Much ado about GIS LeaderPath Capstone Project Presentation June 22, 2010.

Much ado about GISLeaderPath Capstone Project PresentationJune 22, 2010

Team Members

• Brett Anderson (WSDOT)

• Michelle Blake (WSDOT)

• Rustynne Dalton (LSC)

• Jon Pretty (DIS)

• Aleta Quimby (OFM)

LeaderPath Challenge

Approaching GIS Strategically as a Statewide Shared Service

GIS Defined

• A geographic information system (GIS) is any system that captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that are linked to location

• GIS merges cartography and database technology

• More than just Google Maps

GIS Layers

• GIS contains layers of information

• Layers make up a framework

• Layers tied together with spatial data

Why is GIS Important?

• Geospatial Analysis• Comparing disparate data from various sources

• GIS reveals relationships in data that are difficult to see in tabular form

Why is GIS Important?

• Incident Management• Depict the up-to-the-moment location of

activities

• Aids in response and dispatch

Differs from Traditional IT Services

• Level of Organizational Integration with IT• GIS services rely on IT infrastructure• GIS has developed within the business units of

organizations, not IT• GIS and IT are converging

• Level of Information Stewardship• Data usage and presentation are rules-based• Rules have long history and are well established• Legal ramifications for misrepresenting data and

results

• Cost of Data• More costly to develop and maintain GIS data• Data creation and maintenance consumes 80% of

cost

Challenges with GIS

• GIS is costly• Collection Methodologies• IT Infrastructure• Software Licenses

• Accuracy Requirements• Positional Accuracy• Relative Accuracy

• Data Refresh Requirements• Different requirements between agencies

and even within agencies

• Documentation Requirements

The Current State of GIS in Washington

Washington State’s Framework Data Sets

Existing Shared GIS Services

• Washington Orthoimagery Data Portal

• Shared Services Pilot Projects• Washington Location Finder Geoprocessing Service• Address Correction and Geocoding Service

Our Approach to the Problem

• Interviews with Washington State GIS leaders

• Research of Washington State agencies’ GIS implementations

• Research of other states’ GIS implementations

• Research of county GIS implementations

• Research of trade journals, blogs, websites, and conference presentations

Our Goals During the Project

• Providing a better service while maintaining or reducing the cost

• Meeting the different business needs of agencies with varying GIS implementation sizes

• Don’t reinvent the wheel. Build off previous successes

• Feasibility during a tough economic time

Brief Review of Shared Services

• Governor’s Directive (February 2009)

• Shared Services Model (October 2009)

GIS Shared Service SWOT

Strengths Weaknesses

• Washington’s GIS community is very collaborative in nature. Data sharing between entities is currently common practice.

• Several of the larger state agencies have mature GIS programs, including trained staff, established funding strategies, and infrastructure.

• Current funding mechanisms for GIS focus on implementation, but not long-term maintenance. Initial project funding often comes through various grants.

• The framework data sets that exist in Washington have not been designed to work together. This has caused state agencies to store revised versions of framework data sets for their own use.

Opportunities Threats

• Activities are underway to create and use standard framework datasets.

• The establishment of a GIS Shared Service provides customers with consistent, repeatable results. It would also reduce duplicative efforts and expenditures among state agencies.

• State agencies vary in their spatial positional and relative accuracy requirements.

• Political and economic pressures can alter priorities and stakeholder commitment.

Benefits of Sharing GIS Data

• Reduced data collection costs• Multiple agencies collect GIS data for the same

geographic areas• Use of a common data set

• Reduced hardware/software costs• Elimination of redundant agency GIS data silos• Reduction of servers and storage required • Reduces the number of software licenses

Benefits of Sharing GIS Data

• Reduced cost to maintain data• Fewer redundant data sets• Less duplicated edits and inaccuracy correction

needed

Benefits of Sharing GIS Data

Department of Ecology GIS consolidationDept of Ecology GIS Consolidation

1996 (pre-consolidation)

1998 (post consolidation)

Plotters and digitizers

16 devices 8 devices

Servers 9 devices 3 devices

Support FTEs 6 4

Licensing costs $198,000 $148,000

Potential GIS Shared Services Tier Structure

Tier One: Enterprise licensing agreement

Tier Two: Enterprise licensing agreement and hosted servers

Tier Three: Enterprise licensing agreement, hosted servers, direct desktop support, web-based services, and geoprocessing tools

Governance

• Shared Services Model• Developed by a large group of state agency CIOs.

1. Governing Board• Provides leadership over state’s shared services• Approve a recommended shared services strategy• Prioritize future shared services

2. Advisory Committee• Address SLAs• Ensure agency business needs met• Guidance on policies• Approve pricing

3. User Committee• Front-line representatives for consumers of the service• Overseeing performance monitoring• Providing feedback and suggesting improvements

Governance• WAGIC Recommendations

• Geographic Information Systems Strategic Plan: Mapping Washington’s Future, 2010 – 2014

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Business Plan: Washington Enterprise GIS Program Shared Access to Geospatial Services

1. Formalize GIS data stewardship• Seven primary framework data layers• Each layer has a designated data steward for the corresponding

enterprise level GIS data sets• Each data service that will be consuming the data will also have a

steward

2. Provide shared GIS infrastructure• Provide a single point of data discovery for stakeholders and their

applications

3. Expand Washington State GIS Program Office• Managing the shared infrastructure and software purchases• Managing business agreements between stakeholders• Coordinating data acquisition• Central point of contact for external stakeholders

Governance

• Data Stewardship• Facilitating the best data implementation, in order

to meet the needs of the most participants, at the least cost.

• Factors:• Horizontal positional accuracy

• Relative positional accuracy

• Connectivity/flow determination

• Depiction – point, line, polygon

• Desired attribution

• Data refresh rate

• Desired level of performance and availability

Governance

• Data Stewardship Considerations• Rules regarding Change Management and Conflict

Resolution

• Rules regarding data sharing and legalities of use

• Impact from public disclosure laws and individual contract agreements

• Data exempt from public disclosure laws will require strict security, especially in a shared environment

Funding

Understandings:

• Central Services Agencies such as DIS and OFM are looking at alternative funding models

• A new pricing model is needed for shared services

• Tracking actual costs for GIS services with the current agencies’ accounting systems is very difficult

• Sufficient funding is critical for success

• All funding sources and opportunities should be

leveraged

Funding

A few of our recommended funding options are:• Parcel Tax/Transfer Recording Fees• Building permit application fees / document

recording fees• Allocate a portion of each department's

operating budget to support GIS services• Utilize the knowledge each agency has in

gaining grants in their areas of expertise• Increased collections because of better tax

assessment through GIS data

GIS Recommendations

• A Collection of Short- and Long-Term Actions

Formalizing GIS Administration

• Creation of a Statewide GIS Office

• Actively involve “GIS Mature” agencies in the standards discussions and decisions

Tier Implementation

• Start with Tier One—Software Licensing

• Recruit GIS Mature Agencies into Tier One

• Build the Remaining Tiers as Momentum is Generated

Funding Recommendations

• Establishing Parcel Taxation Fees

• Establishing an Equal Percentage Contributions from participating agencies

• Leverage existing agencies’ talents to acquire grant funding and pool the resources for shared GIS projects

Broadening Awareness of GIS Benefits

• Incorporating GIS as a required element in new application or development projects

• Broaden GIS awareness by collecting socio-economic information and presenting that in a GIS context to a larger audience of decision makers

Lessons Learned

• Select individuals with complementary strengths

• Recognize that none of us is perfect

• Enforce accountability in a positive way

• Foster mutual trust / honesty

• Build individual and team self-confidence

References

• Interviews• Tonya Elliott, WA Dept. of Revenue• David Jennings, WA Dept. of Health• Joy Paulus, WA GIS Coordinator• Vikki Smith, WA Dept. of Revenue• Cathy Walker, WA Emergency Management Division

• Washington State Agencies’ GIS implementations

• Other GIS implementations• Kansas • Maryland

• North Carolina • Oregon

• Vermont • Virginia

• King County, WA • Pierce County, WA

• Enterprise GIS for Municipal Governments

Thank You

Questions for Aleta, Brett, Jon, Michelle, and Rustynne?