GIS Professionals in the News!
Why is GISP Certification Important?
GISP is a certification for GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Professionals created by the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) which has been in operation since 2004. The purpose of the certification is to ensure that GIS Professionals push the limits of GIS capabilities, continually expand their skill sets and adhere to a code of ethics, making them stand out amongst their peers.
GIS Professional Certification is awarded to those applicants who meet the GISCI’s requirements. These requirements fall under three categories: Educational Achievement, Professional Experience and Contributions to the Profession. The applications are reviewed by the GISCI, which is an independent third party organization. The Institute is an amalgamation of non-profit GIS and geospatial technology companies including the Association of American Geographers (AAG), the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC), the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA).
After obtaining a GISP Certification, the GIS Professional must follow a code of ethics designated by the GISCI, as well as continue to expand his or her education and contribute to the profession of GIS and geospatial technologies. GISP Certification must be renewed every five years.
Currently, GISP Certification is based on applicants submitting a detailed portfolio of their accomplishments. This is to change in the near future, as the GISCI Board of Directors voted on May 23, 2011 to implement portfolio and testing based Certification. In 2004, when the GISP Certification process first began, there were no core competency standards for GIS to draw upon. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Labour developed a Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM) that will form the basis for the competency based examination. This examination will compliment portfolio submission and ethics components as used in the past. The testing will establish standards for professional knowledge and skills.
Why is GISP Certification Important?
The GISP Certification involves a code of ethics that is similar to a number of other professional societies. There are, however, some additions and differences that are included that are unique to the GIS profession. These additions are critically important to adhere to for organizations such as the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC), municipalities or other agencies that work with public data. The main additions include the following:
• Maintain the confidentiality of all data
• Be conscious of the sensitivity of data
• Share and make available as much data and findings as possible
• Respect copyright and other intellectual property
• Be actively involved in data retention and security
SSMIC sees great value in the attainment of GISP certification. Obtaining and maintaining GISP certification provides a set of criteria that can serve as staff performance objectives and performance review. Achieving and maintaining GISP certification shows commitment to the GIS profession, quality, going above and beyond, working ethically and giving back to the community.
Attaining and maintaining GISP Certification requires staff to benefit the field of GIS, as well as their community. Applicants are awarded certification points in the following areas:
• GIS Publications
• GIS-Related Professional Association Involvement
• GIS Conference Participation
• GIS Workshop Instruction
• GIS Conference Presentation
• GIS Awards Received
• GIS Volunteer Efforts
• Other GIS Contributions (e.g. GIS Event Organizer, Participant or Moderator)
GIS analysis and products can create powerful information which can be used to make critical decisions. The benefits of some GIS work may not always be completely clear. Some GIS projects may bring benefit to some of the population but bring issues for others. The GISP code of ethics is an excellent guide for staff to evaluate the undertaking of a GIS task or project and assist staff to be mindful of the impact a project may have. Staff can use the GISP Rules of Conduct and ethics guidelines to refuse an assignment or work to alter an assignment to be acceptable. SSMIC has turned down GIS projects in the past after evaluating projects against GISP ethics and code of conduct guidelines through a checklist type process.
The adherence to GISP guidelines has enabled SSMIC to develop a reputation of quality and trustworthiness. SSMIC acts as a public information utility in our community and as such must use information to benefit the public as much as possible while not violating confidentiality or compromising public trust. GISP certification has proven to be the best process to undertake to ensure the public’s confidence in SSMIC. At the time of this article publication, SSMIC has ten GISPs out of a total of fifty seven that exist within the province of Ontario.
For more information on GISP Certification, please visit www.gisci.org.
About the Authors
Kristen Hoffman, GISP is an Analyst at the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre’s Community Geomatics Centre. Kristen can be contacted at (705)942-6938 ext. 3037, or by e-mail at khoffman@ssmic.com.
Paul Beach, GISP is the GIS Manager at the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre’s Community Geomatics Centre. Paul can be contacted at (705)942-6938 ext. 3030, or by e-mail at pbeach@ssmic.com
A New Parcel Fabric Data Base on the Horizon?
Who would have guessed that at this stage in the life cycle of GIS, you could still get people out for a session on the topic of a digital parcel base, and not just because they were looking for a quiet place to sleep in the back! If you attended this year’s Conference and participated in the Town Hall meeting on a new digital cadastre, then you know exactly what I mean.
For those unaware, there is a movement amongst the Survey Community to introduce significant changes to the way that the digital cadastre is created, maintained and distributed; in part because surveyors need it for their own purposes, but also because of the cry heard from the rooftops of municipal and utility buildings across the province that there is indeed a need for change. While the Ontario Parcel program was an excellent starting point and moved many organizations strides ahead of where they were, some contend that its time and in some cases value, has long since passed. In this day and age of rapid technological change and expectations of constant improvement, there seems to be a movement that’s gathering momentum for a service that might change the parcel landscape of the future. Recognizing this, members of the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors unanimously endorsed a motion at their Annual General Meeting to create a Task Force to evaluate whether a structure could exist in which they might participate to develop an enhanced solution. Against this backdrop, URISA’s Sue Port moderated an exciting Town Hall meeting with Teranet’s Andy Mackie and myself, to find out if the assembled audience was in agreement that in fact an unfulfilled requirement existed.
Conceptually, I spoke of a provincial digital landscape where the professionals responsible for creating the parcels actually submitted and registered their plans electronically, and then had the responsibility for integrating them with neighbouring plans digitally. The data, by default, is survey accurate and is replete with reference plans, easements and encumbrances, Surveyor’s Real Property Reports and indexed to all related notes. Municipalities, utilities, provincial ministries and agencies, surveying firms and engineering companies all have access to a repository for their use, one that is integrated, updated daily and made available to all users. While many from larger municipal jurisdictions claim this was the norm where they worked, the vast majority in attendance spoke of the time and effort exerted to try to make what digital data was available work for them. I believe that we’ve learned to tolerate a parcel base that can be tens of metres off survey accuracy in one area but be within centimetres in another. We now think it’s acceptable to receive changes to the fabric months after they’ve occurred when daily updating is possible and that we’ve been forced to accept a fabric without demarcations showing easements, rights of way and encumbrances. There is another way and I’ve believed this for many years.
Unfortunately, of course, everything comes with a price; for in business, the Field of Dreams approach of ‘build it and they will come’ more often ends in bankruptcy than it does in success. So when the question was rhetorically put to the assembled group of whether are you willing to reach into your collective wallets and make this a budget line item, the expected sound of silence was slowly erased by the sound of nervous chatter that eventually erupted into a ‘yes’ from one corner of the room and ‘definitely’ from another. It seems that budgets already exist to perform some type of digital data clean up or augmentation and if it met most or all of their needs, this money would willingly be directed towards such a service.
The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors is prepared to facilitate the creation of a new company, owned wholly or in part by the surveyors themselves, should that option turn out to be the best way forward. This new company, or NewCo, would manage the assembly, integration, rectification, maintenance and distribution of available surveyor data while also providing regulatory oversight to ensure the product consistently meets the high standards demanded of it. There seems to be great interest in the initiative from a number of companies outside of the surveying industry in the province suggesting that start up capital may not be a concern, and if the projections around new value add commercial products hold true, operational costs may be readily offset by commercial revenues. Some in the commercial world have suggested that creating NewCo as a co-operative might allow them to contribute their own survey information to accelerate coverage or help establish priority areas. On a go-forward basis, an electronic plan submission regulation will ensure that all new surveys are easier to seamlessly integrate making a more rapid update cycle a reality.
Does it sound too good to be true? Are you concerned that you might not have enough years left in your career to see this happen? Well, not so, if the Task Force on the Ontario Cadastre 2.0 at the AOLS has anything to say about it. We’ve completed a Feasibility Study on the subject, free for the asking by the way, and are well down the path to establishing an approach to a phased implementation plan. But we also acknowledge that we don’t have a monopoly on good ideas and are actively seeking input from other geomatic professionals and users across the province. An email to me, David Brubacher addressed to President@aols.org with ‘I’m interested’ in the subject line gets you on the regular update list and an invitation to the Facebook discussion forum where you can make sure your voice is heard and inputs are acted upon.
About the Author
David Brubacher is an Ontario Land Surveyor (OLS) in the Geographic Information Manager (GIM) branch and is the current President of the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors. David began working in GIS and mapping in 1986 and became an OLS in 2001. He has worked on many diverse projects including the Ontario Base Map conversion program, POLARIS, BIM and PreBIM mapping for Teranet, a strategic plan for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the use of GIS and geospatial data and is currently working for AquaResource Inc. in Breslau, Ontario as a spatial and environmental data manager, responsible for projects in North and South America and Europe.
URISA International Announcements
URISA Wants to Know Your Challenges!
URISA initiated its first Advocacy Agenda at GIS-Pro2010 in Orlando. The Chapter Roll Call at the beginning of the conference provided an opportunity for representatives of the Chapters to bring their members’ most significant challenges to the international audience.
Now it’s time to refresh the Advocacy Agenda, make sure it still meets our needs, and modify it if necessary. To that end, it is absolutely critical that we hear from our members.
Please follow the below link to complete your survey by September 30th 2011.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011WorkChallenges
URISA's GIS Hall of Fame
The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) established the GIS Hall of Fame in 2005 to recognize and honour the most esteemed leaders of the geospatial community. To be considered for the GIS Hall of Fame, an individual’s or an organization’s record of contribution to the advancement of the industry demonstrates creative thinking and actions, vision and innovation, inspiring leadership, perseverance, and community mindedness. In addition, nominees must serve as a role model for those who follow. URISA Hall of Fame Laureates are individuals or organizations whose pioneering work has moved the geospatial industry in a better, stronger direction. The first class of inductees included Edgar Horwood, Ian McHarg, Roger Tomlinson, Jack Dangermond, Nancy Tosta, and the Harvard Lab. Gary Hunter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 and both Don Cooke and Michael Goodchild joined him the following year, in 2007. Will Craig and Carl Reed were honored in 2009 and C. Dana Tomlin followed last year.
William Huxhold and Barry Wellar will join this esteemed group during URISA’s 49th Annual Conference in Indianapolis in November.
William Huxhold
Bill Huxhold (Hux) is a triple threat in GIS. He has been an innovative leader in government, academia, and the GIS profession. Few others have shown this versatility and certainly not at his high level of achievement.
He led the City of Milwaukee’s effort to establish one of the nation’s first GIS as Project Director of the City’s Policy Development Information System (1975-87). His genius was writing specifications that required an interface between the City’s operational databases with computer-aided mapping software to create a GIS. Other cities had computer-aided mapping, but no direct connection to their operational data. He believed in a pyramid of good decisions based on data from the operations of local government. He argued that good management decisions are based on a synthesis of operational data and good policy decisions are based on a synthesis of management data; GIS is critical at each level in the three-layered pyramid. Milwaukee received an Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) award for Huxhold’s Municipal Automated Geographic Information System in 1981, the first year that award was given. His early work was copied by cities across the nation and the concepts continue to be respected and copied.
Huxhold published his popular An Introduction to Urban Geographic Information Systems in 1991, one of the first GIS textbooks and the best one for urban GIS. It was his first step into academia and he joined the faculty of Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee that same year. Other books followed including Managing Geographic Information Systems Projects (1995 with Allan Levinson) and ArcGIS and the Digital City (2002 with Fowler and Parr). His leadership was key in extracting from a divided committee in Chicago the nine principles for success in GIS Guidelines for Assessors (URISA and IAAO 1992) that educate and illuminate still. His research has produced dozens of articles and book chapters. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses while administering the GIS Certificate program that he created in 1991. He chairs the GIS Council that steers the campus-wide education, research, and service efforts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He also chairs the Urban Planning department.
Huxhold’s contributions to the GIS profession have been outstanding, too. He has served as president of two professional organizations: URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, 1984-85) and UCGIS (University Consortium for Geographic Information Science, 2000). He developed model job classifications that informed URISA’s 1st Salary Survey and helped give coherence to the field. Most notably, he led the effort to certify GIS professionals, now institutionalized as the GIS Certification Institute, now certifying nearly 5,000 GIS Professionals across 50 states and 25 countries. He argued that this was the missing piece in making GIS a recognized profession; we had the specialized training, common language, and even culture and lore, but lacked licensing or certification. The GIS Certification Institute is supported by the Association of American Geographers (AAG), the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC), the University Consortium of Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA), and the Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA).
Dr. Barry Wellar
Few individuals are more deserving of this honor than Dr. Barry Wellar. His nearly 50 years of active and sustained work in the geographic information system (GIS) and related fields are filled with accomplishments and contributions to the industry and the community of GIS technology users. His roles as a researcher, teacher, GIS practitioner and manager, and consultant have focused on practical applications of GIS and other information technologies to problems and challenges faced by public agencies and private sector companies. His areas of expertise span a wide range of technical, organizational, methodological, and discipline-specific areas for applying GIS and IT. He is an expert in many GIS application areas with a particular focus on urban planning, transportation, sustainable land development, and public sector policy, with more than 350 documents and presentations on GIS and IT among his published works. And, as demonstrated at the 2009 and 2010 URISA conferences, his applied research on GIS and Interdependent infrastructures, and GIS and standard of care practices, shows that he continues to play a leading role as an important innovator in the GIS field.
His professional milestones and accomplishments are too numerous to mention in full, but a few highlights are identified below:
• Bachelor’s degrees (1964, 1965 (Hon.) in Economics, Commerce, and Geography from Queen’s University
• Master of Science (1967) and PhD (1969) in Geography from Northwestern University
• Academic teaching and research positions at University of Kansas and University of Ottawa
• Senior Research Officer, Director, and Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of State for Urban Affairs, Government of Canada
• Numerous special project and consulting assignments to state, provincial, and federal government agencies in Canada, the USA, and foreign governments, as well as to international organizations (e.g., OECD, UNDP, CAP)
• Qualified as an expert witness for civil actions involving pedestrians’ safety, and transportation and planning issues
• Formation and position as Principal of Wellar Consulting, Inc. (2005), and President, Information Research Board (2010)
His work in the GIS field has been complemented by his active involvement and leadership in professional associations and the contribution of enormous amounts of time and energy that has supported and improved those organizations, supported the work of its members, and made significant positive impacts on the way in which GIS and other information technology tools and practices are applied to important decision-making issues and situations.
Some milestones of his professional association activities and leadership roles are summarized as follows:
• Continuous membership in URISA since 1967, including participation in annual conferences, special programs and workshops, and numerous committee assignments
• URISA Board Member, 1972-76
• URISA President, 1977-78
• Membership, active participation, and leadership roles in the Association of American Geographers (AAG), Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG), American Planning Association (APA), Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), Regional Science Association (RSA), and Data for Development International Association
• Full membership in Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP)
• Distinguished Research Fellow, Transport Action Canada
• Policy and Research Advisor, Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods (Ontario)
• Distinguished Geomatics Scientist, Lab for Applied Geomatics and Geographic Information Systems Science, University of Ottawa
• Multiple awards from these and other organizations for service and leadership, including URISA’s Leadership and Service Award (1979) and Horwood Outstanding Service Award (1985)
Along with Dr. Wellar’s long history of work in the field and his research and professional accomplishments, his role as a teacher and advisor to students should be considered a primary reason for his Hall of Fame induction. During his academic career of 35 years he has taught hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have become very accomplished in their fields and cite Dr. Wellar’s instruction and support as instrumental in their education and professional advancement. He has served as a graduate advisor to many students and in numerous committee and leadership roles to advance the quality of academic programs and their value to students.
Mentioning just three activities to outline the scope of his many accomplishments, he partnered with Bob Aangeenbrug at Kansas in 1969-1972 to create some of the first-ever GIS courses, he later joined with Dan Parr in making URISA’s Introduction to GIS one of the most popular (and most duplicated) GIS workshops offered by any organization, and he recently created a GIS Day Poster Competition program and promotion to recognize faculty and students who make outstanding contributions to the design of GIS-based posters as means to communicate research project results.
Those who know or who have worked with Barry are aware that his style is that of a dedicated scientist: direct, sometimes challenging, but always respectful of differing views, and focused on achieving results. His record speaks for itself in demonstrating how he has used his personal and professional skills for success in delivering benefits to those people, groups, and communities for which he has served. His interests go beyond the professional sphere as exhibited, in part, by his passion for hockey—not just as a fan but as a player. His personal and professional ethics are superb. He is a devoted husband and father and is active in charitable and community activities that enhance the quality of life for his fellow citizens.
Barry Wellar’s record in the field of geographic information systems is one of passion, inspiration, commitment, and outstanding achievement. Welcome to the GIS Hall of Fame, Dr. Wellar.
For more information about URISA's GIS Hall of Fame go here: www.urisa.org/hall_of_fame or contact URISA at 847-824-6300.
GIS-Pro 2011 Invitation
A message from Cy Smith, URISA President -
A career in GIS isn't like most careers. Early in the careers of most GIS professionals, they realize that GIS connects everything and that they have the potential to use GIS to solve nearly all the world's problems.
Then they realize the potential of GIS can only be achieved if they can get people to work together. Getting people to work together, using GIS to solve the world's problems is what URISA is all about and why we have the annual GIS-Pro conference. GIS-Pro is where it all comes together.
Four things you will gain at GIS-Pro 2011:
1. Opportunities to solve problems with the help of peers from all over North America and many other countries.
2. In-depth education and knowledge about the issues, tools, and solutions you deal with.
3. Professional growth, as you help shape regional, national and international approaches to issues that affect you and your organization.
4. Participation in developing URISA's advocacy agenda that is used on behalf of the geospatial community.
GIS-Pro 2011 Highlights:
Social Media Integration - URISA's Vanguard Cabinet of young professionals will lead a session on social media in the workplace. You'll learn how to effectively and safely incorporate social media into your business activities.
Open Street Map Lab - There will be an interactive lab to teach you how to incorporate your own map symbology and create your own tile set in Open Street Map.
GIS Return on Investment - URISA has partnered with the Federal Geographic Data Committee and the University of Washington Benefit Cost Center to develop a standardized methodology to measure GIS return on investment. Measuring ROI is how to make the case for GIS in your organization.
Geospatial Management Competency Model - URISA has been tasked by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to develop the final tier of the Geospatial Technology Competency Model. This tier will establish the competencies needed for GIS managers. Most organizations use the DOL models to establish position descriptions and hiring requirements. You can help define these competencies.
Geospatially Enabling Decision-making - The Kansas Legislature is integrating geospatial data and location into the process of making laws. You'll gain ideas about how to geospatially enable your own state or provincial legislatures, county commissions, municipal councils, tribal councils, or any deliberative body.
One Government and Data Sharing - The Executive Director of the Singapore Land Authority will tell you in the Opening Keynote how they use a 'one government' approach to motivate agencies to work together and how they've developed a policy framework to successfully guide data sharing. They won an Exemplary Systems in Government Award from URISA last year and have been invited to present their approach at conferences around the world.
Executive Support for GIS - Executives from a variety of national and international corporations that use GIS to solve their own problems will tell you why they decided to use GIS, and how they convinced their organizations to invest in geospatial data and technology. In this Thought Leaders Panel Discussion, you'll get to ask questions to help make their knowledge pertinent to your own organization.
There's a lot more happening at GIS-Pro 2011.
For more informaiton and to register, go here: http://www.urisa.org/gispro2011exhibits
URISA’s Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Awards
URISA’s Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Awards recognize exceptional achievements in the application of information technology that have improved the delivery and quality of government services. URISA is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s ESIG Awards.
ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS CATEGORY
Systems in this category are outstanding and working examples of using information systems technology in a multi-department environment as part of an integrated process. These systems exemplify effective use of technology yielding widespread improvements in the process(es) and/or service(s) involved and/or cost savings to the organization.
2011 ESIG Winner: URA Digital 3D Urban Model System
Submitted by Mr. Peter Quek Ser Hwee, Director Corporate Development, Information Systems - Urban Redevelopment Authority, Republic of Singapore
This solution was deemed exemplary by the ESIG Review Committee because this system was built not only to innovatively serve the needs of the jurisdiction and the community, but to embrace a cutting edge technology. The combination of 3D technology with 2D GIS technology has provided URA staff and their community with the tools to visualize the impact of urban development. The visual analysis provides a value added segment to the evaluation processes supporting the most educated decisions when building a greater Singapore. The use of 3D visualization has become a tool for Singapore’s marketing and communication of their land use plans. Quantitative impacts were given in terms of both “man-days” and monies saved to date, along with estimates of future benefits. Many different groups are now making use of the system and specific examples were given of projects/studies that used the system, along with visual representations for each. This is a unique application in that it presented an innovative system for producing visualizations of Singapore. The videos and images produced by the solution portray the vision of and for Singapore. Projects like these move the GIS and planning industries forward.
Distinguished Systems in this Category:
•CAGIS Enterprise County Wide Construction Coordination System
Submitted by Raj Chundur, CAGIS Administrator, CAGIS - Cincinnati (Ohio) Area Geographic Information System
•City of Calgary Cadastral Management System (CMS)
Submitted by Arne Svedahl, Leader - Land Asset Information & Mapping Infrastructure & Information, Corporate Services - City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• iMAPS: Using Collaboration and Technology to Color Outside the Organizational Lines
Submitted by Charles Friddle, Director - Wake County (North Carolina) GIS
• Portage County Enterprise Wide GIS
Submitted by Brian Kelley, CIO – Portage County (Ohio)
SINGLE PROCESS SYSTEMS CATEGORY
Systems in this category are outstanding and working examples of applying information system technology to automate a specific SINGLE process or operation involving one department or sub-unit of an agency. The system application results in extended and/or improved government services that are more efficient and/or save money.
2011 ESIG Winner: Philadelphia Stormwater Billing Application - "PhillyStormwater"
Submitted by Joanne Dahme, Watersheds Program Manager, City of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Water Department
This solution was deemed exemplary by the ESIG Review Committee because it is an application that has benefited all stakeholders, including both the Philadelphia Water Department staff and the public alike. The System is an application in green storm water management that uses GIS to assess impervious site areas. It gives the public easy access to - and transparency to – storm water charges, and the ability to see the effect on their bills should property owners consider greener strategies. Processes have also been developed to address the data quality and consistency issues as they arise. The PhillyStormwater system has made a substantial impact on the new storm water billing process and saved hundreds of hours for the Water Department staff members per month. The system is the largest of its type in the country and certainly is progressive in the way it charges for storm water management costs.
Distinguished System in this Category:
•Clark County Utility Tracker (C-Cut)
Submitted by Dan Kaler, GIS Coordinator – Clark County (Washington)
URISA congratulates all of the participants in the 2011 Exemplary Systems in Government Award program. All of these exemplary systems will be celebrated during the Awards Breakfast at GIS-Pro 2011: URISA's 49th Annual Conference in Indianapolis on November 3, 2011.
For more information and to read each winning and distinguished system submission, visit: http://www.urisa.org/2011ESIG
