Although the concept of enterprise GIS has developed quite a bit over the past 10 years, very few universities offer a specific course on the topic of enterprise GIS. As part of our online geospatial information master’s degree and certificate programs, we created a 3-credit course on Developing an Enterprise Level Geospatial Strategy. The goal of the course is to prepare students to address the real-world challenges of creating, operating, maintaining, and managing an enterprise GIS in the workplace. Students select an enterprise scenario and complete a broad series of activities, exercises, and reports to customize and document a multi-user geographic information system of their design. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight several of the course components, offer practical information regarding best practices for creating a common operational picture within an organization, and propose an enterprise GIS implementation roadmap that identifies useful steps for getting your project off the ground.

1. Teaching Enterprise GIS:
From Theory to Practice
Stephen A. McElroy, Ph.D., GISP
GIS in the Rockies
October 9, 2013

2. Presentation Outline
• Introduction
• Developing an Enterprise Level Geospatial Strategy
• Enterprise Scenarios and Course Components
• Best Practices to Create a Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS Implementation Roadmap
• Conclusion
2

3. Developing an Enterprise Level GIS Strategy
• Enterprise GIS Scenarios
– City government
– County government
– Utility company
– Natural resource management
– Small private business
– Non-profit health care organization
– Military operations
3

4. Enterprise GIS Course Components
• Customize and document a multi-user GIS
– Activities
• Reading assignments from two textbooks
• Video lectures
• ESRI videos
• ESRI Virtual Campus training seminars
• Discussion forums
• Mid-term and final exams
• GIS health check
• GIS consultants database
• GIS challenges and solutions
4

5. Enterprise GIS Course Components
• Customize and document a multi-user GIS
– Exercises
• Capacity Planning Tool
– System design process, software technology
– Software performance, server performance
– Data architecture, network communications
– Product architecture, platform performance
– Information security, performance fundamentals
• Quizzes
– GIS planning, error tolerance, map scale
– Data models, cost-benefit analysis
5

6. Enterprise GIS Course Components
• Customize and document a multi-user GIS
– Reports
• GIS strategic plan, GIS planning proposal, GIS needs assessment
• Information Product Description (IPD)
• Master Data Input List (MIDL)
• Data management, data design capabilities
• Network communication protocols, system architecture
• Product architecture, platform selection criteria
• Security risk management, systems performance
• Platform sizing, benefit-cost analysis, risk analysis
• Enterprise GIS implementation, GIS staffing and training
• Final project report
6

7. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS definition
– The complete organizational approach to sharing,
using, and managing geospatial information
7

8. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics (based on Tomaselli 2004)
– Cooperation
8

9. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics
– No Duplication of Effort
9

10. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics
– Data Models
10

11. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics
– Workflow Analysis
11

12. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics
– Data Quality
12

13. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics
– Compatibility
13

14. Common Operational Platform
• Enterprise GIS characteristics
– Administrative structure and staffing
14

15. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 1: Determine user needs
– Identify and prioritize critical business functions,
responsibilities, and objectives
– Describe the information products derived by GIS
15

16. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 2: Assess GIS architecture and system
infrastructure
– Inventory existing GIS configuration and related
computer systems
– Determine which items should be enhanced or replaced
– Determine new technology alternatives for purchase
16

17. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 3: Assess GIS database readiness
– Inventory and document characteristics of existing
spatial and non-spatial datasets
– Identify missing mission-critical GIS data
17

18. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 4: Review governance and management
strategies for managing and maintaining GIS
– Address organizational issues
– Perform risk analysis
18

19. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 5: Identify opportunities to reduce
costs and improve efficiency
– Identify duplication of effort, inefficiencies, and data
bottlenecks
– Perform benefit-cost analysis
19

20. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 6: Plan short-term GIS goals and
objectives to improve operations and
workflow
– Written processes and procedures
– Establish clearly defined roles and responsibilities
20

21. Seven Steps to Implement Enterprise GIS
Step 7: Consider implementation plan
– Standard enterprise IT architecture includes web
access tier, enterprise tier, component application tier,
data tier, and storage network
21

22. Additional Resources
• Online Resources
– Enterprise System Design Planning Tools
http://wiki.gis.com/wiki/index.php/Enterprise_System_Design_Planning_Tools
• Textbook Resources
– Thinking About GIS: Geographic Information System
Planning for Managers, 5th edition – Roger Tomlinson
– Building a GIS: System Architecture Design Strategies
for Managers, 2nd edition – Dave Peters
22

23. What Can I Do This Week?
• Advocate and demystify the complexity
–
–
–
–
Develop a simple enterprise outline
Seek buy-in from senior leadership
Identify preliminary team members
Create a step-by-step task plan
• Start small with a pilot project
– Target solutions with significant impact / low level
of effort
23

24. Stephen A. McElroy, Ph.D., GISP
GIS Program Chair
Stephen.McElroy@americansentinel.edu
www.americansentinel.edu
800.729.2427

26. GIS520: Developing an Enterprise Level
Geospatial Strategy
• Course description
– Principles and methods for creating, operating,
maintaining, and managing data for multiuser geospatial
information systems are studied. Each student will
customize and document a multi-user geographic
information system of their design.
• Course will be offered in January 2014
• Non-degree seeking students can enroll in a single course
• No application fee
26

27. Currently Offer Four Online GIS Degrees
• Associate of Science Geographic
Information Systems (ASGIS)
• Bachelor of Science Geographic
Information System (BSGIS)
• Geospatial Information Systems
Graduate Certificate (GISGC)
• Master of Geospatial
Information Systems (MGIS)
27

28. MGIS Program Outcomes
MGIS graduates will be able to:
1. Develop an understanding of geospatial principles and practices.
2. Develop a working knowledge of ArcGIS and other GIS related tools
used in developing and implementing geospatial strategies.
3. Collect, store, access and use geospatial data across multiple disciplines.
4. Develop an enterprise level geospatial strategy.
5. Understand the ethical and legal issues associated with the use of
geospatial data.
6. Understand similarities and differences in geospatial strategies among
specific industries.
7. Design, develop and complete a GIS project.
8. Present geospatial information in a clear and professional manner.
9. Complete an e-Portfolio as evidence of academic achievement.
28

29. American Sentinel Online Geospatial Learning Lab
Available to all students as a resource. Includes learning support,
GIS activities and other resources to promote geospatial
principles and practice across the curriculum.
MGIS Program Details
29
Core Courses (5 courses – 15 credits)
•
Geospatial Principles and Practice
•
Geospatial Practicum Using ArcGIS
•
Geospatial Data
•
Developing an Enterprise Level Geospatial Strategy
•
GIS Accuracy, Ethics & the Law
Course Track
6 Elective courses – 18 credits
+ 1 Project course – 3 credits
Graduate
Certificate
Project Track
4 Elective courses – 12 credits
+ 3 Project courses – 9 credits
Elective Courses (7 courses – 21 credits)
• Web-based Applications and Resources for Geospatial Analysis
• Emerging Topics, Trends and Technologies in Geospatial Analysis
• GIS Applications in Health and Human Services
• GIS Applications in Business
• GIS Applications in Government
• GIS Applications in Defense, Intelligence and Public Safety
• GIS Applications in Environment and Natural Resources
• Geospatial Project Overview (required)
• Design and Development of a Geospatial Project
• Geospatial Project and Presentation
MGIS