Liana Underwood presentation of the GIS Project Management at PM Reston luncheon April 16, 2014

1. GIS Project Management
Liana Underwood, PMP
Esri, Professional Services

2. Overview
• GIS defined
• Esri software
• Industries who use GIS
• Top factors for GIS project success
• Resources

3. GIS Defined
• GIS is pronounced Gee-Eye-Ess,
not Ghisss
• Geographic Information System
(GIS)
- System designed to capture, store,
manipulate, analyze, manage, and
present all types of geographical
data.
- Digital representation of real world
features

4. GIS data
• Features represented in two primary ways*
- Raster – image made up of cells/pixels
- Vector – points, lines, polygons/areas
*There are others, but we’ll keep it simple

5. Why it matters
• Typically imagery data is bigger
• However, vector can be huge too, i.e., streams of North America
• Need to ask the question – what size is the data? Mb, Gb, Tb?

6. Can my data do that?
• Any data can be represented on a map if it has one or
more:
- X,Y Coordinates
- Address information
- For 3D need height information

7. Esri software
• How simple or complex are your processes?
• How much experience does your staff have?

8. Industries who use GIS
• Aid and Development
• Business
• Defense and Intelligence
• Education
• Government
• Health and Human Services
• Mapping and Charting
• Natural Resources
• Public Safety
• Transportation
• Utilities and communication

9. Plan and manage GIS Project
1. Define clear vision and success criteria
2. Involve key stakeholders early and often
3. Requirements, requirements, requirements
4. Manage change
5. Identify and monitor risks
6. Use a phased approach
7. Promote communication among teams
8. Don’t get enamored with technology
9. Involve IT team early & keep them involved
10. Keep it simple

10. Clear vision & success criteria
• What are you trying to build?
- Know the basics of the technology is a must
- Who is the customer/champion?
- Are you creating a new process?
- How can you help your client communicate that?

11. Involve Stakeholders
• Who is funding it
• Who will be impacted
• Who is a proponent of GIS? What is their vision?

12. Requirements
• Requirements placed in context
• Conduct interviews and workshops
• Business process
- Model As-is
- Model To-be
• How can things be streamlined?

13. More on Requirements
• Requirements should
- Describe WHAT not HOW
- One requirement
- Be measurable
- Be testable
- Map back to the scope of work
• Foundation
- Software design
- Testing and acceptance
• Must model business process

14. Requirements example

15. Manage Change
• Change happens
- Schedule, req., priorities
- Agile helps mitigate this
• Identify early
• Key elements of change communication
- Simple, direct, consistent & constant

16. Risk
• Identify and monitor
• Internal
- Staff, budget, schedule
• External
- HW failure
- SW release schedule
- Contractors and subs
- Integration issues
- Natural disasters
• Review and evaluate throughout

17. Use a phased approach
• Break it up into 4, 8, 12 week increments
• Communicate overall plan
• Project management plan
• Visio
• MS Project
• PPT Phase I
Phase II
Phase III

18. Promote communication
• Create a communication plan
- Artifacts
- Timely
- Purposeful
- Concise
• Who needs information
• What information is required
• Don’t forget informal communication

19. Don’t get enamored with technology
• Remember what you are trying to deliver
- Be careful of shiny object
- Does it address mission need?
- Will this technology meet the goals of the business case?
- Don’t build a sports car if you need a truck

20. Engage IT Department
• Key stakeholder
• Understand policy and standards
• Identify HW and network impacts
• Consider security model impacts
• Identify who will support system
• Plan to educate and train staff
(including IT)

21. Keep it simple
• Identify the right project processes
• Design and build for the 90%
• Do you need custom or configuration?
• Don’t reinvent the wheel – leverage when you can

22. Wrap up
1. Clear vision
2. Involve key stakeholders
3. Requirements, requirements, requirements
4. Manage change
5. Manage risks
6. Use a phased approach
7. Promote communication among teams
8. Don’t go for shiny objects only
9. Involve IT team
10. Keep it simple

23. Resources
• www.esri.com
• http://www.esri.com/what-is-gis
- Free training
• http://www.gislounge.com/gis-essentials/
• www.ArcGIS.com
- Free online mapping
• Business benefits of GIS: an ROI Approach
• Getting started for Executives
• Shiny objects 
- Esri Story Maps
- ArcGIS Online Showcase