HomeMy WebLinkAboutAcquisition of GIS Hardware & Software Local Government
GIS Development Guides
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Acquisition of GIS Hardware
& Software .
GIS System Integration
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GIS Ap hcat~on Development
GIS Use & Maintenance
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Prepped
Erie County Water Authority
National Center for Geographic
Information and Analysis, SUNY at Buffalo
I GIS Resource Group, Inc.
Supported by:
i New York State Archives and Records Administration
June, 1996
Prepared under the:
Local Government GIS Demonstration Grant
Supported by:
Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund
Local Government Records Services
State Archives and Records Administration
Project Team:
Erie County Water Authority
Mr. Paul Becker, Project Manager
National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis
State University of New York at Buffalo
Dr. Hugh Calkins, Project Director
Ms. Carmelle J. C6t6
Ms. Christina Finneran
GIS Resource Group, Inc.
Mr. Graham Hayes, President
Mr. Thomas Murdoch, Vice-President
For More Information,
Local Govermnent Technology Services
State Archives And Records Administration
9B38 Cultural Education Center
Albany, New York 12230
Phone: (518) 474-4372
Fax: (518) 473-4941
GIS DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
Volume III
Table of Contents
ACQUISITION OF GIS HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
Introduction ..................................................................................... 1
GIS Hardware and Software Acquisition ................................................ 2
Steps in the GIS Acquisition Process ...................................................... 2
Evaluation of Proposals ........................................................................ 4
GIS Delivery and Installation Plan ......................................................... 6
Sample Hardware Specifications ............................................................ ~6
Network and Communications Specifications .......................................... ~
Software Specifications ...................................................................... 10
GIS Database Structure ...................................................................... ! 3
Summary ................................................................................... 14
GIS SYSTEM INTEGRATION
Introduction ................................................................................... 15
GIS System Components ..................................................................... 15
System Testing .................................................................................. 18
User Training ................................................................................... 18
Figures
1 - Database Integration ................................................................. 16
2- Library Structure to Support Editing .......................................... 17
3 - System Integration .................................................................... 18
GIS APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
Introduction ................................................................................... 19
Why Applications are Needed ............................................................. 19
Categories of Applications .................................................................. 19
Database Applications ........................................................................ 21
Figure
1 - Life Cycle of a GIS Database ..................................................... 20
Table of Contents cont'd
GIS USE & MAINTENANCE
Introduction ................................................................................... 22
User Support and Service ................................................................... 22
Data Maintenance Procedures ............. ................................................ 23
Examples ................................................................................... 28
Figure
1- Overview of GIS Maintenance ................................................... 24
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I GIS Development Guides
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Prepared by:
Erie County Water Authority
National Center for Geographic
Information and Analysis, SUNY at Buffalo
GIS Resource Group, Inc.
Supported by:
New York State Archives and Records Administration
June, 1996
GIS DEVELOPMENT GUIDE: ACQUISITION OF HARDWARE
AND SOFTWARE
INTRODUCTION
This guide begins the description of the first of four steps of the GIS Development process (figure
1) which deal with the actual assembly of the GIS and its subsequent operation.
Planning
and Oesign
Figure 1 - GIS Development Process
All of the necessary planning, design and testing should have been completed during the execution
of the previous seven steps of the GIS development process. The remaining steps and their main
purpose are as follows:
GIS Hardware and Software Acquisition - includes the final selection of the hardware
and software (by competitive bid in response to a Request for Proposals - RFP, as
necessary); the delivery and installation of the hardware and software; and all necessary
renovation of space, wiring, and environmental remodeling.
· GIS System Integration - bringing the final database and the hardware and software
together and testing their combined operation.
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2 GIS Development Guide
GIS Application Development - preparing applications identified in the Needs
Assessment which require additional programming using the GIS macro language or
other supporting programming languages.
GIS Use and Maintenance - starting use of the GIS and institution of database,
hardware and software maintenance programs. Further application development and
user training are also continuing needs.
~GIS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ACQUISITION
This step is the actual purchase of the GIS - hardware and software. The GIS to be acquired is
usually subject to competitive bid by the interested vendors. The single most critical part of this
process is the preparation of an adequate (and detailed) Request for proposals (RFP).
Acquiring the components for your GIS is an important step. Use all of the information you have
gathered up to this point to produce a document telling prospective bidders what you need. The
document should clearly communicate your needs and how bidders should respond to the RFP.
During this phase remain objective. Keep as much of the "politicking" out of the selection process.
You should be looking for the best value for your money, not the lowest cost.
~ STEPS IN THE GIS ACQUISITION PROCESS
Evaluation Team
The evaluation team should be made up of interested staff from departments involved in
implementing GIS within the local government. These individuals need to be objective and not
have pre-defined ideas of what system they want. They need to be action oriented and willing to
put in the time to do the job right. A successful RFP process involves a great deal of hard work
and coordination. You will need to have people on the committee to help accomplish this.
Once a draft RFP has been developed, have an objective 3rd party look at it. You want it as
complete and readable as possible. This can be another local government (maybe one of the ones
how supplied you a copy of theirs) or a consultant helping you with the RFP process (make sure
the consultant is not planning on bidding on the project).
Preparation of Request foi' Proposal (RFP)
The RFP document is used to communicate your needs to potential bidders. It wilt also tell bidders
how you want them to respond to the RFP.
Be as specific as possible in defining what you need for your GIS. Provide detailed descriptions of
the functionality, services and support you are looking for. It is recommended that you do not use
specific brand names of software and hardware products in your RFP specifications. This will
limit the number of potential bidders you can choose. There will be situations where specific
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Acquisition of Hardware and Software 3
products are needed. An example is when your organization has a policy in place for using a type
of operating system or has already standardized and developed data sets for use in a particular
software package. Focus more on what you want the system to do. You will not get what you need
unless you specify it clearly in the RFP.
In your RFP, tell the bidders how you want them to respond. Provide examples of what you want:
define how pricing should be structured, use standardized forms if appropriate, clearly state criteria
for evaluating the responses. You will receive responses that are more consistent and easier to
evaluate if you define the response guidelines in the RFP.
To get started, contact other local governments who have recently developed similar RFPs. Use
these as a guide. It would be a good idea to contact the person responsible for evaluating the
responses. Ask them what worked and what didn't work with the RFP. Adjust your RFP
accordingly. Also adjust the scope of your RFP to fit your needs. If you are a small village, don't
use a RFP developed by a larger city (or visa-verse) you will not get what you need and the
potential bidders will be confused or mis-directed.
Distribution of RFP
You will want your RFP to go to qualified bidders. The best soume for this is to go to trade shows
or GIS user group meetings and ask around. Again, try to stay objective. Don't get m/s-lead by
flashy demos or excessive hype. Talk to other local governments and get recommendations of
companies they think are qualified to respond to your RFP.
Another method might be to post a notice in GIS trade journals (both regional and national). Be
prepared for a large amount of companies inquiring about your project. This method is better used
for large, expensive projects.
Bidder's Meeting
A bidder's meeting should be scheduled within a week or two of the RFP be sent out. Make sure
the time and location is in the RFP. This meeting is used to get feedback from the bidders and to
clarify anything not clearly stated in the RFP. It is always an interesting experience to have number
of competitors gathered together in one room. There will be a reluctance by the bidders to ask any
questions that might give away their bidding strategy to their competitors. Do not be surprised if
there are not many questions raised at the meeting. To get things going, have a short prepared
statement or presentation that outlines the history of the project and the requirements of the RFP.
It is important to ask the bidders to submit written questions to you in a specified period of time. It
is also recommended that all written questions and your responses be compiled and sent back to all
bidders. This will provide consistency and fairness in the process.
The purpose of this meeting is to communicate to all bidders what you need and how you want
them to respond.
4 GIS Development Guide
Answering questions
In addition to the written responses from the bidder's meeting, you will need to provide some
mechanism for answering ad-hoc questions from bidders. The best way to do this is to require that
ail questions be faxed or e-mailed to a specific person and provide a response within 24 hours. It
would be impracticai for your organization to provide these ad-hoc questions and answers to all
bidders. It would be a good policy to take questions up to the submission date for proposals. After
that date no correspondence between a bidder and people involved with the selection process
should be ailowed.
Deadline for submission
Establish a deadline for submission. All responses must be in by the specified time and the
specified location in order to be considered. Set you time to be a few hours before the close of
business. Inevitably a bidder will get stuck in traffic or a courier will be delayed. This will give
you a little cushion and allow you time to check in responses while still ailowing you to go home at
a reasonable time.
~ EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
Evaluating proposals should be done by the RFP committee with all the members using the same
criteria as listed in the RFP. This process should be documented in case a protest arises. If you
have been specific defining your GIS needs and defining how bidders needed to respond, the
evaluation process should be straight forward.
Sample Questions - Has the bidder:
· Proven they can meet ail of the functionality needed?
· Provided pricing that can be compared with other responses?
· Described the types of services and support in an understandable way?
· Provided references and related experience for you to check on?
Criteria for Evaluation
It is important that this process be documented in case a protest is submitted or to explain why a
proposal was not accepted. Each of the criteria needs to be measurable or quantifiable.
Functional capabilities
In the Needs Assessment phase GIS functionaiity was identified and documented. This
documentation of functionality should be defined in the RFP and used for this evaiuation.
Develop a checklist of the various functions and have each committee member fill out the
checklist for each proposal.
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Acquisition of Hardware and Software $
Vendor Support
Without proper support any system is doomed to failure. Part of the evaluation is to
understand the type of support being offered. What kind of response time is being offered
and what are the standards. Will the vendor provide answers to a problem within 24 hours
of a call? Will they provide on-site vs. factory service for hardware problem? Make sure
you are comfortable with the level of service being offered.
Cost/Maintenance Fee
There are a lot of ways to state the price of a proposal. It is recommended that you be
specific as possible in the RFP and bidder's meeting about how the price should be
structured. The more pricing can be itemized in the proposal the easier it will be to compare
the responses to each other. A suggestion is to develop a pricing form for each bidder to fill
out and include with their proposal. As a minimum have separate pricing for software,
hardware, services and support. More detail for each of these sections would be nice, just
don't get too carried away.
Interviews / Benchmark Test ( see Benchmark Test Guide)
After the RFP committee has evaluated the written proposals, a "short list" of bidders should be
agreed upon. Any proposals that are not in compliance with the RFP or do not rank high in the
evaluation should be eliminated from consideration the remaining bidde{s compromise the short
list. Some marginally qualified bidders many need to be eliminated as well to keep the short list of
bidders a manageable size. These short list bidders will be invited to a interview and/or a
benchmark.
During this process you will be evaluating the bidder on:
· Ability to interact with your organization
· Technical ability
· Ability to communicate effectively
Selecting a Proposal
Once the Interview / Benchmark is completed. The RFP committee members should compile all of
their evaluations independently then meet as a group. This meeting should review all of the
proposals and begin to focus on which proposal to select. At this meeting questions may arise that
need to be answered in more detail. Take the time to get these answers from the bidder before a
selection is made (generally a phone call will work but sometimes a follow up interview is needed
if practical).
Once all of the committee's questions are answered, it should move quickly to making a selection
and notifying the bidders. At this point a contract needs to be put in place that defines the scope of
work outlined in the RFP. This contract needs to be executed before any further phase of GIS
implementation is started.
6 GIS Development Guide
~GIS DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION PLAN
Once you have selected a vendor(s) for your system you will need to coordinate the delivery and
set up of all of the components, there are many resources to call on to do this. The most obvious
being the vendor. They should have demonstrated that they have some level of expertise with GIS
and can help you get up and running quickly. It is a good investment to buy their services to install
and set up the system for you. These service can be contracted for on a time-and-material basis or
under a scope-of-service contract.
The most effective means of describing how to prepare the RFP is to do so by example. The
remainder of this guideline consists of selected parts from an actual RFP, - presented here to
illustrate the scope, content, and level of detail needed. A properly prepared RFP increases the
chances that the vendor responses will be most appropriate to the needs of the local government.
(~ SAMPLE HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications for a system configuration to support Geographical Information System (GIS)
development and operational applications follow. The system configuration consists of various
devices that will be networked together to support data capture, storage, processing and display in
both digital and hard copy forms, including:
· mapping/analysis workstations (2)
· color laser printer (1)
· black and white laser printer (1)
· cartridge tape drive (1)
· color raster plotter (1)
The proposal shall include technical and functional capabilities of the devices offered to meet these
specifications. Provision of the following information should be included for each device:
· manufacturer
· model number
· capabilities/configuration of each device in comparison to the device specifications
· documentation provided with the device (i.e., manuals)
· warranty included in the purchase price
· the nature and duration of user support services included in the purchase price such as
maintenance agreements, user support and service, and the average time period between
requests for user support and on-sit technical service if available.
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Acquisition of Hardware and Software 7
GIS Workstations
The Mapping/Analysis workstations will support a wide range of GIS acfivites, including database
development, database quality control, user application development, database maintenance and all
GIS applications supported by fully functional GIS software such as cartographic production,
geographic database queries, and advanced geographic analysis using both spatial and attribute
information. One of the GIS workstations must support high capacity data storage, and multi-user
GIS processing, and should perform ail GIS operations and applications within acceptable user
response times.
General Specifications for Workstations:
· Mass storage may be configured within the workstations' cabinetry and/or as external
drives
· The workstations should be configured with a single high resolution (1280 x 1024 or
greater) color monitor with at least 19" minimum diagonai screen dimension
· All devices shall include a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse
· Each GIS workstation should be network-ready, and should be capable of connecting
to a local area Ethernet network and supporting a minimum transmission speed of 10
megabits per second (mbps).
· Multi-user, multi-tasking operating system supporting logicai security measures such as
user name/password vaiidation, and user access privileges.
· The devices should support virtual memory operations, either through a dedicated
hardware controllers(s) or through software (operating system) functions.
· Descriptions of options for upgrading speed and performance through the addition or
replacement of boards or other components in the existing cabinetry of the workstations
should be provided.
Specific Details of Workstations:
Both workstations should support the following hardware specifications:
· The workstation should include a minimum of a 32-bit processor supporting both 64-
bit address and data buses. The CPUs should operate at a minimum of 75 MHz clock
speed and/or have enough processing speed and capacity to support other intelligent
GIS client devices. These will consist of X-Stations or PCs. The workstations may
have multiple CPUs on board.
· The devices should include at least 128 MB (megabytes) of main memory and shall
support 32 MB memory modules and be expandable to at least 256 MB.
· The devices should be configured with mass storage disk drive(s) for direct access of
data and software functions. They will have a minimum of 3 GB of mass storage each
· The workstations will be configured with a quad speed CD-ROM drives that will
facilitate the installation of upgrades to the operating system, installation and upgrade of
application software, and user access and review of systems and application
documentation.
· The devices should aiso be equipped with one 1.44 or 2.88 MB floppy drive each
· The server must support multi-user/multi-tasking operations and must concurrently
support both server and host workstation functions.
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Vendors shall describe options for upgrading the speed and performance of the server
and mass storage capacity through the addition or replacement of boards or other
components in the existing cabinetry. Also, Vendors shall describe options for
increased performance and mass storage that involve connection of devices external to
the existing cabinetry.
Small-Format Color Printer
One (1) color printer will be used for the production of color hard copy graphic plots and
nongraphic report generation.
The color laser printer should meet the specifications or equivalent described below:
· Minimum of 300 dots per inch (dpi) resolution
· Minimum 100 sheet paper tray
· Minimum of 4 MB memory onboard with capacity for memory upgrades
· Support for letter, legal size, and 1 l"x17" paper sizes
· Built-in postscript compatibility
· Serial and parallel interface
Sample hard copy outputs from the proposed device(s) shall be included with the proposal.
Cartridge Tape Drive
The system should include one (1) 4mm DAT tape subsystem for the Planning and Zoning
Department. The tape should have a capacity of not less than 5 GB. The tape subsystem will
provide a mechanism for performing system and data back-ups.
Large-Format Color Raster Plotter
A color raster plotter shall be included for the production of high quality, large format cartographic
products. This device must provide a high-volume color plotting capacity. The plotter shall
support 36" x 42" plots and produce color plots at a minimum resolution of 300 dots per. The
plotter shall be compatible with the proposed LAN hardware and communications protocols and
must be accessible by all workstations on the LAN. A sample hard copy output from the proposed
plotter(s) shall be included in the proposal.
Additionally, the plotter shall meet the specifications described below:
· Capable of supporting true color plotting
· Minimum of 8 MB memory onboard with capacity for memory upgrades
· Support for all paper sizes, A through E size
· Built-in postscript compatibility
· Serial and parallel interface
Provide four (4) replacement paper rolls with the printer. The paper should be a high quality
glossy bond.
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Acquisition of Hardware and Software 9
~1 NETWORK AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS
There is a requirement to connect new hardware in two departments. Existing software consists of
Intergraph's I-Dispatcher, emergency response dispatch system. Requirements for each level of
communications are outlined in the section below. Vendors shall state the level of compliance and
provide a description and cost quotation for all hardware and software components needed to meet
the requirements at each level of data communications. Vendors should include in the cost
proposal the cost of any specialized hardware devices that will be required to implement the
proposed communication network.
Network Processing Requirements
Network processing requirements are as follows:
· Storage of data which is accessible by users on the network by specifying particular
files, collections of features or attributes, and geographic areas
· Access security to allow assignment of different levels of access rights to portions of
the GIS database by user name or physical device
· Ability to support query workstations on the network, directly connected to the server,
or connected through remote communication lines so that network users can have
access to these devices and vice versa
· Ability to allow database queries directly from workstations on the network without the
need to download data to workstations
· Ability to allow network-wide access to plotters and printers, all with print/plot queries
for generating hard copies
Network Management and Monitoring Capabilities
The proposed physical network should also be able to perform the following network management
functions:
· Access to data on remote nodes by reference to the node, disk, directory, and file
· Access to programs on remote nodes by similar reference
· Assignment of logical names or aliases for programs or data locations on remote nodes
· Control of peripheral devices from any node on the network
· Passing of mall messages across nodes
· Program-to-program communications across nodes
· Monitoring of traffic and errors on the network
The proposal shall include all cabling and devices required to implement all data communication
connections, utilizing existing facilities.
10 GIS Development Guide
I
Network Speed and Capacity
The proposed system must operate at a minimum raw data speed of 10 megabits per second. The
Proposer shall provide information about the upper limit in numbers of mapping/analysis/query
workstations that can be supported without major degradation in response time or error rates on the
proposed network.
Transactions and Data Exchange with Existing Systems
Initially, the GIS network will not support on-line links with the existing IBM mainframe. Access
to data residing on the mainframe will be accomplished by downloading data onto 9-track tapes and
then re-writing this data onto current industry standard media such as 4mm data tapes or CDs.
~ SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS
Software Component Overview
The GIS software components shall fully support and exploit the capabilities of the proposed
hardware platform and shall provide full functionality for entry, editing, maintenance, analysis,
display, and hard copy output of both graphics and tabular data on a continuous and interactive
basis.
For purposes of this procurement, software component capabilities have been grouped into the
functional categories of:
· Database structure
User interface
· Data entry
· Data editing/maintenance
· Data query and analysis
· Data display/output
· Application development
· Operating system requirements
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Acquisition of Hardware and Software 1 1
Data Editing And Maintenance
The proposer shall describe the tools and capabilities of the proposed system to modify and
manipulate spatial and attribute data in the GIS for the following categories:
· Interactive Graphic Editing
· Attribute Editing
· File Copying
· Deletion of Features
· Edit Controls
· Rubber Sheeting
· Coordinate Registration and Transformations
· Quality Control/Error Detection
· Merging, Extraction, Edge Matching of Data
· Data Transactions, including the capabilities of the proposed system to translate data
into and out of the following formats:
- GFIS to Proposed System Format (specify how attribute data is addressed
- AutoCad DXF (specify how attribute data is addressed)
- AutoCad CWG (specify how attribute data is addressed)
- Intergraph IGDS (specify how attribute data is addressed)
- USGS DLG and DEM
- TIGER Line Files
- Arclnfo Export Files
- Exchange data with KVS Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) System
Data Query And Analysis
The proposed software shall support the following data query and analysis capabilities:
· Graphic Data Query
· Ama/Perimeter/Distanee Calculation
· Attribute Data Query
· Spatial Aggregation
· Buffer Analysis
· Address Matching
· Polygon Overlay Analysis
· Linear Network Analysis
· Area Districting and Zoning
12 GIS Development Guide I
Data Display/Output
The data display and output tool capabilities that the proposed software shall support including the
following:
· Graphic Display
· Tabular Display
· Raster Image Display/Production
· Vector Map Overlay
· Hard Copy Map Production
· Hard Copy Report Production
· Map Plot/Display Relationship with Scale
· Graph/Chart Production
· Interactive Map Composition
Application Development
The Proposer shall propose one of more software components that, in a well integrated manner,
provide the following capabilities and features:
· Menu Design and Custom Application Development
· Programming Features
· Supporting High-Level (4 GL) Programming
· Subroutine Libraries
Basic Operating System Requirements
The operating system component of the software shall be the primary operating system of the
proposed hardware platform and shall provide all of the traditional features of current operating
systems as described below:
· Multi-user Support
· Multi-tasking, Multi-threading Support
· Security Management
· File Management
· Memory Management
· Database Backups
· Error Monitoring/Disaster Recover
· System Diagnostics
· Anti-viral Protection
· Electronic Mall (E-Mail)
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Acquisition of Hardware and Software 13
Network Management Functions
The proposed system shall provide capabilities for monitoring and managing all data and devices
on the GIS network as one unified system and support the following capabilities:
· Multi-user Database Access and Maintenance
· Monitoring of network Activity
· Network Problem Diagnostics
· Print and Plot Management
~)GIS DATABASE STRUCTURE
Database Model
A GIS database model defines the nature and usage of spatial (geographic)data with a database.
The proposed software shall support a spatial data model that is capable of creating, managing, and
manipulating data sets, defined on the basis of spatial coordinates and associated attribute data sets.
Feature Types: The data model shall support multiple feature types including point,
node, line, polygon, and text features
Data Storage: Features shall be stored as double precision x and y coordinates
Data Types: The data model shall support multiple graphic and nongraphic data types
Database Organization: Vendors shall describe strategies for organizing data into
logical groups on the basis of data themes, and shall describe the capabilities of the data
model for supporting simple and complex feature types.
Topological Data Structures
The geographic data model shall support the creation and maintenance of topological data.
Topology shall be created through execution of a software function to structure graphic data sets.
Vendors shall describe the ability of the proposed data model to support logical polygons,
networks, and user-defined topological structures.
Design
Software capabilities that support large-scale engineering and design activities should be outlined
as well as specific engineering functions and appropriate modules.
14 GIS Development Guide
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Raster Image Data
The Proposer shall describe support for storage of raster map images (e.g., scanned bluelines,
orthophotos) and for raster scanned documents.
Continuous Geographic Database
The geographic data model shall support the creation and storage of a continuous geographic
database
Relational Database Management System
The Proposer shall recommend a relational database management system (RDBMS) that will be
able to maintain a minimum of 30,000 records of parcel ownership information in a single table
and shall provide functionality for updating database content, queries, and production of reports.
The recommended RDBMS must be either a part of the GIS software or have a direct access
capability.
~(~ SUMMARY
The RFP sections presented above give a good example of the scope of topics and level of detail
needed. This particular RFP did not present a conceptual data model for consideration by the
venders, but rather specified general characteristics for the GIS data model required. An actual
conceptual data model, rather than its general characteristics, could be more useful to vendors, and
thus more productive for the user's organization.
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I Local Government .
I GIS Development Guides
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GIS System Integration
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~p~ed by:
I E~e Coun~ Water Au~o~
National Center for Geographic
Information and Analysis, SUNY at Buffalo
GIS Resource Group, Inc.
Supported by:
New York State Archives and Records Administration
June, 1996
GIS DEVELOPMENT GUIDE: GIS SYSTEM INTEGRATION
INTRODUCTION
At this point in the GIS development process the GIS hardware and software have been acquired
and data conversion is complete (or a substantial portion has been finished). Different components
of the hardware and software may have been purchased separately. It is now necessary to put all
the pieces together, test them to make sure they work as expected,,and to initiate all procedures
necessary to use the GIS.
~GIS SYSTEM COMPONENTS
GIS Software
Vendors will usually install and test their software. Acceptance criteria (often the performance
measures used during the pilot study or benchmark test) will be needed and the vendors must meet
these criteria before you relieve them of their obligation to you. Cheek the functionality of the
program(s) to ensure that you received what you expected. The vendor should fix any problems
that arise, either in software functionality or performance prior to you indicating acceptance of the
software.
Check that not only the main GIS software works, but that it works in relation to the other
software programs that are part of your "total system," which also includes all legacy databases,
software, and hardware. In addition to acceptable performance for each individual piece of
software, make sure all software works together. Once the total system is your responsibility and
problems arise it can be very difficult to determine the part of the system causing the trouble.
Although not nearly as common as in the past, the first response of a vendor can still be "blame the
other guy!" Make the vendors responsible for providing you with one integrated system.
Remember - they are the experts. Do not allow anything to be left up to you to check or test. If
you are uncomfortable about something or do not understand how something works, talk to the
vendor representative and get an explanation. Additionally, technical support is an extremely
valuable necessity. All contracts should include on-site technical support and,then on-going phone
support after the installation is complete.
GIS Hardware
Implementing your hardware system is about the same as your software and must occur
simultaneously. Contract with the vendor to install and test the hardware components. As with the
software, choose acceptance criteria for the hardware and operating system. Check functionality
and performance of the hardware and have the vendor resolve any problems. Make sure the
hardware is able to support the software, database, and network as required. Technical support,
both on-site and telephone, should have been included in the contract with the hardware vendor.
16 GIS Development Guide
I
Database
Integrating and testing hardware and software components are fairly well-defined processes and
vendors have good experience with these tasks. However, dealing with larger and more complex
databases has not been nearly as common in the GIS area. Therefore, adequate procedures and
vendor experience may be lacking. There are two processes which remain basically user
responsibility:
· building a master database or library (database integration)
· integrating the database with the GIS hardware and software
update data when dooe verify library library library
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Figure 1 - Database Integration
GIS System Integration 17
Figure 1 illustrated the steps of building the master database from the converted data files (the
product of the digitizing or scanning process). The overall process deals with quality control
checking, other editing procedures, correction procedures, checking corrections for accuracy and
finally placing the data file into the master database (or library). It is assumed that organizing data
entities into logical groups (i.e., layers) has been defined during the previously completed
logical/physical database design activity. Processing to enter data into the master database may
involve restructuring the content of the digital/scanned files from data conversion into the final
database structure, usually combining entities that may have been digitized separately.
Other database building processes that must be accomplished within the activities shown in figure 1
are:
· linking GIS layers to attribute tables
· edgematching between areas used in digitizing and mpartitioning the spatial extent into
the final organization
· initialization of all database related procedures needed for both establishing the database
and its continued maintenance
Procedural components needed to complete the database include those on the following list. Many
of these procedures will have been defined, at least initially, during database design and/or the pilot
study and benchmark activities. The procedures are:
· naming convention for all files (covering versions, status, etc.)'
· definition of error conditions
· definition of accuracy requirements
· quality control routines
· manual editing procedures
· checking procedures (verification of corrections)
· error recording (flags associated with data or other error/accuracy information recorded
in the database
Raw, digitized
data files
.,, Edited files ,,,' Completed
i] ready for , (checked)
checking ~,I ~files ready for
" ~ ~ master database
Figure 2 - Library Structure to Support Editing
18 GIS Development Guide
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The second major process is the integration of the ~latabase and all other system components
(figure 3).
IEditing
Delivered
Data
Hardware
System
Integration
Network
I~software
Figure 3 - System Integration
~ SYSTEM TESTING
Once the installations are complete, you need to test your integrated system. Test how the software
programs work together, how the network is running, are the computers running slowly when
complex functions are requested or all workstations are running simultaneously, and if data
retrieval is quick enough, to name a few. This process should continue at least a week, if not
more. It is important to experiment with the system on multiple days, with different processes
running, and with different numbers of people accessing the data. Ask your staff to document any
problems and report these to the vendor. See that resolutions are provided back to you in a timely
manner. Utilize technical support lines and keep in mind that the vendors are responsible for
following through on what they told you would work.
~USER TRAINING
Most hardware and software vendors offer classes to teach new users about their products. You
can usually include vendor instruction as part of your contract with them. User groups often offer
information sessions on software products where you can learn valuable information. Proper
instruction is important, however, and is a step that should not be disregarded.
I Local Government
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New York State Archives and Records Administration
I June, 1996
GIS DEVELOPMENT GUIDE: GIS APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
Through time, as users become more experienced with GIS, they require more complex
applications. The initial Needs Assessment will contain some applications of a complex nature,
however the majority of initial applications will be straight-forward, using the basic functionality
that is part of every commercial GIS (e.g., query, display). The more complex applications
usually are not supported by the basic functions of a GIS but must be programmed using the GIS
macro language or other programming language. This guideline identifies several categories of
applications that must be prepared by users and how overall requirements change over time.
~WHY APPLICATIONS ARE NEEDED
Sales brochures, live demos and journal articles touting the impressive and extensive array of GIS
capabilities creates the impression that application development is a non-issue. The vendors, it
would seem, have already developed fully functional, out-of-the-box, meet-your-business-needs,
GIS software. GIS can and should do anything and everything.
So why are we talking about application development?
Applications are the icing on the GIS layer cake; the highest level of customizable software. The
underlying "cake" provides the functionality common to all user disciplines. Commercial GIS
packages tend to focus on the common or basic applications - the "cake." When it comes to
specialized uses, application development fills the needs for functionality. Though there is a great
deal of commonalty in the basic spatial query and display functions, there is still a need for other
advanced applications. We need additional applications because needs are different between
organizations.
Commercial GIS development is driven by market pressure. The software vendors only respond
to what makes economic sense for their market share. What's important to your organization may
not be important to others. Because of this, there are no truly "off-the-shelf" applications that will
match all of your needs. You either have to adapt your uses to their data model and functionality or
you develop applications to fit your use environment.
~ CATEGORIES OF APPLICATIONS
Application development is not rewriting the GIS software, but instead custom applications to meet
specific needs. The applications may be as simple as a set of preferences that are stored for each
user group or individual and are run as a macro at startup time. Or they may be a very complex
query that selects a group of layers, identifies features of interest based on attribute ranges, creates
variable width buffers, performs a series of overlays and produces a hard copy map. In either
case, an application is required to convert the user's ideas into a usable, stable product.
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20 GIS Development Guide
Data Objects
Identified Dudng
Needs Assessment
,Mo~hail~l'ed~datDaata ~ Survey and Evaluation
~J ~ land Source~ ~ of Avai~ble Da~
Preparation of
Data Model
Create
Initial
Metadata
Add Record
Retention Schedules
to Metadata
GIS Database
Continuing GIS
Database Maintenance
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Figure 1 - Life Cycle of a GIS Database
Database Backups
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GIS Application Development 21
~ DATABASE APPLICATIONS
Applications are not restricted to user-defined needs. One of the short-comings of the needs
assessment methodology presented earlier, is the focus on only end-user query, analysis, and
display requirements. Collective needs, particularly those related to system-wide functions, are not
identified by individual users. The most important of these are the data administration functions
for maintaining the quality and integrity of the database, such as quality control, verification,
editing, back-up routines, and security.
Database applications fall into the following categories:
· database set-up (described as part of GIS System Integration)
· database management
· database maintenance
· data archiving and retention
Figure 1 again shows the database life-cycle. Each step identified in figure 1 needs to be fully
defined, as appropriate to the specifics of the GIS program. The main point here is not how these
steps are completed but rather to identify all of the necessary steps and to emphasize the importance
of planning and executing each one.
The MSAccessTM metadata software tool accompanying these guides sets forth a structure for
creating documentation needed for the management and maintenance of the GIS database. Table
definitions for the metadata tool are in the appendix to the GIS use and Maintenance Guideline.
Formal Specifications for Advanced Applications
The documentation of applications is the Needs Assessment guideline describes methods suitable
for preparing full and formal specifications for all applications. However, most applications in a
new GIS will be of the simpler, more basic typo (display, query, map overlay). These applications
will likely be satisfied by the normal functionality that is included in most commemial GIS.
More complex applications, either database or spatial analysis, will require development using the
GIS macro programming language. For these applications the process of preparing formal
specifications, similar to what any large programming project uses, should be followed. The
techniques recommended in the Needs Assessment guideline are data modeling by application (E-R
technique) and data flow diagramming. These techniques are suitable to provide an overview of a
complex application. Additional techniques should be used, as appropriate, including:
· structural analysis and programming
· rapid prototyping
As the application development needs increase, there will be a need for additional staff with the
appropriate programming skills and experience using the macro programming language of the GIS.
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National Center for Geographic
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GIS Resource Group, Inc.
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New York State Archives and Records Administration
J~e,l~6
GIS DEVELOPMENT GUIDE: GIS USE AND MAINTENANCE
INTRODUCTION
The last step in GIS implementation is to put the system to use. With system integration and
testing complete and at least some applications available for use, the system can be released to
users. Two broad categories of activity must be in place at this time:
· user support and service
· system maintenance (database, hardware, software)
While we are describing the activities here, it should be noted that most of what is recommended in
this final guideline should have been defined during the detailed database design
step. So, if you are reading these documents for the first time and have yet to begin an in-depth
system planning activity, you should add everything that follows to the Database Planning and
Design and Pilot Study/Benchmark steps.
One final comment - usually substantial time passes between the initiation of the needs assessment
and the time a GIS is ready to use. A lot will change during this time period. The GIS design
activity is in itself a change agent - users will understand more about a GIS and its associated
technology after the needs assessment is concluded and will consequently expect more. The
applications originally identified, plus all subsequent derived information, will change; the
available GIS hardware and software will change; and the underlying computer technology will
change. So basically, while you the GIS designer is trying to come to a set of definitive decisions
to implement the GIS, everything is constantly changing. The best you will be able to do is to
monitor all areas of possible change, at best a difficult task, and to decide on the GIS with the
knowledge that the maintenance phase will have to accomodate substantial change. Any and all
procedures we have discussed as "maintenance" in these guidelines will need to be put in place
immediately after the corresponding document is created or decision is made.
USER SUPPORT AND SERVICE
User support falls into the following categories:
· basic orientation in GIS is preparation for the needs assessment
· continued briefings during the planning, design, and implementation phases
· user training courses as needed in computing, general purpose software, databases,
GIS, and spatial analysis
· user involvement and evaluation during pilot study and benchmark tests
· user training in specific application use
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23 GIS Development Guide
· technical support service while GIS is in use
· user feedback procedure to identify system enhancements - GIS functions/applications
and database
· data error/problem reporting and resolution procedures
· user feedback on data accuracy and system performance
· user involvement in decisions on all system upgrades - data, software, and hardware
It is difficult to identify which of the above is most important. This will vary by situation and over
time. However, the first main point in user dissatisfaction comes with the time period between the
needs assessment, where expectations are raised, and the first operational use of the system. This
user dissatisfaction can be such that there is a temptation to develop quick-and-easy applications for
early use, to take short-cuts in database development, or to extend a pilot study into actual use.
Such a situation cannot always be avoided, however any premature use of this type will likely lead
.to more user dissatisfaction in the long term.
GIS System and Database Maintenance
The structure of this task is shown in figure 1. Three driving components of maintenance and
change are: system enhancements, database expansion, and routine system maintenance (updates).
Figure 1 indicates the type of change that may occur in each component and identifies the benefits
and costs associated with the on-going GIS maintenance activity. As users can be negatively
affected by charges, major enhancements or expansions need to be subjected to user review, even
if the change is only internal to the GIS and on the surface would not affect users.
~DATA MAINTENACE PROCEDURES
Managing Existing Data
Backup / Restore
A reliable backup system is necessary for any database. Should anything happen to your hardware
(i.e. the file server disk drive crashes), you will be able to restore your backup data to another
machine and be operational again in minutes without losing the database. Determine a schedule for
regular backups of the system. This can be done daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the size
of the database and amount of changes being made to it. If your staff only makes edits once a
week, a weekly backup should be enough. However, if changes are constantly being made, a
daily backup is important. If you have a large dataset that would be time consuming to backup
every day, consider backing up only part of the database daily and then do a full backup once per
week.
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I GIS Use and Maintenance 24
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I GIS and Database
System Enhancement .
Requests · ·
(Committee Review) I (Cormmttee Review) Maintenance
· Additional Functionality ] [ :Additional Attributes ] *Problem/Error
2Hardware and Software / I New Entities / *Resolution (Bug Fixes)
Upgrades / I-Expanded Spatial ExtentI .Database Updating
~New Technology (GPS) / I /
.Interface with AdditionalI I /
Systems __~ L~
· User satifications (GIS can do more)
· Additional sharing (data and other)
· Improved performance
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Benefits Costs
*Dollar cost of enhancement
.GIS staff retraining
.More for GIS staff to manage & maintain
,User retraining
,System down-time
1
Figure 1 - Overview of GIS Maintenance
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25 GIS Development Guide
Granting Access To Data
Often times GIS applications call for users to display and/or analyze the data only, without editing
it. By granting read only access to the data to these types of users, you eliminate any chances for
data to be deleted or otherwise altered. If you have other users who edit data, such as supervisors
or trained technicians, grant them mad and write permissions to the data. Data access can usually
be handled by the GIS application, by the database software, and/or by network (if you are
running one) software security operations.
Another important function in data maintenance to consider is transaction maintenance. This type
of application registers items in the database such as when a record was updated, by whom, and
from what source the changes came from. A history log is kept on each record and old records
being updated can be sent to an archive file. This step may seem unnecessary in the beginning, but
as the database enlarges an application such as this will be of great value. If there are problems or
questions with data, you will know exactly who to mm to to question its accuracy and quality.
Records Management And Retention
Four important questions should be looked at with regards to management and retention: what to
keep, how long to keep it, how to keep it, and how often to keep it. The New York State Archives
and Records Administration is currently developing additional guidelines to regulate and define
records management and retention policies for GIS in local government. Until these guidelines are
completed, please see the "Local Govemment Records Technical Information Series No. 39"
pamphlet for more assistance. A record in a GIS is difficult to define. It can include: data in the
database, maps, aerial photographs, data dictionaries, and metadata. To help determine how long
to keep your data, obtain a retention schedule from SARA. These are used for hardcopy data
retention but can be modified and used for your purposes. Electronic media is generally used for
data storage. Again, SARA is developing regulations on this, so it would be best to contact them
for guidance.
Reviewing Current Data For Potential Errors and Changes
Develop a system for QC of the data. Most likely the dataset will be too large to be able to check
everything. Determine what will be checked and what degree of accuracy you require. Several
things you should look for are described below.
Incompleteness
Begin by checking to make sure all the layers of data that should be in the database are there. Also,
make sure no layers are repeated. Define a process for checking some of the individual features of
each layer. Determine if there is any missing data and make sure data is not repeated in more than
one layer.
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GIS Use and Maintenance 26
Errors
There are two types of errors you should be concerned with: positional and attribute. Positional
errors are defined as absolute or relative. "Relative accuracy is a measure of the maximum
deviation between the interval between two objects on a map and the corresponding interval
between the actual objects in the field. For example, a measurement on a map from a water valve
to the street centefline must be within a certain relative accuracy requirement to be accepted.
Relative accuracy docs not relate to a reference grid and the correct geographic position of the
object is not relevant. Absolute accuracy is a measure of the maximum deviation between the
location where a feature is shown on the map and its tree location on the surface of the earth
(Montgomery and Schuch, 132-133)." Attribute errors are problems with the feature itself, not
where it is located.
Topological Errors
Many GIS software packages are equipped to find topological errors in your dataset. Use available
tools, or develop your own, to detect the following types of errors: closure (unclosed polygons),
connectivity (unconnected arcs that should be connected), and coincident features. Coincident
features (shared arcs) are difficult to locate; they may appear to have one arc between two features,
but it turns out to be two arcs, one on top of the other. This should be corrected because it can
result in sliver polygons (small gaps between two polygons).
Detecting Change and Identifying Sources for Updates
As a local government several internal soumes for data updates would include: building permits
issued, real estate transactions, subdivisions proposed and/or approved by the town council, and
zoning changes. This is all important information you might want to include in your GIS.
External sources of data updates might include: aerial photo surveys, subdivision contractor
drawings, the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Service, the Office of Real Property
Services, and state and federal agencies (i.e. environmental groups, soil surveys, and the Coast
Guard).
Collection of New Information
Once you have determined that there are new pieces of information you want to capture in your
GIS, you must decide how you will collect it. Data conversion can be expensive; however, you
know what the accuracy and quality of the data will be and you will get the information when you
want it. Many of the sources listed in the above section will have digital data they would be willing
to sell. Consider signing a contract to receive any updates they make. A third option for data
collection is finding a way to work it into the staff's daily routine. This makes data collection take
longer, but it does not disrupt workflow and it costs less. Determine what field crew or staff
would be able to capture the data without it being a burden on their job and decide which people
know the most about the data you are attempting to capture.
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27 GIS Development Guide
Applying the Edits and Tracking Changes
Editing the database can become a tedious task. However, it is important to the data integrity that
the edits are done accurately and consistently. All changes should be tracked in a way, as
described above, that will allow you to determine when the records were updated, by whom, and
what level of confidence the data was rated. When necessary, a history log can be displayed for
each record and all changes to the data will be noted. Archiving data is a good way to keep out-of-
date information from cluttering the system, while allowing easy recall should them be something
wrong with the updates or new data.
Verifying the Corrections
Develop a QC process or use the procedure you've already implemented to check the corrections
made. You will not want to verify every change made, but you could select a random number of
records and confirm that corrections were made correctly.
Updating the Master Database
Once edits are made and you've verified that they were updated correctly in the database the master
database can be updated. If edits are being made on a daily basis, the master database may be
updated on a daily basis as well, but be sure not to skip the correction verifying step.
Distributing the Updates to Users
This will depend on the technology being used. Some users will have access to a modem and can
dial-up and download any edits you make. Other users will have to receive the data on a tape or
disk. Determine a schedule and plan for distributing edits to your users that best suits your
company.
Montgomery, Glenn E. and Harold C. Schuch, GIS Data Conversion Handbook, GIS World, Inc.
and UGC Consulting, Fort Collins, 1993.
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GIS Use and Maintenance 28
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GIS Use and Maintenance 30
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GIS Use and Maintenance 32
33 GIS Development Guide
and Lot Number
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GIS Use and Maintenance 34
35 GIS Development Guide
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GIS Use and Maintenance 36
37 GIS Development Guide