Enterprise GIS - Building a Strong Foundation

What is Enterprise GIS?
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, an Enterprise is defined as 1) an undertaking, especially one of some scope, complication and risk 2) a business organization. The term Enterprise GIS is loosely defined in the GIS community as a GIS that provides an organization with desktop access to GIS data and information. Neither definition encompasses the full meaning of Enterprise GIS although both are quite true.

An Enterprise GIS is –

a GIS that integrates geographic data across multiple departments and serves the entire organization
a GIS that provides access to other information systems in the organization by using a map or application as the integrator of the organization’s information
a GIS that provides desktop access to all users
a GIS that supports applications that are easy to use and understand
a GIS that is well-organized and well-managed
a GIS that is supported by all departments and management

Getting Started
In April of 1999, the City of Grapevine received a government grant that provided the City with the core GIS software they would need to start building a GIS. A few months later, the City, headed by Information Technology, contracted the services of IT Nexus, Inc. to create a GIS System Development Plan. This plan included a Needs Assessment, GIS System Concept Plan and an Implementation Action Plan. It was recommended to the City that they hire a GIS Project Manager and a GIS System Administrator. The City chose to contract the GIS Project Manager through IT Nexus, Inc. It was determined that the GIS Project Manager and the existing Information Technology staff could share the duties of the System Administrator.

Needs Assessment and System Concept Plan
A Needs Assessment is performed to take inventory of the City’s existing resources and current work functions. The existing mapping system at the City of Grapevine was housed in the Public Works department. The graphic data files were unorganized, redundant and inaccessible by other departments. Most departments had to rely on Public Works to make their maps and provide them with graphic information. In addition, the AutoCAD data contained very little attribute information and could not be linked to any external databases. The only tool that was available for viewing and editing the data was AutoCAD.