Geographic Information Management in Local Government

Abstract

Introduction The Background to Geographic Information Management in Local Why a Book on Geographic Information Management (GIM) in Local Government? What Is Geographic Information (GI) and How Does It Relate to Spatial Data? What Are Geographic Information Systems (GIS)? What Are the Key Features of a Typical GIS? What Distinguishes GIM from GIS? Why Is GIM Important to Local in Britain? How Has the GIS Industry Responded to Local Governments' Needs? What Is the Impact of the Modernizing Government Agenda? How Is the Book Structured? The Development of GIS in Local What Methods Were Used for Handling Spatial Data before GIS? Who Were the Early Pioneers of GIS? What Was the Chorley Report and What Was Its Impact? To What Extent Did the Chorley Report Lead to the Coordinated Development of GIM within Local Government? How Has GIS Spread through Local during the 1990s? What Progress Was Made Ten Years after the Chorley Report? How Has the Modernizing Agenda Affected GIS Development? What Lessons Can Be Learned from this Review of GIS Development? Key Elements of Geographic Information Management Organizational Content How Important Is the Organization to the Success of GIS? What Are the Government's Expectations of Local Authorities? What Are the Main Drivers for Change in Local Government? Who Are the Main Users of GIM in Local Authorities, and What Are Their Needs? What Are the Arguments for a Corporate Approach? Where Has GIS Been Used to Greatest Effect in Local Government? What Has Constrained GIS Potential in Local Government? What Lessons Can Be Learned both from Local and Other Organizations? What Organizational Changes Are likely to Result from GIS Development? Spatial Data What Are the Main Characteristics of Spatial Data? What Are the Main Types and Sources of Spatial Data? What Is a Data Model and How Is Spatial Data Modeled? What Methods of Data Capture Are Available? What Types of Databases Are Used in GIM and Why Are They so Important? Why Is Data Quality Important and How Do We Achieve It? What Analyses Are Typically Carried Out on Spatial Data? How Do Models of Spatial Processes Help Decision Making? What Are the Main Forms of GIS Output? Technology How Important Is Technology to GIS and GIM? Why Is It Important for Those Involved in GIM to Keep Up-to-Date with New Technology? How Does the Diffusion of New Technologies Take Place? What Are the Contents of a Local Authority's Technology Kit Bag? What Are the Main GIS Software Products Used by Local Authorities? What Are the Major Technology Trends Affecting GIM? How Do Those with an Interest in GIM Keep Up-To-Date with the New Technology? Approaches to GIS Justification, Selection, and Implementation How Do You Get GIS On the Starting Blocks? Why Is It Important to Have a Strategy? How Do You Make the Business Case? What Factors Should Be Considered When Selecting a GIS for a Local Authority? Which Are the Most Important and Why? What Is the Role of the Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Implementation Process? What Are the Main Ingredients of Successful Implementation? Why Is a User-Centered Approach Required for Successful Implementation? What Are the Training Needs? How Important Are Continuous Monitoring and Review? What Problems Are Likely to be Faced by Organizations Implementing GIS? Coordinating Mechanisms What Are the Main Coordinating Mechanisms, and Why Are They Important to GIM Development? To What Extent Does the AGI Fulfill the Role of a National Center for GI as Envisaged by the Chorley Report? What Coordinating Role Has Central Had? What Is the IDeA and What Is the Focus of Its Involvement in GIM? What Is the Particular Coordinating Significance of the NLPG, and What Is the Role of the NLIS and Other N-Initiatives? Why Was the OGC Established, and What Are Its Main Achievements? How Significant Are the European Initiatives to GIM Development in U.K. Local Authorities? What Coordination Takes Place Among GI Users in Local Government? The Case Studies Introduction to the Case Studies What Is the Purpose of the Case Studies in this Book? How Have the Case Study Authorities Been Selected? What Styles and Applications of GIM are Covered by the Case Studies? How Has the Information for Each Case Study Been Organized and Presented? How Can I Read and Use the Case Studies, Depending on My Background and Interests? Case Study - Bristol City Council Bristol City Council at a Glance Why Was Bristol City Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Bristol City Council Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does Bristol City Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS and GIM? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - Southampton City Council Southampton City Council at a Glance Why Was Southampton City Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Southampton City Council Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does Southampton City Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - Leeds City Council Leeds City Council at a Glance Why Was Leeds City Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Leeds City Council Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does Leeds City Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - Newcastle City Council Newcastle City Council at a Glance Why Was Newcastle City Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Newcastle City Council Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does Newcastle City Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - Aylesbury Vale District Council Aylesbury Vale District Council at a Glance Why Was Aylesbury Vale District Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Aylesbury Vale District Council Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does Aylesbury Vale District Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - Shepway District Council Shepway District Council at a Glance Why Was Shepway District Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Shepway District Council Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does Shepway District Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - London Borough of Enfield London Borough of Enfield at a Glance Why Was London Borough of Enfield Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has London Borough of Enfield Done? What Organization Has It Set Up? What Does London Borough of Enfield Plan to Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - London Borough of Harrow London Borough of Harrow at a Glance Why Was London Borough of Harrow Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has London Borough of Harrow Done? What Organization Has Been Established? What Does London Borough of Harrow Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Case Study - Powys County Council Powys County Council at a Glance Why Was Powys County Council Chosen as a Case Study? The Background - What Has Powys County Council Done? What Organization Has it Established? What Does Powys County Council Plan To Do in the Future? What Were the Positive Drivers and Success Factors for GIS? What Were the Negative Factors that Threatened Success? What Have Been the Practical Benefits? What Are the Lessons for Others? Looking to the Future Future Prospects and Challenges What Are the Future Prospects for GIM in Local Government? Where Is the Computer Revolution Taking Us? What Is the Likely Impact of the Convergence of Computing and Communications? What New Technological Developments Will Have Most Impact on Local Government? What Will Hold Back the Take-Up of These New Technologies? How Are Local Authorities Meeting E-Government Targets? So What Are the Challenges for GIM in Local in the Future? Appendices