This presentation analyzes 6 years of detailed GIS-based web mapping application user statistics within 35 King County (WA) departments and offices. It also compares King County web mapping application usage growth compared to other municipal jurisdictions accross the US.

1. Tracking the Elusive Anonymous
GIS User in King County
King County GIS Center Greg Babinski, GISP
King County,
Washington
Microsoft
Boeing
Paccar
Nordstrom's
Population (2006 USCB est.): 1,826,000 (14th most
populous US county) Amazon
Area: 2130 square miles (sea level to 8,000’) Starbucks
39 incorporated cities Port of Seattle
Viable agricultural and private forestry areas Weyerhaeuser
Remote wilderness & watershed lands Washington Mutual
Univ. of Washington
1

2. Why Do Agencies Develop Web Mapping
Applications?
Low-cost basic GIS capability
Alternate to expensive desktop GIS software
Provides GIS capability to the public
Low cost enhanced service for citizens
Reduces phone calls or visits for basic public services
Others?
Web Mapping Application Statistics
Extensive Published Statistics
Specialized Web Application Performance Analysis
Specialized Web Map Data Usage Analysis
Simple High Level Usage Statistics:
Internal (agency) usage
External (public) usage
User sessions
Length of sessions
Hits or page views per session
Total unique users
Correlate internal I/P address ranges with specific users
2

3. Web Mapping Research Objectives
What is the potential for web mapping application usage
within jurisdictions?
How can we know if external use of our applications has
reached ‘market saturation’?
Does our ‘market-population’ adjusted usage differ from other
jurisdictions, and if so, why?
What does our internal web mapping application usage tell us
about our anonymous GIS users?
KCGIS Center Web Mapping Applications
ParcelViewer
CensusViewer
iMap
http://www.metrokc.gov/gis/mapportal/index.htm
3

4. King County iMap
KCGIS Web Mapping Application User Statistics:
2002-Present
Total User Sessions
Total Map Page Hits
Internal Sessions & Hits
Public (External) Sessions & Hits
Average Length of User Session
4

5. KCGIS Web Mapping Application User Statistics:
2002-Present
KCGIS Web Mapping Application User
Statistics: 2002-Present
5

6. External Web Mapping Usage Survey
Mid-2007 survey with 10 questions
Sent to 88 jurisdictions with public web mapping applications
Seven (7) cities in Washington State
Five (5) cities outside Washington State
30 counties in Washington State
39 counties outside Washington State
One (1) regional agency in Washington State
Six (6) regional agencies outside Washington State
External Web Mapping Usage Survey
Initial 2007 survey response disappointing
15 completed surveys returned (17%) and only eight (8)
track usage statistics:
Four (4) counties in Washington
Three (3) counties outside Washington
One (1) regional agency outside Washington
Only five (5) agencies reported multi-year statistics
Three (3) agencies reported single-year statistics
6

7. External Web Mapping Usage Survey: Findings
External Web Mapping Usage Survey: Findings
7

8. External Web Mapping Usage Survey: Findings
KCGIS Web Mapping Application
Internal User Statistics
County IT Division Correlates I/P Address Ranges with County
Business Units
Used to Allocate Web Mapping Application Costs to Business
Units (Babinski, 2005)
34 Work Units Identified
Individual Users can be Identified
8

9. KCGIS Web Mapping Application
Internal User Statistics
KCGIS Web Mapping Application
Internal User Statistics
9

10. Thinking About the Anonymous
GIS Web Mapping User
Financial and business support for GIS
Management curiosity about GIS usage
Stealth GIS Needs Assessment
Educational tool
Who are those guys?
Thinking About the Anonymous
GIS Web Mapping User
King County’s Original 1992 GIS Strategic Plan:
Detailed survey of all county departments
Detailed compilation of 125 recommended GIS applications
1993-1998 KCGIS implementation at reduced level
2003 report analyzed results of KCGIS implementation:
Only 12% of the original 125 applications were actually
developed by the original KCGIS implementation
2003 KCGIS iMap fully operational as a key enterprise service
10

11. Thinking
About the
Anonymous
GIS Web
Mapping
User:
Usage
Intensity
Thinking
About the
Anonymous
GIS Web
Mapping
User:
Usage
Ranking
11

12. References
King County GIS Center Maps (2007) [Online] King County GIS Center.
Available from:
http://www.metrokc.gov/gis/mapportal/. [Accessed 3 December
2007]
Babinski: “Defining the Cost and Determining the Value of Enterprise
GIS” URISA Annual Conference Proceedings, 2005.
Babinski: “2002 KCGIS O&M Issue Statement #4: Status of Original GIS
Capital Project Work” King County GIS Center, 2003
Questions and Follow-up Research Discussion
Questions?
Suggestions?
Research Directions?
Greg Babinski, GISP
Finance & Marketing Manager
King County GIS Center
201 South Jackson Street, Suite 706
Seattle, WA 98104
206-263-3753
greg.babinski@kingcounty.gov
www.kingcounty.gov/gis
12