Software strategy: options for the enterprise: organizations increase efficiency by sharing resources and applications

CADalyst, Jan, 2005 by James L. Sipes

IN RECENT YEARS MANY LARGE companies, organizations and municipalities have switched from independent, stand-alone GIS systems to more integrated approaches that share resources and applications. The basic idea of an enterprise GIS is to address the needs of departments collectively instead of individually. The development of one comprehensive infrastructure minimizes potential conflicts and misunderstandings and can result in significant cost savings and performance improvements.

Benefits of Enterprise GIS

The basic mandate for any enterprise GIS application is to ensure that all agencies within an organization have access to GIS information so that they can operate at maximum efficiency. Some of the potential benefits an enterprise GIS can provide are greater consistency and accuracy from improved system-wide management, more efficient use and sharing of data, reduced redundancy of data across the system, better use of departmental GIS resources and reduced maintenance and support costs.

One of the biggest benefits of an enterprise GIS is that priorities can be established and decisions made about the best way to use company resources. Data is one of the most significant investments in any GIS program, so any approach that reduces acquisition costs while maintaining data quality is important. With so many day-to-day operations of municipalities requiring the use of geospatial data, a system needs to be in place for sorting and prioritizing the requests.

If funds are limited, acquisition can be geared toward data that fulfills the greatest number of needs. Many GIS goals can be accomplished by using commercial, off-the-shelf applications, but there are occasions where customized applications must be developed. With an enterprise GIS program, it may be possible to develop a custom application and then make minor revisions to meet the needs of individual departments.

Data Warehouse

Most enterprise GIS applications use some type of geospatial data warehouse that loads information from operational databases into a centrally managed and distributed system. When data is stored in a data warehouse, all users have immediate access to the most accurate and up-to-date version, so there should no longer be problems with departments using outdated information. A warehouse also makes it easier to manage GIS resources and protect the data from prying eyes.

One approach is to have one or more data stewards or custodians who are in charge of maintaining the data warehouse. These data stewards are responsible for updating, protecting and organizing all data. Instead of having each steward manage the GIS data for a particular department, it's much more efficient to assign them to different types of data. For example, one steward could be in charge of all land use data, while another oversees all water-related data. This approach encourages interaction between departments and reduces the possibility of redundancy.

Accessibility for Constituents

One reason that many organizations use Web-based enterprise GIS applications is because they make it easier to share information with constituents and encourage a greater level of community participation. One of the primary objectives behind the City of Vallejo's enterprise GIS application, for example, is to allow residents and business owners to access data that was previously available only to city staff (figure 1).

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

VEDIS (Vallejo Economic Development Information System) is an online application that provides business and statistical information about the city. City officials wanted to improve the interaction between city staff and the public and thought VEDIS was an effective way to do that. The enterprise GIS provides immediate access to up to several data layers, including parcel maps, parks, fire stations, police stations and census data.

For organizations interested in making data available to stakeholders, one common mistake is to make GIS data available online before sufficient standards and procedures are in place to assure quality control. Another issue is what, if any, constraints should be placed on GIS data that is made available to the public.

If a system goes online before it's ready, there can be errors in accessing information. If members of the public form a negative perception of the online system, they won't use it and may potentially be less supportive of other city activities as a result. My company is currently working with a local municipality that provides online access to data from an enterprise GIS. The current problem is that users first have to type in their names and e-mail addresses, but then the system crashes. After a week of trying to access the information online, we finally just had them burn a CD and send us the data.

Staffing Issues

One decision facing organizations is how to manage support staff. One option is to use a decentralized organizational structure, in which GIS staff members are located in various departments throughout the organization. Most organizations that have developed an enterprise GIS program take a more centralized management approach. A core team works together to manage all GIS applications, and this team is responsible for working with all of the departments in the organization. Some organizations use a hybrid approach of centralization and decentralization to maintain a corporate-wide focus while also meeting needs of individual departments.