The Enterprise GIS Approach
Enterprise Geographic Information Systems (EGIS) provide important benefits for city governments. A municipal EGIS includes technology, staff, and resources focused on managing, displaying, searching, and sharing location-based data and services. It helps all city departments use this information, and often shares it with the public and other groups. Knowing where things are happening and what’s nearby helps people take part and ensures services are delivered on time.
In the past, individual services had trouble meeting everyone’s needs. It is recommended to use a Service-Oriented Approach (SOA) to create EGIS for cities. This approach builds a flexible service system over the internet. It aims to meet different users’ needs by linking together different services from one or more providers.
The goal of EGIS is to spread GIS tools and data across a city’s departments, while also working with other technology platforms. This means following standards and using the same methods for defining GIS data and services. This not only makes things work better internally but also improves services for the public.
For example, having a standardized system for addresses helps all departments give consistent answers to the public. Integrating GIS with other city IT systems improves processes like permits and inspections by using location data and tools. Often, GIS works behind the scenes to make these processes smoother.
In the deployment of EGIS, emphasis should be placed on:
- Developing a comprehensive, organization-wide GIS strategy utilizing standards and consistent methodologies that cater to the requirements of all organizational units.
- Migrating existing GIS applications and data to contemporary GIS technology capable of supporting diverse users seamlessly.
- Integrating GIS data and services with other information systems within the organization as part of an overarching enterprise information systems solution.
- Adjusting the GIS staffing structure to align with the enterprise approach.
- Providing training to both IT and GIS personnel for the design, development, and maintenance of enterprise GIS resources.
- Equipping staff in non-GIS departments with the necessary skills to effectively utilize GIS tailored to their specific business needs.
Establishing EGIS entails a multi-year endeavor influenced by budgetary constraints and other pertinent factors. The actual implementation timeline and sequencing are contingent upon various factors, including prioritized areas of EGIS implementation, funding availability, organizational imperatives, and adaptability to evolving technology.
EGIS Success with Supportive Organizational Structure
Effectively managing an EGIS means all departments need to communicate and work together well. Setting up extra organizational parts is important for this. These usually include a policy committee, a technical committee, and smaller groups focused on specific tasks.
The policy committee, made up of representatives from departments using GIS or interested in it, plays a big role in deciding which projects to approve and setting budgets each year. The technical committee helps by refining the yearly plan and getting it approved by the policy committee.
The smaller groups, or subcommittees, are crucial for making and enforcing rules about how to use GIS tools and data. These rules are really important for the EGIS to work well. Making sure the EGIS connects smoothly with other systems in the organization is also a big deal. Figuring out the best way to have enough staff to support the EGIS is key. We need people who can maintain the system and use GIS tools well to collect new data.
Making sure the staffing plan for GIS fits with the overall plan for information services helps use resources the best way. Training staff to use and maintain the EGIS is a big part of making it successful. Everyone needs to know how to use GIS software and also how to use the specific tools the organization uses.
Step-by-Step Work Plan
Developing and launching an EGIS takes a long time, usually several years. To do it right, you need a carefully made plan that takes small steps to switch from the current GIS to the new system.
This step-by-step plan respects the big investment already made in GIS and finds ways to make it even better. It shows how organizations can use the data, resources, and tools they already have in the new EGIS. This way, we can add more useful features without starting from scratch, making things better for different departments and the public.
There are different ways to put this plan into action, and each one depends on the organization’s specific needs and goals. But the main goal is always to strengthen the main abilities of the EGIS so that every department can benefit. This might mean creating tools that can be mixed together to make lots of different apps for different parts of the organization.
As we go along, we can add more features to the main abilities, depending on what’s most helpful and what’s in the budget. The plan’s aim is to make GIS widely used across the organization, with success building up bit by bit.
In the plan, it’s important to set reasonable goals for each step and to actually achieve them. There are many benefits to this gradual approach, like lower starting costs, less risk, and staff being more open to the changes because they happen slowly and with care.
GCS Experience Providing Enterprise GIS to Local Municipalities
GCS developed a County Government mapping web solution for Nez Perce County, Idaho.
To expose cadastral and property information GIS data, GCS built apps with Esri ArcGIS and Microsoft technologies for the local government. These efforts resulted web mapping apps for Accessor and Treasurer, Elections, and Planning and Building.
Who We Are
GCS is a Geospatial Information Technology Services Company delivering award-winning solutions.
Our team of geospatial IT and cloud certified professionals help organizations unlock and enable GIS technology. With over 200 years of combined technical expertise, GCS converts your ideas into reality through customer-driven, innovative applications. GCS customers gain strategic value through increased productivity, efficiency and profitability, optimizing mission-critical business processes.
Esri Business Partner
Since 2002, GCS has been an Esri Business Partner.
Further, GCS is recognized by Esri for its expertise in state and local government, implementation, and delivery of services that help customers succeed with ArcGIS technologies.
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