houston's my city consolidates gis data from city agencies
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E-GOVERNMENT (/E-GOVERNMENT)
Houston's My City Consolidates GIS Data fromCity AgenciesEnterprise GIS makes more accurate maps available to citizens and citydepartments.
BY ANDY OPSAHL (HTTP://WWW.GOVTECH.COM/AUTHORS/ANDYOPSAHL1.HTML) / JANUARY 6, 2010
As many government officials can attest, leading a consolidation effort can earnyou enemies rather quickly. But Max Samfield, deputy director of the HoustonPlanning and Development Department, avoided some of those problems: Heopted for a hybrid approach that requires city agencies to add basic data to a newenterprise GIS, but lets them choose whether to publish more specialized data tothe system.
As is typical before a consolidation, several city agencies collected and maintainedtheir own GIS data, usually with spotty accuracy. Other agencies bought GISequipment occasionally, but lacked the staff and expertise to bring it to fruition.
ILLUSTRATION BY TOM MCKEITH
Houston GIS
Samfield's solution was to create a repository of newly accurate GIS data deliveredto endusers from a central server farm. Agencies then use that scrubbedenterprise GIS data as a foundation on which to build more layers of data usingtheir own specialized information. Agencies can choose to import the scrubbedbase data into their own internal mapcreation systems, but publishing thoseadditional layers for other agencies and citizens to view is optional.
Samfield had several goals for the new system. First, he wanted the agencies tofind the enterprise GIS so efficient that they'd publish their generated layers inthe enterprise GIS rather than their internal GIS. Second, he wanted agencies touse the enterprise GIS to create their maps.
Now Samfield's plan appears to be working. Due to wide participation amongagencies, dozens of GIS maps are available to city employees and citizens througha delivery mechanism called My City.
ACCURACY CARROT
View Full Story (http://www.digitalcommunities.com/articles/HoustonsMyCityConsolidatesGISData.html)
Andy Opsahl (http://www.govtech.com/authors/AndyOpsahl1.html) | Features Editor
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