regional gis user groups: how-to's and best practices

Regional GIS User Groups: How-To's and Best Practices

Northwest Indiana GIS Forum• An ad-hoc, informal users group for GIS

professionals

• Provide a forum for people to network and learn from each other

• Report on what we’re doing and track the status of GIS in the Region

• Encourage data sharing and technology transfer among the membership

LeadershipCo-Chairs:

Tim Sutherland, Interim Director, IUN Librarysutherla@iun.edu

Becky McKinley, GISPHammond Sanitary DistrictGIS Managerbmckinley@hammondsd.com

Past Co-chair:Milo Anderson, EPA Region 5, Chicago

Core Members

• Cele Morris – IUN

• Lauren Rhein – Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission

• Kevin Miller – IDEM

Our Mission•Catalog Spatial Data in N.W. Indiana

•Metadata workshops•Online Metadata Compilation Tool•Support LakeRIM GIS Revamp

•GIS Education and Training•Free Intro to ArcGIS Training•Workshops and Seminars•Coordinate with IGIC and others to bring training to NW Indiana (i.e. Roadshows, HAZUS training)

•Promote the Free Exchange of Ideas about GIS and Data Sharing

•Open, free membership •Keep members informed about IGIC initiatives and point out how they will effect us locally

Sample of Membership (over 300 on our listserv)

FederalArmy Corps of EngineersUS-EPAUSGSNational Parks ServiceDepartment of JusticeNRCS-USDA U.S. Attorney’s Office

StateDept. of TransportationDept. of Natural ResourcesDept. of Environmental Mgmt.Homeland SecurityIndiana Geological Survey

County & RegionalLake CountyPorter CountyLaPorte CountySt. Joseph CountyElkhart CountyKane County, ILNIRPC

MunicipalHammondGaryEast ChicagoDyerScherervilleWhitingMunsterChestertonSouth BendMishawaka and many more

AcademiaIU NorthwestPurdue CalumetPurdue North CentralValparaiso UniversityPurdue, West LafayetteIUPUI

Not-for-ProfitsSave the DunesThe Nature ConservancyAssociation of Cities & TownsGeographers Network of Indiana

Private SectorWoolpertThe Sidwell CompanyTrimblePangaeaESRIDLZNIES EngineeringLawson-FisherNIPSCO

Accomplishments• Celebrating our ten year anniversary• Boast over 300 members in our listserv• Trained over 200 people in Intro to ArcView and then

ArcGIS• Won IGIC’s ‘Achievement in GIS’ award in 2006• Awarded a grant from the US-EPA Region 5 and two

FGDC CAP grants• Hosted dozens of workshops and seminars:

• Using TIGER and Census Data• HAZUS• 2005 Ortho Photography• Vendors demos• Many others

Where to Begin

• Identify (or become) a ‘champion’ who will keep the group going

• Involve local colleges/universities

• Don't limit your membership

• Take advantage of free resources

• Have fun!

Collaborations are Important!• Benefits for Indiana University

Northwest/Data Center and NWI GIS Forum

• Community Involvement• Administration Assistance• GIS Outreach and Training

IUN’s Involvement

• The University Promotes Collaboration with External Partners

• Initial Data Center/SPEA Support• Geoscience• Div. Business & Economics• Div. Education

Administration Assistance

• IUN Helps to Provides a “Home”

• Website - http://www.iun.edu/~gisnw/

Administration – Other Support

• Meeting and Training Space• 18 seat GIS Lab

• Meeting Notes

• Creation of Listserv• Great Means of Communication

Funding the Mission

• Cataloging Data Means Metadata• Content, Quality & Condition of Spatial

Dataset

• Initial Funding from EPA• Metadata Training Begins• With the Help of the Indiana Geological Survey

an Award Winning Online Metadata Tool !

TBA - An Improved Online Metadata Tool

• 2005 & 2007 Federal Geographic Data Committee Funding

• Participation with IGIC Road Shows• More Metadata Outreach• LakeRim Update

Other Ways IUN Helps

• GIS Classes offered by IUN Dept. of Geosciences and SPEA

• Resources through IU Bloomington• Advantage of Software Licensing• Educational Opportunities

• Collaborations with Indiana Geological Survey, IGIC, IDEM, NIRPC…..

The Northwest Indiana GIS Forum Thanks IGIC for Encouragement and Assistance!

Becky McKinley

bmckinley@hammondsd.com

Cele Morris

cmorris@iun.edu