Successful GIS operation requires access to detailed technical knowledge in a wide variety of subjects. Many small and medium sized GIS operations struggle, and some fail, because of a lack of appropriate technical knowledge. This presentation outlines how and why King County GIS utilizes a web based GIS knowledge sharing system to conduct its business openly. Open business and structured knowledge sharing can be useful to improve internal operations, enhance GIS staff knowledge and level of professionalism, and promote the success of regional GIS. Delivered at 2002 URISA Annual Conference

1. Greg Babinski
King County GIS Center
201 South Jackson Street
MS: KSC-NR-0706
Seattle WA 98104
206-263-3753
greg.babinski@metrokc.gov
GIS KNOWLEDGE SHARING:
USING THE WEB FOR OPEN BUSINESS
TO PROMOTE REGIONAL GIS SUCCESS
Abstract: Successful GIS operation requires access to detailed
technical knowledge in a wide variety of subjects. Many small and
medium sized GIS operations struggle, and some fail, because of a
lack of appropriate technical knowledge. This presentation outlines
how and why King County GIS utilizes a web based GIS knowledge
sharing system to conduct its business openly. Open business and
structured knowledge sharing can be useful to improve internal
operations, enhance GIS staff knowledge and level of
professionalism, and promote the success of regional GIS.
INTRODUCTION
The King County GIS (KCGIS) Center is a central service provider that supports
GIS staff and users in 12 county departments and many outside regional
agencies. KCGIS applies key principles to managing the services its offers to its
clients. These key principles can be viewed as ‘critical success factors’ in
gauging GIS effectiveness and efficiency. They include:
 GIS is an information system (IS) that is based on a variety of
information technology (IT) components and GIS-compatible data, plus
trained personnel to develop, maintain, support, and operate the system.
 GIS should be operated like a business, to both minimize unnecessary
cost and ensure that value is delivered with the taxpayer resources
entrusted to management.
 GIS has value only when it supports the business functions of an
organization.
 GIS is more successful when its tools are placed in the hands of end
business users.
 GIS (or any other information system) reaches its full potential when it
enables organizations to improve how they do their business.
GIS SUCCESS AND FAILURE
GIS programs in many small departments and jurisdictions struggle, and some
fail, for a variety of reasons. Most analysis of GIS program ‘success factors’
focuses on technology itself, or data development and maintenance, but access
to the knowledge needed to utilize technology effectively is just as important.

2. Greg Babinski
GIS Knowledge Sharing
2002 URISA Conference: October 29, 2002
Page 2 of 6
DATA SHARING
Local GIS data sharing is a common practice in many regions. Agencies that
share common geography, such as counties and the cities, towns, utilities, and
districts within their borders, can benefit by sharing base data layers such as:
 Cadastral
 Roads
 Streams
 Topography
 Political Boundaries
The primary benefit of regional data sharing is that agencies avoid duplicating
costs to develop and maintain base data. The costs avoided by sharing data can
be applied to agency specific data and applications. For example, a water utility
can utilize the shared cadastral and road data as a base on which to depict its
agency specific pipeline, meter, and valve data. Likewise, a fire district can
utilize the shared roads data for an application to derive optimal routing for
emergency equipment to each appropriate site within its jurisdiction.
A secondary benefit of regional data sharing is the adoption of standard base
data layers. This standardization promotes additional future data sharing by
enabling agency-specific layers developed by multiple jurisdictions to be utilized
by each other for unanticipated new business applications.
Data sharing is a fairly well established practice that is perceived as a key factor
to ensure viable GIS implementation and ongoing operation and maintenance.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Data is not the only resource that can be shared regionally. Success of GIS in
county, municipal, or utility agencies requires staff competent to perform a wide
variety of technical, business, analytical, and interpersonal functions.
Competency is based on an individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)
related to performing a role to produce an output for the customers or clients of
an organization. Dozens of GIS related competencies have been identified, and
larger GIS organizations are comprised of staff who tend to specialize in the
competencies needed to perform individual roles. For example, an ‘Application
Development’ role requires computer-programming competency. A ‘Project
Management’ role requires cost benefit analysis competency. Both roles require
competency in GIS theory (Gaudet, Annulis, Carr, 2001).
The skills and abilities associated with a given competency are learned and
refined by an individual, based on their knowledge of the particular subject area.
Being knowledgeable about a given subject is not a guarantee of competency,
but it is a necessary first step to build competency.
GIS professionals often need to expand their GIS-related competency to utilize
new technology, solve a problem, or initiate a new program. Competency can

3. Greg Babinski
GIS Knowledge Sharing
2002 URISA Conference: October 29, 2002
Page 3 of 6
also be improved, by refining techniques, improving skills, or applying best
practices. Larger GIS organizations, with many staff members working in
juxtaposition, are an ideal environment to improve individual and organizational
competency. Expanded and improved competency, both for the team and for
individual team members, should be a key management goal.
However, many GIS professional and users work individually or in very small
work groups. This is true of many city and county departments. In many cases
a small rural county or suburban city may have just one GIS staff. For such
agencies, access to the appropriate knowledge to utilize GIS technology
effectively is an important success factor.
KING COUNTY GIS KNOWLEDGE SHARING
The KCGIS Center has developed a two-part Web based program to share
detailed technical knowledge with GIS professionals and users, both within
County government and in outside regional jurisdictions. The two components of
KCGIS knowledge sharing are:
 Open business
 Knowledge base
We believe this approach contributes in part to growing GIS development and
success in county departments and in regional agencies.
Open Business
KCGIS Center organizes its Web site to provide detailed information (standards,
design documentation, specifications, user data, etc.), about the specific
resources (database management system, custom front-end and back-end
applications, metadata, system components, etc.) and services it provides users.
Advantages of this approach include:
 KCGIS business is open to peer review, to promote internal best
practices.
 County GIS staff and users become more knowledgeable about the
specific technical aspects of KCGIS, and tend to be more successful and
efficient in their own applications.
 KCGIS published standards are openly available and may become
adopted by other agencies.
Key components of KCGIS use of the web to practice ‘Open Business’ include:
 Web site organized to reflect KCGIS “Lines of Business”:

4. Greg Babinski
GIS Knowledge Sharing
2002 URISA Conference: October 29, 2002
Page 4 of 6
 Frequent information about current GIS-related developments and
issues:
 Public access to KCGIS web mapping application (Map Portal iMap):
 Full GIS metadata (KCGIS Spatial Data Catalog):
 Full functional description of KCGIS Spatial Data Warehouse, including
custom back-end and front-end applications:

5. Greg Babinski
GIS Knowledge Sharing
2002 URISA Conference: October 29, 2002
Page 5 of 6
Knowledge Base
The KCGIS Web site also includes detailed information about a variety of
technical topics known as the Knowledge Base. Although managed by the KCGIS
Center, information included in the Knowledge Base comes from a variety of
sources (vendors, professional groups, users, etc.). The target audience includes
business end-users, GIS programmers, analysts, DBAs, technicians, etc., who
need additional knowledge to enhance their use of GIS.
Advantages of this approach include:
 Staff professional development
 Enhanced professional standing for contributors
 Promotes best-practices
 More effective GIS end-users
 Promotes regional adoption of standards
Key components of KCGIS use of the web to promote ‘Knowledge Sharing’
include:
 Knowledge Base organization:
 The basics:
 KCGIS Application Documentation:

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GIS Knowledge Sharing
2002 URISA Conference: October 29, 2002
Page 6 of 6
 Other KCGIS Knowledge Base Topic areas include:
 ArcView
 ArcGIS
 Remote Sensing/Aerial Imagery
 Cartography
 Miscellaneous
 Sources of KCGIS Knowledge Base Input and Data:
 User Group presentations
 Conference presentations
 Custom training material
 County GIS standards
 Application documentation
 Operations & Maintenance instructions
 Solicited from users to promote professionalism and individual
professional development
 Actively solicited from KCGIS professionals and users
CONCLUSION
GIS ‘Open Business’ and ‘Knowledge Sharing’ are concepts that can help promote
successful GIS implementation within a distributed enterprise or regional GIS.
Managers, GIS professionals, and end-users who work in a distributed enterprise
GIS environment or in an area where regional, multi-agency GIS coordination is
important, can all benefit from this open business and knowledge sharing
concept. Utilizing the web for Open Business and GIS Knowledge Sharing can
deliver value to users, beyond the normal GIS Web site focus on Internet
mapping capability, data access, or high-level program descriptions.
GIS ‘Knowledge Sharing’ is a Web application that can help promote GIS best
practices, coordination, and program success.
For more information see: www.metrokc.gov/gis/kb
REFERENCE
Gaudet, C., Annulis, H., and Carr, J., 2001. Workforce Development Models for
Geospatial Technology, Hattiesburg, MS: The University of Southern Mississippi.