A Symbology Change A Symbology Change Management ProcessManagement ProcessA Symbology Change A Symbology Change Management ProcessManagement Process

Why Have Standard Symbology?Why Have Standard Symbology?

Cost Effective

Everyone uses same symbols

No individual effort designing symbols

Standard look and feel

Relevant to the ground

Cartographically well designed – communicate effectively

Safety issue – closed roads, etc.

Why Establish A Symbology Change Management Process Now?

Why Establish A Symbology Change Management Process Now?

What is different now than 5 years ago relative to symbology and text?

• Data Center Migration creates a unified data and applications environment.

• National Applications are maturing

• Independent symbol sets don’t make sense any longer

• Increasing need to be efficient & cost effective

• Other agencies/partners are also addressing this issue.

Opportunity exists to create broadly accepted standards

The “Holy Grail” of Symbology Change Management

The “Holy Grail” of Symbology Change Management

The change management process must:• Have a single, central point of contact• Be simple and easily understood• Be efficient• Engage/Include stakeholders interested in

symbology • Be documented• Be marketed

Who Needs Symbology Change Management

Who Needs Symbology Change Management

Stakeholders:WO Program Areas

FSNRA’s

Regional GIS Coordinators

Regional Geospatial Services Programs

Others who have a management level interest in insuring consistent design and utilization of symbology.

Users:The folks who actually design and build maps at the field level – the people applying symbols.

Symbology ClearinghouseSymbology Clearinghouse

Create a symbology clearinghouse as the central source for all cartographic symbols.

Held at/by GSTC.

Initiate a screening process for adding existing symbology to clearinghouse

Develop a symbology committee

The symbology committee will develop screening process

Screen what we have – add to clearinghouse

Proposed Symbology Change Management Process

Proposed Symbology Change Management Process

Assess need, coordinate with requestor and stakeholder(s)

Request for symbol(new, change, other)

Does suitablesymbol exist?

Refer requestor to symbolsource

Refer request to GSTCPortfolio Manager

Is symbolAcceptable?

Symbol added to symbolclearinghouse/repository

GSTC performs work

FS SymbologyCommittee

GSTC

User/Stakeholder

Yes

Yes

No

No

To Make This Work…To Make This Work…

There must be buy in!

There are five components in the symbology change management process, each have distinct roles• GAC Cartography Focus Area Lead• FS Symbology Committee• Stakeholders• GSTC• Users

GAC Cartography Focus Area Lead

GAC Cartography Focus Area Lead

Charter the FS Symbology Committee

Achieve buy-in from Stakeholders

Coordinate the design and implementation of the Symbology Change Management Process

Coordinate the documentation of the Symbology Change Management Process

Monitor Symbology Committee activity

FS Symbology CommitteeFS Symbology Committee

Chaired by GSTC

Chartered by the GAC (Cartography Focus Area)

Members include representatives from WO Program areas and the FSNRAs and Regional Geospatial Groups

Maintain awareness of symbol sources and current FS requirements as listed in FS manuals and handbooks.

Identify and evaluate new requirements for map symbology submitted.

Coordinate communication

Pass requests for symbol creation or modification approved by the Symbology Committee to GSTC

Stakeholder RolesStakeholder Roles

Each WO staff unit, FSNRA, Detached Unit, or other stakeholder group will be required to:• Agree to support the process• Designate a symbology point of contact

Stakeholders in various WO staff groups are the symbology data stewards.

Stakeholder points of contact make decisions concerning requested new or changed symbology and text.

Changes involving several stakeholders will be mediated by the Symbology Committee.

GSTC RolesGSTC Roles

Chair FS Symbology Committee

Administer the symbology change management process

Design and build symbology

Maintain symbology clearinghouse/repository

User RolesUser Roles

Become familiar with standard symbology—at least know where to find it

Stop building non-standard symbols (build symbology only when necessary and vet it through the standard symbology process)

Utilize the change management process• Provide clear justification for requested changes or new symbology

Accept decisions developed through the change management process.

• There will not be symbol police.• This process works only to the extent that users abide by decisions

made within the change management process.

Process DocumentationProcess Documentation

Once accepted and implemented, use of the Symbology Change Management Process will be documented in appropriate Forest Service manuals

The process will be maintained, and is expected to evolve over time

Changes to the process will be submitted to and adjudicated by the FS Symbology Committee.

The Symbology Committee will work with stakeholder contacts to gain agreement for changes in the process

So…Questions? Comments?

So…Questions? Comments?