|
From the MetroGIS Business Plan - April 2000.
Prioritization of Functions
In September 1998, the MetroGIS Policy Board endorsed 22 functions for MetroGIS as a basis for the
Fair Share Financial Model Study. Based upon the 1999 MetroGIS Benefits Study, the Policy Advisory Team agreed on a
preliminary ranking of the 22 business functions of MetroGIS. These functions and their priorities are critical to the
development of the budget and work plans for MetroGIS proposed staff. The functions were grouped using the following
rules:
Table 2: Category Functions
|
Function Category
|
Importance / Investment
Ranking
|
Decision Rules
|
|
Mission Critical (core)
|
High/High
|
MetroGIS’ mission cannot be achieved without supporting these functions, strong support
for investment and high importance to stakeholder operations. These functions drive the MetroGIS program.
|
|
Funded Support
|
Med/High
|
Important but not critical functions to achieving the MetroGIS mission. MetroGIS should take
responsibility to invest resources and make sure these functions are supported.
|
|
Partnered Support
|
High/Med
|
High importance to achieving the MetroGIS mission but require partnering to achieve.
MetroGIS should take the lead in facilitating the required partnerships but not necessarily fund the projects.
|
|
Selectively Desirable
|
Med/Med
|
Decisions on a case-by-case basis as to timing and level of support for these middle
priority but important functions. Interdependencies, which support and/or are necessary to achieve Mission Critical
functions, a key to pursuing. These functions should be targeted in the marketing plan to improve support and to better
understand concerns.
|
|
Low Priority
|
Low/Low
|
Postpone funding consideration until all other functions are achieved, possibly reconsider
appropriateness for MetroGIS to support.
|
Using these rules, the functions were prioritized as follows:
Mission Critical: MetroGIS’ mission cannot be achieved without supporting these
functions.
- Promote and endorse voluntary policies, which foster coordination of GIS among the region's
organizations
- Facilitate data sharing agreements and licensing among MetroGIS stakeholders.
- Provide a directory of regional data within region and a mechanism for search and retrieval of
GIS data (i.e. maintain and enhance Data Finder). The goal is to provide a single point with information on how search
for sources of data.
- Identify unmet GIS needs with regional significance and act on these needs.
- Develop and endorse standards for GIS data content, data documentation, and data management for
regional datasets.
Funded Support: Important but not critical. MetroGIS should take responsibility to invest
resources and make sure these functions are supported.
- Maintain MetroGIS World Wide Web site.
- Promote collaborative funding of pilot projects that meet regional needs.
- Promote filling gaps in metadata based on identified regionally significant data priorities.
- Maintain liaison relationships with committees/ organizations with similar objectives to MetroGIS
(i.e., Gov. Council on GI, NACO, GIS/LIS, NSDI/FGDC).
- Promote forums for MetroGIS stakeholders to discuss common GIS needs and opportunities.
- Advocate for MetroGIS needs and desires with state and federal policy makers
Partnered Support: High importance to achieving the MetroGIS mission but require partnering
to achieve.
- Create and maintain datasets for MetroGIS based on identified priorities (i.e., to address the 13
priority information needs endorsed by the Policy Board as having regional significance).
- Help promote development and exchange of GIS applications and procedures that serve GIS
needs.
Selectively Desirable: Decisions on a case-by-case basis.
- Develop master contracts for regional GIS projects, when appropriate.
- Endorse standards for telecommunication protocol and networks. (AKA: Create guidelines for
getting electronic access to the information that is being shared)
- Provide technical assistance to participants to retrieve, translate, and use data developed and
maintained on behalf of MetroGIS.
- Conduct research to meet common regional GIS needs (i.e., data policy, distribution, etc).
- Publish MetroGIS newsletter.
Low Priority: Postpone funding.
- Identify GIS training and continuing education needs and encourage participation.
- Market MetroGIS data and products
- Provide a repository of GIS human resources information (centralized job posting/position
descriptions).
Based upon Policy Advisory Team direction, the business plan budget projections assume that only
functions ranked as at least medium/medium will be funded at this time by MetroGIS. Functions that fall into the low
priority category, and certain medium/medium priorities that do not relate to a higher priority function, such as
development of master contracts and conducting research to meet common regional needs, are not proposed to be funded by
MetroGIS.
It should be noted that, while some counties have expressed interest in having MetroGIS assume full
responsibility for distribution of county GIS data as a way of increasing efficiencies and reducing county costs, this
activity is not envisioned in the budget or as a function for MetroGIS in this business plan. If this function
were to be assumed by MetroGIS, staffing and budget implications would need to be assessed. What MetroGIS has budgeted
for is the distribution to government organizations of all regional data solutions that are aggregates of designated
primary data sources.
|
