GPC SDI White Paper

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2012, GPC GIS LLC and GPC Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SPATIALDATA INFRASTRUCTURESOLUTIONS THAT MATTERCOMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

WHITE PAPER SERIES

2012

An Original GPC Group Document


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Spatial Data Infrastructure A GPC Whitepaper 2


EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe advantages of sharing geospatial information across society have been clear for

nearly as long as GIS technology has existed, but it has taken some time for thetechnological and institutional frameworks to evolve enough for the vision toconverge with reality. Today, most technological barriers have been overcome, andopen-systems and standards-based application and software services have becomemainstream. Institutional frameworks have advanced as well although not asquickly, and the targets are known, but their adoption is often slow whereorganizations have not yet adopted a proactive change-management posture wheretechnology is concerned.

Technology is advancing at break-neck speed worldwide, and today we have theopportunity to proactively harness those advancements to the betterment of our

governments, communities, businesses and society at large. Doing so requiresinspired and motivated leadership coupled with equally committed and competentmanagement for technical implementation. The GPC Group has been at the forefrontof SDI implementation in many countries around the world, supportinggovernments, regions, and international institutions in helping to shape theirprograms. This paper provides an overview of the principles and practices of SDI,and provides the reader with some time-tested steps that can be taken to initiate andsustain an SDI or less formal GIS Federation: wherever there are leaders and groupsof people that wish to work together to better their lives and those of theircommunities.


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TABLE OF CONTENTSExecutive Summary .............................................................................................................. 2

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. 3 Location, Location, Location ............................................................................................... 4Harvesting the Benefits ........................................................................................................ 9Overcoming the Challenges ............................................................................................... 10Leveraging the GPC Methodology ..................................................................................... 13

Assess ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13Plan ............................................................................................................................................................................... 14Support Implementation & Operation ................................................................................................................... 15Identifying the Way Forward ............................................................................................. 18Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 22

Your Strategic Partner ........................................................................................................ 23 The GPC Group Contact Details ........................................................................................ 24


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LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION An ambulance dispatcher trying to establish the location of a distraught caller A business owner choosing where to best locate a branch office to reach the

most customers

A utility manager deciding where to optimize investment in system upgrades Wildlife experts identifying sources of airborne pollutants that may be causing

species decline

Emergency planners identifying risks and formulating contingency plans forresponding to potential future catastrophes in order to save lives and protect

property and the environment Different defense and security agencies consolidating and merging different

data sets in order to respond to a threat

Several oil companies managing their upstream and downstream activitiesmore efficiently in order to maximize profits for the group

A takeaway delivery staff attempting to get food to a customer before it goescold

Planners, community leaders, and decision makers making projections intothe future and deciding on where and how the cities, towns and villagesshould develop in a rational and sustainable manner

What do all these scenarios have in common? They all involve information anddecisions about location. It has been said that over 80% of the most criticalgovernment decisions involve location-based, or geographic information in someway, and the same can be said about many other parts of our society. Geography iswhere we live, work, play and learn, and geographically based information gives usthe means to better understand the world around us, plan effectively andcomprehensively, make informed decisions, and carry out the results of those

decisions in a coordinated and efficient way.Geographic Information System (GIS) technology today provides a powerful varietyof computerized tools to collect, manage, share, explore, analyze and visualizegeographic data. Modern GIS is much more than computerized mapping - itprovides an information infrastructure for bringing all manner of data togethergeographically to support integrated and multi-sector decision-making at manylevels. Throughout the region, organizations have invested to varying degrees in GIStechnology and databases to meet their own needs. We are now in an excellentposition to help communities leverage that investment by establishing a Spatial DataInfrastructure (SDI), consisting of the necessary framework of policies, partnerships,standards, data, procedures, technology and institutional capabilities that are neededto support more effective sharing and utilization of geospatial information.


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Modern Geographic Information System (GIS) technology provides computerizedtools to collect, manage, share, explore, analyze and visualize geographic data. Overthe past 30 years, GIS has grown from a relatively specialized and obscure technicalfield to become an important and pervasive part of a societal information

infrastructure for managing and using all sorts of spatial and spatially-relatedinformation at the local, regional, national and global levels. The term spatial datainfrastructure (SDI) is used to promote the concept of a reliable, supportingenvironment, analogous to a road or telecommunications network. Spatial datainfrastructures facilitate access to geographically related information using a basic setof standard practices, protocols and specifications.

Extensive national SDI programs have been underway for some time in NorthAmerica, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere, while regional,

subnational, international institutions, and theme or sector based SDIs have also beenemerging. These programs have established important groundwork, but experiencesuggests that while these models provide valuable guidelines and insights, all

Different communities may share common information interests

SDI can benefit different types of communities. The most obvious example is a nationalSDI, serving government, civil society, academia, and private industry. The same conceptmay apply to sub-national levels, or to regions encompassing several countries. Whereas

these previous examples typically cover all sectors and disciplines, SDIs may also be sectorspecific, such as in the case of environmental SDI, focusing on the sharing ofenvironmental and related data, whether within one country or a single ecosystem. Otherexamples of sector specific SDI but which cater to a limited group of entities are utility SDI private or semi-public or security SDI usually exclusive to government entities.


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countries have many special institutional, political, economic and legal contexts thatrequire a unique approach tailored to a local context.

There are several definitions of an SDI, but what is common for all of them is therecognition that as is the case with any infrastructure, the components include bothhard and soft elements, in addition to the resource that this infrastructure is builtfor spatial data. In its simplest representation, an SDI comprises three coreframeworks:

Business framework. The businessframework provides the overriding

business processes or mandates thatthe SDI is meant to serve. Thisincludes topical business areas ofresponsibility covering the different

stakeholders, the related businessprocesses, as well as any linkages toexternal business processes.

Technical framework. There are anumber of pillars that make up thetechnical framework, all of which needto evolve as the fast changing technologies keep advancing. Nevertheless, thefundamentals remain true for the data, services, computing infrastructure, and staffcapacity.

Data. This component consists of essentially two separate but highlyinterdependent parts. The first is the spatial data itself, in other words the datathat serves the community and often referred to as the FundamentalGeographic Data Sets or FGDS. The second is the metadata in other wordsthe characteristics of a data set, encompassing its origins and changes overtime. As mentioned earlier, data typically consumes the lions share of theoverall cost of establishing and operating an SDI, which in addition to it beingthe raison dtre of an SDI, places it at the forefront of attention.

Services. Services allow custodians to create, maintain, and integrate data,while clearinghouse and portal services provide users the tools to discover,access, and process the data.

Computing infrastructure. In our increasingly automated world, technologyunderpins much of what we do, and SDI is no exception. A well-designedsolution architecture will provide for the underlying computinginfrastructure, covering networks, communications, hardware, and datarepositories.

Staff capacity. The users, ranging from data custodians to end users as well as

those persons that may be shepherding the SDI development, will all need avariety of skills. In many instances such skills either exist or need to be

Business

Data

App

lications

Computing

Infrastructure

Staff

Policies, Procedures,Standards andOrganization

Institutionalframework

Technical

framework

Businessframework


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reconfigured to the SDI needs, although some of the softer skills relating tomanagement and partnership may require more focused consideration.

Institutional framework. This component, which is sometimes overlooked in therush to address the more tangible hardware and software or the practical aspects ofthe actual data, is a critical foundation for the establishment and sustaining of ahealthy and effective SDI. It comprises the legislative and regulatory frameworksthat relate not only to information and its accessibility, but other aspects as well suchas liability. It also covers policies, be it the assignment of responsibilities for creationand maintenance of data also known as custodianship to the more mundane butcritical business model that dictates how the costs of data collection, maintenanceand dissemination are to be recouped. Since SDIs bring together a number ofstakeholders that may sometimes be a mixture of public and private sector entities,governance is another area of concern, addressing how the SDI will operate, what

will be accountable to whom, and what are the lines of communication. Differentaspects of this and the three other components may be formalized between thestakeholders in the form of agreements. Lastly, data standards play an importantrole, ensuring data quality and increasing users confidence. Similarly, guidelinesand procedures are required covering different aspects of the SDI, especially for datamaintenance.

Standards as a unifying force. Workingwith the Abu Dhabi Spatial DataInfrastructure stakeholders, the GPC

Group helped establish a collection ofgeospatial data content standards coveringgeodetic control, buildings, roads,cadaster, utilities, environmental, andothers, in addition to five datamanagement standards. A StandardsDevelopment Framework and a StandardsGovernance Framework support theGeospatial Standards. The StandardsDevelopment Framework adopts a top-down approach for harmonizing the abstract

ISO standards and the more practical OGC standards and a bottom-up approach forintegrating them with the various existing stakeholder data standards to come upwith the set of SDI standards. The framework specifies the major tasks fordeveloping the Standards as a consensus process with the involvement of variousgroups of SDI stakeholders, and identifies the custodian group responsible for thecurrent state of the standard at each step of the development process.

The Standards Governance Framework is the process by which all SDI stakeholdersare afforded an opportunity to shape its structure, functions, and capabilities. Thisgovernance framework includes people, policies, and operational processes. The

framework for Standards governance consists of leadership and processes thatfocuses on ensuring proper adoption and implementation of SDIs publishedStandards, Policies, and Best practices by the stakeholder organizations. The


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framework defines three foundation elements that are pre-requisite to the overallgovernance process, four governance functions, and the activities under eachgovernance function.


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HARVESTING THE BENEFITSSDI initiatives are expected to yield certain individual and collective benefits andpositive outcomes to the stakeholder community and their constituents society atlarge. Some of the key expected benefits are:

Provide decision makers with the full range of geographic data and spatialanalysis and visualization tools needed to better understand issues andanalyze the implications of alternative decisions and scenarios. The SDI canprovide a wealth of multi-sector data and the analysis and visualization toolsthat can provide an invaluable decision-support function and help instreamlining operations.

Support better coordination among stakeholders. Sharing of accurate and up-

to-date information among all key community entities will help to ensure thatsuch organizations are aware of each others fixed assets, facilities and projectactivities. Potential conflicts and areas for coordination and cooperation will

become more obvious.

Establish an accurate and up to date inventory and ongoing tracking ofconditions in the community. Data is typically spread across many entities,and it is difficult to access and integrate such information to understand thewhole picture. An SDI can integrate and harmonize geospatial informationfrom all key entities and make it accessible through a coordinated network of

interoperating nodes.

Support data sharing and eliminate redundancy and costs in mapping andgeographic data development among stakeholders. Sharing of key data amongthe community entities will eliminate the need for redundant datadevelopment and maintenance.

Support civil society, private sector, and the public. International experiencesuggests that SDI can provide many benefits beyond government within boththe civil and private sectors. Community interest groups can use theinformation to support their planning and activities, and the private sector can

be instrumental in leveraging GIS data to create new business opportunitiesand markets.

Add the spatial dimension to information management, access and analysisat all levels of the community. GIS helps organize data into its most usefultopics and scales for the users low level data for local planners and firstresponders, midlevel for regional planners and decision makers, and the highlevel view for the federal and executive decision makers working acrossgovernment functions.


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OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGESCommunities may face different kinds of challenges as they pursue an SDI. Some ofthe challenges that may be faced include the following:

Increase awareness and appreciation of existing geospatial resources. Some of thestakeholders may have made significant investments and progress inimplementing GIS technology within their own organizations. While theremay be some recognition of this among the community at large, the full extentof such data resources and the value of this information when broughttogether in an integrated SDI environment may not be fully appreciated.Where existing geospatial data resources have been developed separately withlittle or no coordination or use of common standards, there are bound to beinconsistencies and integration challenges that will need to be overcome.

Provide leadership towards an information sharing culture. Often there are nocomprehensive or sustained programs for coordinating or sharing informationamong stakeholders. There may be difficulty in sharing information amongunits within the same entity, much less with other organizations and thepublic. The reasons for this are varied including perceived lack of control onhow data might be interpreted or used, claims of confidentiality, fear that thequality or accuracy of the data may be questioned or criticized, concern thatothers may take credit for work done by another or will be used forcommercial purposes, and other issues. There is a need to dispel fears and

build awareness and confidence, and it is likely that this sort of mindset andcultural change among individuals and organizations will take some time andpositive experiences for this to happen.

Compile information about the availability and quality of existing spatial data. Manyorganizations do not adequately document their data. As a result thecompilation methods used and other information that would give some

Environmental information From local to global

The Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) was conceived in 2001 bythe Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) as a means of participating as an active andvisible participant in international environmental affairs, with an emphasis on closing theenvironmental gap between developed and developing nations. The program was

initially fashioned around the United Nations World Summit for Sustainable Development(WSSD) Type II Partnership Initiative, as a tool to support the environmental provisions ofChapter 40 of Agenda 21 and the Millennium Development Goals. The GPC Group has

been supporting EAD in the conceptualization and implementation of AGEDI since 2004.Most recently, the GPC Group has supported with EAD, the United Nations EnvironmentProgram and others to plan and hold the Eye on Earth Summit which brought togetherglobal leaders, innovators and decision-makers to focus on an issue critical to the wisedecision-making upon which our planets future depends: how to ensure effective accessto the world's expanding pool of environmental and societal data by all of those who needit.


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indication of the data quality and accuracy is missing and must be interpretedor further researched to understand the legacy and qualities of theinformation. A complete inventory and assessment of existing commonlyneeded information is needed to better understand the existing information

assets, and to use this knowledge as the basis for laying the groundwork forfilling data gaps and ensuring sustainability of ongoing data maintenance andsharing.

Clarify data ownership and custodianship information. In some cases, contractorsmaintain ownership of information that was developed on behalf of agovernment project. The receiving entity may not have the internal capabilityto maintain that information, and without proper maintenance the value ofthe information will diminish with time. There is a need to both clarify dataownership while also ensuring that responsible entities have the capacity to

effectively manage such projects and assume permanent custodianship oncethey are complete.

Introduce standards in the existing spatial data. Often geospatial data is notdeveloped in compliance with any standards. This reduces users confidence inthe data, and also makes it more difficult to ensure that successive versionsare consistent thereby reducing the ability to perform time-series analysis.

Establish the legal and institutional basis and enabling environment for effective

information infrastructure. There may not be a well-articulated legal frameworkfor security, privacy, confidentiality and intellectual property, nor any basis

for establishing government transparency and the publics right to accessinformation collected by the government. These are known to be prerequisitesof a healthy knowledge economy, but will need to be crafted carefully to stayin alignment with local political and administrative realities.

From library card catalogs to the web: Geospatial Portals

A Spatial Information Infrastructure provides a framework for coordinated informationdevelopment and sharing, and key to that is web-based services. A Geospatial Portal connectsthe producers and consumers of geospatial data by providing the tools for the producers tocreate and post metadata while allowing the consumers to search for and discover the metadata.A portal also provides the means for users to access and view the geospatial data, regardless oflocation, format, or structure of the data source. A Geospatial Portal may cover an entirecommunity serving as a single point of access, or a network of portals may collectively serve thewhole community. A hybrid approach is where one single portal provides all the metadata, butdistributed clearinghouses enable users to access each custodians data.In 2007, the GPC Group assisted in the configuration of a geospatial portal for the Abu DhabiSpatial Data Infrastructure initiative based on ISO standards. The deployment has evolved overthe years, with user interface improvements, graphical and cartographic refinements, and theestablishment of direct links between the Geospatial Portal and various eGovernment services.

The long-term goal of the AD-SDI is to provide a network of seamlessly interoperable agencynodes through the Portal that allows agencies to share their framework data.


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Provide government orientation to balance between profit-generating enterprise,

competition, and the public good. Certain governments have policies favoringoutsourcing and privatization of selected government functions, or may beurging government entities to become more proactive and entrepreneurial as

profit centers. SDI around the world is typically more focused on governmentefficiencies, cost avoidance, and public common benefit rather than directcommercial profitability or government revenue enhancement. Charging fordata by government data custodians is a policy matter that must be carefullyvetted with decision makers and in subsequent alignment of policies,regulations and practices that will need to reflect decisions in this regard.

Leverage and build on e-government programs. In some cases e-governmentprograms are underway, but may not have addressed foundational issues thatare prerequisites for an SDI, such as the special characteristics of spatial

information and the security, legal and regulatory frameworks involved.These will need to be addressed at some level so that an SDI can proceed, thusrequiring either that some e-government program areas be accelerated, or thatany related SDI development in these areas be done in a manner that isconsistent with basic e-government program principles and direction in mind.


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LEVERAGING THE GPCMETHODOLOGYThe GPC Group continues to refine its SDI development methodology, while alwaysrecognizing that each SDI community will need its own customized approach. OurSDI services cover the full range, starting with early interventions to assess thecontext or propose tactical interventions, moving on to the long-term masterplanning, and then proceeding to the institutionalization stage where we providevarious support services.

AssessOur full life cycle methodology starts out with rigorous assessments covering thedifferent aspects of SDI. Where there is need for further clarity or need for

establishment of executive sponsorship before a project can be well defined, an initialRapid Assessment may be conducted. Otherwise, a project may proceed directly intoa detailed Situation Assessment.

Rapid Assessment.The GPC Group conducts brief but highly intensive sessions toassess the overall readiness of a given community for the development of SpatialData Infrastructure. This includes an evaluation of the existing institutional andtechnical environments, capacity issues, clear identification of potential barriers andopportunities for effective SDI implementation, and the identification of clear stepsin a practical and effective way forward.

Stakeholders Situation Assessment.The GPC Group conducts in-depth interviews toidentify the various aspects of the organization that have a direct bearing on theadoption of geospatial technologies. Interviews are normally preceded by discussion

OutputsO

utcomes

ProgramDesign

OperationsPlan

TechnicalFramework

(Data &Infrastructure)

InstitutionalFramework

Assess Plan

TechnicalSpecifications

BusinessFramework

Stakeholders Situation

Assessment

Data Inventory

& Assessment

Requirements AnalysisBest Practices

Assessment

Rapid

Assessment

Major Programs Alignment

Fundamental Data Capture

Foundation

Infrastructure

Orientation Seminars

& Roadshows

Communication & Outreach Content Management

Community

Organization

Technology/Interoperability Standards

Event Management Financing

Professional

Development

Community

Development

Policy &

Regulation(PerformanceManagement)

Citizen(or Customer)

Satisfaction(Quality of Life/

Services)

Performance

Assessment

Strategic Plan

Data/Information Management

Business Solutions/Integration

Investment in Innovation/

New Technologies(Knowledge-based decision

making)

Data Standards

Sustainable Development

Multi-sector(or Multi-disciplinary)

Coordination / Planning(Social, Economic, Environment)

Support Implementation & Operation

ImplementationPlan

Maturity

Assessment

Strategic

Relationships


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with stakeholder senior management to ensure understanding and support. This isfollowed by an Orientation Seminar to establish a common understanding across thecommunity about GIS and SDI principles and practice, how the study is to beconducted, and what is expected of the participants in each step in this process.

Subsequent interviews focus on the overall mandate, business functions, data,systems, human capacity, and issues, opportunities and constraints in each entity.

Maturity Assessment. The GPC Group applies customized maturity assessmentmodels and questionnaires to establish the SDI maturity of organizations, sectors,and communities as a whole.

Data Inventory & Assessment.During the interviews, the GPC Group paysparticular attention to inventory all relevant types of digital or manual data used orgenerated across the different stakeholders, collecting samples where necessary, andestablish an initial metadata database. Further work assesses issues of redundancy,

gaps, content, accuracy, currency and related aspects.

Requirements Analysis.The GPC Group synthesizes information identified in thesurvey into a comprehensive set of requirements crossing all concerned stakeholders,covering business functions, data, software applications, technology infrastructure,human capacity, and institutional/ organizational requirements such as policy, legal,governance or financial needs.

Best Practices Assessment. In some cases, the GPC Group assesses best practiceswithin a sector along with relevant case studies. Sector subject matter experts are

mobilized to compare international sound practices within a sector, draw acomparison and gap analysis to the existing situation, and define a basic program forinstitutional strengthening utilizing GIS technology and SDI as an enablingenvironment for such transformation. This is presented in a form that can then beused to guide planning and strategy development within an agency or sector.

Major Programs Alignment.The GPC Group reviews ongoing or planned geospatialdata development projects. The specific requirements and plans of these projects areassessed and compared to one another and to a Data Framework, in order to developa plan to achieve maximum alignment of the data being produced with the needs of

the broader community. Consideration is given to not unduly burden existingprojects with new requirements, while any projects that are found to fundamentallycontradict or adversely impact the goals and objectives of the SDI program areidentified for corrective intervention.

PlanThe GPC Group develops comprehensive SDI master plans to provide structuredfocus from the very start of the SDI implementation process and ensure that initialefforts are immediately effective, while remaining flexible and extensible to meetfuture needs. Throughout the actual implementation and operation, different

planning components will be revised and updated as part of an adaptivemanagement process.


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Strategic Plan.The GPC Group provides a consolidated perspective for the SpatialData Infrastructure initiative on the vision & mission, guiding principles, goals andprioritization of the requirements, and general implementation approach. Thedevelopment of the Strategic Plan involves the consideration of valid options and

clear prioritization and consensus before expending substantial time and resourceson the subsequent detailed program planning and design activities.

Program Design. The GPC Group designs the Spatial Data Infrastructure program,defining the detailed business, technical application software, data, computinginfrastructure, and staff capacity, and institutional (policies, procedures, standards,and governance) elements required to attain the strategic goals.

Technical Specifications.The GPC Group prepares an integrated set of specificationsfor a solution suite tailored to the clients business requirements consisting ofdifferent components such as GIS, Content Management, Work Flow, Business

Intelligence, and Collaborative tools, etc. on desktop, web, and mobile platforms,based on the latest technologies including cloud computing, to make the wholesolution efficient and effective.

Operations Plan.The GPC Group prepares the operational framework that will berequired to support an SDI program implementation, covering the establishment ofdifferent governance structures, operational teams, change management, and otherrequired processes and activities to support the program design.

Implementation Plan.The GPC Group identifies the implementation activities

required to achieve the strategic plan according to the program design andoperations plan, reflecting the set priorities, and distinguish the activities that acentral coordination entity would lead versus those led by other stakeholder entities.

Support Implementation & OperationBased on the design and planning of the SDI the structured implementation willcommence, and during this stage various elements will need to be put in place,institutionalized, strengthened, and continuously monitored. However, there areoften opportunities to work with potential SDI stakeholders to achieve quick wins,

before initiating the more rigorous design and planning stage. The GPC Group offers

various services to support this critical phase, typically grouped into three tracks.Business Framework

It is essential to ground any SDI initiative, at several levels, ranging from thestakeholders underlying business functions to more overriding societal drivers. Thisis complemented by focusing on relevant policies and regulation, citizen satisfaction,and investment in new and innovative technologies, thereby addressing the businessframework as a whole.

Technical Framework

Spatial data and robust, comprehensive and user-friendly tools are essential for anSDI. This track covers all related activities from defining its quality and structure to


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supporting and guiding the capture of data, as well as allowing users to access,analyze, visualize, integrate, and ultimately arrive at better-informed decisions.

Fundamental Data Capture.The GPC Group develops strategies and procedures fordata capture or conversion, in line with international sound practices, the custodiansstandard operating procedures and the established data standards.

Data & Technology/Interoperability Standards.The GPC Group implementsgeospatial standards to build standardized data encodings and open interfaces intothe SDI products and services to address the interoperability challenges whileintegrating GITS with other IT systems in the enterprise.

Data/Information Management. Throughout the implementation of the SDIstakeholders efforts to fulfill their agreed upon data provision role, the GPC Groupprovides oversight to ensure conformance to standards and expectations.

Foundation Infrastructure.The GPC Group relies on robust industry standard toolsto develop and customize geoportals that allow users to discover data through ametadata service as well as accessing the actual data through centralized ordistributed data clearinghouses

Business Solutions/ Integration.The GPC Group designs specific applications tosupport the SDI community, in addition to the integration between stakeholderssolutions, any relevant e-government components, and the SDI infrastructure. TheGPC Group will develop such applications and conduct the integration or willprovide management support where such work will be outsourced.

Institutional Framework

The organization and governance of SDI are essential to ensure that the initiativeremains focused on the communitys strategic goals, meets the expectations, and hasthe appropriate resources to achieve that, while effective communication with andsupport for the community and other stakeholders is highlighted as an integral partof an SDI initiative.

Orientation Seminars & Roadshows.It is essential that at the start of an SDI

initiative and at other critical junctures, community stakeholders and decisionmakers participate in seminars that serve to raise awareness, engage with thecommunity, and review next steps.

Community Development.The GPC Group assists in identifying and solicitingparticipation of a wide range of stakeholders, working towards fostering a sense ofownership, creating a framework for capturing input, strengthening partnership, andestablishing bridges across the community members.

Community Organization.The GPC Group realizes the importance of identifyinggovernance structures and modalities that are the most appropriate for each SDI

communitys social and political contexts, while adapting the structures and theiroperations as the SDI evolves. This often includes the definition of Working Groupconfigurations to address specific, near term projects such as initial standards


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development, or Special Interest Groups involving ongoing coordination among acommunity of practice.

Performance Assessment. The GPC Group employs different tools to monitor andassess the performance of the SDI at different levels, covering the different tracks,through the use of performance indicators and other means.

Professional Development.The GPC Group Geospatial Information Technology andServices (GITS) Professional Development program is designed to build the humanresource capacity of organizations and develop individuals through training andmentoring programs.

Communication & Outreach Content Management.As SDIs are multi-stakeholderand medium and long-term initiatives, the GPC Group establishes constantcommunications channels in order to disseminate information and foster cooperation

using collaborative tools such as wiki engines.

Event Management.The GPC Group supports its clients in the conception, designand management of events that aim to promote the SDI initiative amongst the widerlocal and international contexts.

Financing.The GPC Group works closely with international development financeorganizations to match project and organizational needs to lenders or grantingagency portfolios Depending on the situation this may include multilateraldevelopment banks, bilateral development aid agencies, sovereign funds,foundations, foreign direct investment establishments and private sector banks.


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IDENTIFYING THE WAY FORWARDEffective SDI development follows a step-by-step, well-conceived and incrementalprocess that acknowledges and responds to the special needs and circumstances ofits geographic and/or sectoral community. International experience suggests some

basic lessons learned that might help define the SDI initiation and principles forbuilding a foundation program. The more practical and important of these includethe following:

Build a basic enabling framework for SDI to function. International SDI experience

suggests that a certain level of infrastructure development is needed for SDI to takeroot. Certain essential policies, laws, regulations, technology standards, datastandards, service level agreements, common operating procedures, physicalinfrastructure and capable staff must be in place at some level for the SDI to exist andsustain. Much of this enabling environment overlaps with the needs of e-Government and other facets of the broader concept of a societal informationinfrastructure. Once a minimum basic foundation is built, it can be expanded at anappropriate rate in pace with need and capabilities.

Derive early results to pay big dividends. To most, the concept of SDI does not

become tangible or understandable until results can be seen and experienceddirectly. It is therefore important to choose an initiation target for SDI developmentthat includes provision for early results and quick wins. Such results can raise the

Abu Dhabis drive for e-Government Leading by example

In 2007, the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC), under the direction ofthe Executive Council, began its work with key government entities to build thefoundations of the Abu Dhabi Spatial Data Infrastructure (AD-SDI) as an integral part of

the Emirate's e-Government program. The GPC Group led an international team to assistADSIC in the planning and design of the initiative, as well as its implementation. Thisfirst intensive stage included a stakeholder survey, comprehensive data inventory andassessment, strategic plan, major data projects alignment strategy, program design,operations plan and implementation plan. It also included the compilation of over 140layers of information from 8 agencies and integration and publishing of that informationto an internal government portal for access and assessment.

In the second 18 month stage, the GPC Group worked with ADSIC to expand thestakeholder community to over 50 entities in all relevant sectors of AD Government andsociety, raise visibility and awareness across all levels, complete the formalization of

data sharing arrangements, align and track all major data projects and initiate anyadditional projects needed to fill remaining gaps, maintain and expand the DataClearinghouse to include all fundamental data layers needed in common by thestakeholder community, develop and enforce standards and interoperability bestpractices and leverage AD-SDI data and infrastructure to support wide range of highvalue, high impact services and products. Five years on, the GPC Group continues tosupport and advise the initiative through the dedicated Spatial Data Coordination

Center, in the areas of coordination, operations, and technical support.


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awareness and capture the imagination of the users and decision makers, and arevital in gaining and sustaining support at all levels. Therefore it is important toidentify and exploit high-value/high-visibility opportunities in parallel to a carefullystructured and executed strategic planning process.

Ensure custodians accept their broader responsibilities. Data custodianorganizations must have the capability, capacity and resources needed to maintainfundamental data on behalf of others. Those organizations that maintainfundamental data on behalf of a community of users must be able to do so in anaccurate and reliable manner that meets the mutual needs of those users. In somecases maintaining information on behalf of a broader group of stakeholders mayrequire more information, more accuracy, specific content and format requirements,and more time-sensitive updates than might otherwise be needed to support theotherwise less stringent internal needs of the custodian organization. In such cases,

ensuring that the data model has been structured in a practical form that is bothusable and maintainable, and that the custodian has both the capacity and theresources to fulfill and be accountable for their responsibilities beyond their ownimmediate needs is a government-wide concern, rather than just that of a singleentity.

Develop quality data. Data is often the single most significant constraint in theinitiation of SDI. Once a community has made a commitment to SDI, the initial costand time required to get a reasonably functional SDI off the ground is greatlyinfluenced by the type, amount, quality, consistency and accuracy of existinginformation. Collecting original information is costly. Compiled information that isin paper form, or a digital form that is not well structured, likewise can be costly toconvert to a well structured digital form that is more universally useful, oftenrepresenting 75% or more of the cost of implementing a new GIS system in anorganization. Digital data that has been developed around a single purpose may nothave the content, format or level of accuracy needed by other applications orstakeholders. Conversely, data that has been structured around internationalstandards and sound practices with careful adaptation to local conditions has a muchhigher chance of being able to serve the many different purposes that the standardswere developed to support.


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Establish what data is commonly needed. SDI experience around the world hasrevealed that there are data topics that are more universally needed than others.Most users need topography, but few need to know the precise location of

meteorological weather stations or botanical specimen collection sites, for example,although those topics may be very important in their own right and to the specificpeople and organizations that collect that information. The term fundamentaldatasets is used to label commonly needed information needed by the broadestspectrum of users. Ensuring effective development, maintenance and access toaccurate and timely FGDS is therefore of vital importance to a fledgling SDI program

Promote transaction-based data maintenance. While it is usually more effective tocreate an initial digital database through a bulk load data compilation andautomation process, once that information is in place it is usually someones job to

record changes that happen on the ground, especially in cities and towns wherethose changes are regulated. For example, a new building, or the demolition of anold one, should have a building or demolition permit process associated with it.Likewise, the building of a road or extension of a utility network usually necessitatesplans and design drawings that require a review and approval process prior toconstruction. Recording the results of these transactions in the form of buildingoutlines, road edges and utility network extensions can all be captured at the point oftransaction, assuming that the policies, procedures, technical infrastructure,standards and trained staff are in place to do so. In short, it has been found fromexperience that updating data that changes frequently through carefully controlled

day-to-day transactions is more advantageous than periodic compilation.

From Khyber Pass to spatial data Afghanistans story of infrastructure

The GPC Group was commissioned by the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) to plan anddeliver the first major workshop to introduce the concept of National Spatial DataInfrastructure (NSDI) for Afghanistan in 2006, attended by over 170 people representing

over 50 organizations from the Government of Afghanistan (GoA), international aid,security and support agencies, non-government organizations, and institutions of highereducation. The workshop was co-sponsored by the CSO and the Afghanistan Geodesy andCartography Head Office (AGCHO), and with the financial and technical support of theUnited States Geological Survey (USGS) and the United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID). The workshop led to the formulation of a program documentaddressing both urgent, near-term needs as well as longer term strategic planning and theneed for incremental program development over time. This led to the GoA adopting theAfghanistan Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI) as a formal initiative and issuing a decree in2009.

The GPC Group continues its support to the Government of Afghanistan Afghan Geodesyand Cartographic Head Office (AGCHO) to take steps in the implementation of the ASDIprogram. These activities have included training workshops for data inventory andassessment, the development of an initial metadata catalog, situation assessment surveyand interviewing techniques, as well as identifying and pursuing funding sources tosupport further development of the ASDI.


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Adapt models and standards to meet local needs and priorities. Models andstandards from around the world are useful as a reference, but must be adapted tomeet local needs and priorities. There are many SDI and GIS federations that have

been implemented around the world over the past two decades, but only a few of

these have been well integrated with e-Government and similar programs. There isalso a growing body of standards for many facets of GIS, SDI, and ICT in general.


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CONCLUSIONSDI is especially timely for the MENA region at a time that it is experiencingunprecedented growth, thus requiring an extraordinary level of coordination andinformation exchange among many entities in all sectors. In addition, the economiesand societies as a whole are changing, and evolving towards a diversifiedknowledge economy that will require the free flow of critical information across allsegments of government and the private sector, institutions of higher learning,research, and civil society. The development of GIS as a fully integrated part ofgovernment business is still in its infancy in most countries, thus the early adoptionof SDI and associated coordination and standards will help to ensure that entityenterprise systems and commonly needed data assets will be compatible andinteroperable across each community.


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YOUR STRATEGIC PARTNERThe GPC Group includes GPC Inc., GPC GIS and GCS, three companies that workclosely together toward a common vision by leveraging each member's uniquestrengths, tools, methodologies and experiences.

For over two decades, the GPC Group has been committed to assisting its clients andthe communities they are part of build knowledge-based societies, through a numberof SDI related projects including:

Eye On Earth Summit Abu Dhabi 2011 Jammu and Kashmir State (India) SDI

Workshop

AGEDI Phase II Abu Dhabi SDI Stages 1 and 2 Yemen Spatial Data Infrastructure Afghanistan SDI Continuing Support

Afghanistan SDI Initiation Program Arctic Research Support Spatial Data

Infrastructure

Bahrain Central Information Organization(CIO) SDI Readiness Assessment

Libya Spatial Data Infrastructure Community Information Footpath World Health Organization (WHO) GIS

Situation Assessment and TechnologyStrengthening Strategy

Saudi Arabia Eastern Province Governor'sOffice, E-Gov. GIS Portal Concept Plan

Malopolska Region GIS Situation Assessmentand Technology Strengthening Strategy

World Bank GIS Situation Assessment andTechnology Strengthening Strategy

Salton Sea Database Program (SSDP) Lebanon National GIS Infrastructure

Feasibility Study Jamaica National Land Information System

Framework Plan Sultanate of Oman Nationwide GIS/LIS

Strategic Plan Baghdad Municipal GIS Design State of Hawaii Ocean and Coastal Resource

Information System

Based in California, USA, GPC Inc. is the first of the GPC Group of companies, established in 1995.GPC Inc. staff have conducted over 250 projects worldwide, covering a broad range of sectors andscales. In recent years, GPC Inc. has focused on the use of SDI as a mechanism for institutionaltransformation and innovation, offering full spectrum information infrastructure solutionsaddressing Business, Technical and Institutional Framework building. !

Based in Abu Dhabi, UAE since 2008, GPC Global Information Solutions LLC (GPC-GIS)specializes in the delivery of geospatial information services to the MENA Region. By harnessingmore than 25 years experience of GPC partners, we provide consulting services in GeospatialInformation Technology and Services (GITS), Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), GeospatialEducation, Location Based Services and Information Management for a wide variety oforganizations and projects.!

Based in Kabul, Afghanistan, Geographic Consultancy Services (GCS) was launched in 2011. GCSis an Afghan owned and operated, full service consulting company focused on the planning,development and operations of geographic information systems (GIS) and communityinformation infrastructure in Afghanistan. GCS works closely with GPC Inc. and GPC-GIS todeliver world class, quality service to the Afghanistan market.!


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THE GPCGROUPCONTACT DETAILS

REDLANDS, CA, USA, OFFICE

Telephone:

+1.909.867.7628

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Email:

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Post:

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Telephone:

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Email:

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Post:

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GPC GIS CONTACT DETAILS

Telephone:

+971.2.666.6574

Fax:

+971.2.666.3660

Email:

[email protected]

Post:

PO Box 129060

Abu Dhabi, UAE

GPC SDI White Paper

Documents

Transcript of GPC SDI White Paper