber
- Apply GIS techniques: Address geocoding, tabular join,spatial overlay, geocoding
|
Program and Proiect Management
| Factors
|
Options |
- What is the scope of GIS?
|
- Anything requiring or affecting the use of GIS tools
- Anything affecting GIS data standards.
- Potentially, anything related to location-based information
|
- How to track projects effectively?
|
- Set criteria for which projects to track based on scope, cost, time
- Set standard project management report
- Meet regularly to report on progress, identify needs, and set directions
- Designate a GIS specialist in each department
|
The frameworks and strategies below are examples for planning and designing a multi-utility integrated
GIS. They attempt to answer most of the issues raised above from the perspective of implementing an
integrated GIS in the City. The examples have been generalized to apply to a broader audience.
Organisational framework
It is important to locate an integrated GIS program within a department that has broad impact, regular
funding, and the ability to provide logistic support and staff expertise for information management. The
Information Systems Services Department (1SS) of the City have all these requisites. 1SS created a GIS
unit which is directly responsible for managing GIS projects. The new GIS unit will work with other
existing 1SS units including the Interlocal GIS unit which is responsible for the maintenance of the base
maps, in supporting GIS applications and data development in the City.
Each City department will continue to play a major role, primarily in the creation, maintenance, and
retrieval of GIS data. There will be a designated GIS Specialist who will facilitate GIS-related work in
each department. The GIS Specialists will keep office in their designated department’s site but will be
supervised by the GIS Program Manager. This special arrangement is a crucial element of the GIS
integration. This approach will assure the departments of readily available support staff to assist with
their GIS work, while at the same time assure upper management that GIS work is being done according
to standards and priorities approved by the City.
