Build Your GIS….. By building consensus Huntington County, Indiana

Andrew Harrison GIS Business Manager [email_address] 1

Andrew Harrison

GIS Business Manager

[email_address]

The Schneider Corporation Founded in 1962, The Schneider Corporation is the largest GIS firm in Indiana and an industry leader in providing GIS, surveying, engineering, and consulting services. 3

The Schneider Corporation 4

Learn 10 steps to building consensus among public officials to move your GIS forward Fund your GIS through the use of grants Successfully deliver your municipal data via the Internet Learning Objectives

Learn 10 steps to building consensus among

public officials to move your GIS forward

Fund your GIS through the use of grants

Successfully deliver your municipal data

via the Internet

70 miles north of Indianapolis 38,075 population (1 city & 5 towns) VERY fiscally conservative county Predominant land use is agriculture Prior to GIS, history of limited governmental cooperation Prior to GIS, limited communication between offices Huntington County, Indiana

70 miles north of Indianapolis

38,075 population (1 city & 5 towns)

VERY fiscally conservative county

Predominant land use is agriculture

Prior to GIS, history of limited governmental

cooperation

Prior to GIS, limited communication between offices

Without consensus, roadblocks will constantly be placed before you Without support of public officials, there will be no funding for GIS Officials must “buy-in” to GIS So GIS is utilized in the decision making process The more public officials talk about how “cool” GIS is, the stronger the GIS program becomes To move GIS from the “luxury” budget item to a “mandatory” budget item GIS is the information link between governmental offices Why is consensus among public officials so important

Without consensus, roadblocks will constantly be placed before you

Without support of public officials, there will be no funding for GIS

Officials must “buy-in” to GIS

So GIS is utilized in the decision making process

The more public officials talk about how “cool” GIS is, the stronger

the GIS program becomes

To move GIS from the “luxury” budget item to a “mandatory” budget item

GIS is the information link between governmental offices

Create an open GIS Task Force Broad Representation - welcome anyone who wants to participate Identify “key” individuals you need as members Seek members from beyond your own organization Include “top dogs” and “low man on the totem pole” Perception is reality 10 steps to building consensus

Create an open GIS Task Force

Broad Representation

- welcome anyone who wants to participate

Identify “key” individuals you need as members

Seek members from beyond your own organization

Include “top dogs” and “low man on the totem pole”

Perception is reality

Goal of the Task Force Become equally educated Everyone gets the same information. Become advocates Everyone starts to take ownership of the project Build consensus Everyone agrees in the direction of the project = Enterprise-wide success !

Become equally educated

Everyone gets the same information.

Become advocates

Everyone starts to take ownership of the project

Build consensus

Everyone agrees in the direction of the project

=

Enterprise-wide success !

2. Appoint an effective leader Individual must be non-threatening Preferably not an elected official Ability to focus discussion Must be able to involve everyone in reaching consensus Comfortable speaking in public Ability to build support 10 steps to building consensus

2. Appoint an effective leader

Individual must be non-threatening

Preferably not an elected official

Ability to focus discussion

Must be able to involve everyone in reaching consensus

Comfortable speaking in public

Ability to build support

No one of us is as smart as all of us! Leadership is everyone’s business! Leadership Situation Followers Leader

3. Complete a needs assessment Understand what each office does Understand what processes work and don’t work Identify who will use/maintain the GIS Visualize the “big picture” before you focus on details Improve service/ eliminate duplication & waste Hire a GIS consultant 10 steps to building consensus

3. Complete a needs assessment

Understand what each office does

Understand what processes work and don’t work

Identify who will use/maintain the GIS

Visualize the “big picture” before you focus on details

Improve service/ eliminate duplication & waste

Hire a GIS consultant

Needs Assessment There are three (3) types of Needs Assessments. 1.) One that is done in-house. 2.) One that is done out-of-house for free. 3.) One that is done out-of-house for a fee.

There are three (3) types of Needs Assessments.

1.) One that is done in-house.

2.) One that is done out-of-house for free.

3.) One that is done out-of-house for a fee.

Done in-house A group is formed Someone from that group will take the lead They talk to people in-house about how GIS will make their life better. Before long everyone believes their life will be better with GIS, but many don’t know why.

A group is formed

Someone from that group will take the lead

They talk to people in-house about how GIS will make their life better.

Before long everyone believes their life will be better with GIS, but many don’t know why.

Done in-house It is true that your cost many be reduced but you will not get the benefit of the experience that a qualified GIS consultant will bring. Sometimes a new voice will be heard where an old voice may not.

It is true that your cost many be reduced but you will not get the benefit of the experience that a qualified GIS consultant will bring.

Sometimes a new voice will be heard where an old voice may not.

Done out-of-house for free Have you ever heard, “ You get what you pay for” This will not get you what you need!

Have you ever heard,

“ You get what you pay for”

This will not get you what you need!

Done out-of-house for a fee GIS Consultants time cost money. GIS Cost money. If someone is going to work for free or at a reduced cost, you need to ask yourself, are they looking out for me or themselves?

GIS Consultants time cost money.

GIS Cost money.

If someone is going to work for free or at a reduced cost, you need to ask yourself, are they looking out for me or themselves?

4. Keep public officials informed Weekly/monthly updates on progress Information is knowledge Public officials hate surprises Don’t focus on how badly you need GIS….focus on what GIS can do for the organization Front porch discussion 10 steps to building consensus

4. Keep public officials informed

Weekly/monthly updates on progress

Information is knowledge

Public officials hate surprises

Don’t focus on how badly you need GIS….focus

on what GIS can do for the organization

Front porch discussion

Communication If you bring the appropriate people together in constructive ways with good information, they will create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of the organization or community. Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic Leaders Can Make a Difference David D. Chrislip and Carl Larson, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Sept 1994.

If you bring the appropriate people together in constructive ways with good information, they will create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of the organization or community.

Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic Leaders Can Make a Difference David D. Chrislip and Carl Larson, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Sept 1994.

5. Communicate & Cooperate Learn what each office is doing Offer assistance Share information and resources Focus on projects that benefit many Investigate how you can help another office 10 steps to building consensus

5. Communicate & Cooperate

Learn what each office is doing

Offer assistance

Share information and resources

Focus on projects that benefit many

Investigate how you can help another office

6. Be Persistent Maintain focus Don’t put GIS on the “back-burner” Build interest and excitement Keep everyone informed Talk GIS at every opportunity 10 steps to building consensus

6. Be Persistent

Maintain focus

Don’t put GIS on the “back-burner”

Build interest and excitement

Keep everyone informed

Talk GIS at every opportunity

7. Educate Task Force members must understand GIS An informed member is a preacher Demonstrate what GIS is, and what it does Get the public excited about what GIS can do, and how it can help them 10 steps to building consensus

7. Educate

Task Force members must understand GIS

An informed member is a preacher

Demonstrate what GIS is, and what it does

Get the public excited about what GIS can do, and

how it can help them

Consensus Building The group will then begin working away from the table! Assemble a GIS Task Force. Working at the table we will exchange ideas. The members will bring different skills to the table

8. Go on field trips Learn from others Builds rapport amongst members Indicates the Task Force does not know it all Willingness to learn a better way Helps the Task Force think outside the box 10 steps to building consensus

8. Go on field trips

Learn from others

Builds rapport amongst members

Indicates the Task Force does not know it all

Willingness to learn a better way

Helps the Task Force think outside the box

9. Focus on service to the public Public officials want to serve the “public” Provide value to the constituency If it can help local businesses, they will talk Ensure GIS is available to the public 10 steps to building consensus

9. Focus on service to the public

Public officials want to serve the “public”

Provide value to the constituency

If it can help local businesses, they will talk

Ensure GIS is available to the public

10. Have a plan of action Complete a defined, well-written plan Know what you want, how to get it, and what it will cost Know how it will improve government services, help the public, and lower the cost of government Realize a quick win 10 steps to building consensus

10. Have a plan of action

Complete a defined, well-written plan

Know what you want, how to get it, and what

it will cost

Know how it will improve government services,

help the public, and lower the cost of government

Realize a quick win

Fund your GIS through the use of Grants

Fund your GIS through grants Huntington County 56 % of costs paid for by grants

Fund your GIS through grants Tip 1: Have the following documents completed before you apply: Needs assessment Cost/benefit analysis Plan of action Development and maintenance budget List of Task Force participants List of projected users Project timeline Clear project scope & budget Partnership letters/ agreements

Tip 1: Have the following documents completed before you apply:

Needs assessment

Cost/benefit analysis

Plan of action

Development and maintenance budget

List of Task Force participants

List of projected users

Project timeline

Clear project scope & budget

Partnership letters/ agreements

Fund your GIS through grants Tip 2: Use an experienced grant writer: Procedures and processes are important Key words and phrases for every grant application Professionally prepared and submitted Follow-through is critical Do not reinvent the wheel each time If awarded grant, need grant administrator

Tip 2: Use an experienced grant writer:

Procedures and processes are important

Key words and phrases for every grant application

Professionally prepared and submitted

Follow-through is critical

Do not reinvent the wheel each time

If awarded grant, need grant administrator

Fund your GIS through grants Tip 3: Know the organization to whom you are applying: Get on a first-name basis with someone at the organization Learn what they are trying to accomplish by awarding a grant Ask questions, but do not become a nuisance Review previous grants awarded by the organization Talk with previous recipients of the grant

Tip 3: Know the organization to whom you are applying:

Get on a first-name basis with someone at the organization

Learn what they are trying to accomplish by awarding

a grant

Ask questions, but do not become a nuisance

Review previous grants awarded by the organization

Talk with previous recipients of the grant

Fund your GIS through grants Tip 4: Utilize political contacts: If applying for state/federal grants, utilize your US/State representatives & senators If applying for local grants, utilize your local officials and influential leaders and citizens If you can show GIS will benefit their constituency, they will help you

Tip 4: Utilize political contacts:

If applying for state/federal grants, utilize your

US/State representatives & senators

If applying for local grants, utilize your local officials

and influential leaders and citizens

If you can show GIS will benefit their constituency,

they will help you

Fund your GIS through grants Tip 5: Apply for State and National GIS awards Tip 6: Just because a grant is available does not mean you should apply Tip 7: Opportunities abound in your own neighborhood Tip 8: Partnerships sell Tip 9: When you receive a grant, let the public officials know Tip 10: Try not to “sell” your GIS……give it away Tip 11: Have cash available for grant matches Tip 12: Be prepared for change

Successfully deliver your GIS via the Internet

The more people that see, the better the GIS Some grants will require public access to the GIS, so plan for it from the beginning GIS is easier to sell if it can be used by anyone Almost every piece of information that is put in to a Municipal GIS is public information A GIS developed for exclusive use by a municipal organization is a hard sell

Some grants will require public access to the GIS, so plan

for it from the beginning

GIS is easier to sell if it can be used by anyone

Almost every piece of information that is put in to a

Municipal GIS is public information

A GIS developed for exclusive use by a municipal

organization is a hard sell

http:// gis.huntington.in.us /