This document presents a project proposal for developing a geospatial web-based community information system (CIS) to facilitate efficient social service delivery in lower local governments of Uganda. The proposal includes an introduction, literature review, related work, methodology and conclusion. The objectives are to construct a CIS spatial database, develop a user-friendly website, and integrate geospatial technologies. The methodology discusses requirements analysis, system design, implementation, testing, packaging and documentation. The conclusion is that a geospatial CIS will contribute to CIS aims by increasing availability of user-friendly community information.

1. Towards A Geospatial Web-Based
Community Information System
As An Efficient Approach for Social
Service Delivery Information in Lower
Local Government
Project Proposal Presentation
by
Justus Bernard Muhwezi
Reg. No.: 2012/HD18/252U

2. Contents of the presentation
● Introduction
● Literature review
● Related Work
● Methodology
● Conclusion
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion

3. Introduction of the study
● Introduction
● Background of the study
● Objectives
○ General objectives
○ Specific objectives
● Scope
● Statement of the problem
● Significance
● Theoretical framework
literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

4. Introduction
● project (hereafter called study)
● explore the use of available Information
Communication Technology (ICT) platforms/
environments/software/hardware applicable in
the lower local governments setting
● develop a geospatial web-based Community
Information System (geospatialCIS) to facilitate
efficient provision of community information
products and services in a user-friendly and
timely manner
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

5. Background of the study
● International Monetary Fund (2003)
recommendations to Ugandan Govt
● Poverty Eradication Action Plan (2005) findings
and action plans
● Rural Development Strategy (2005) targeting
rural areas
● National Development Plan (2010) priority areas
of implementation
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

6. Statement of the problem
● the current functionality of CIS infrastructure is
not efficient in production of community
information products and services
● long process of delivering information is not
timely and user-friendly
● the return-on-investment in information has not
been harnessed in favor of rural community
planning and decision making, since CIS was
initiated in 2005
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

7. General objective
● General objective of the study
○ to develop a geospatialCIS that will integrate
geospatial, web-based and database
technologies into CIS realization for improved
information update and production,
visualization, presentation, sharing,
communication, management and utilization.
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

8. Specific objectives
● Specific objectives include:
○ to construct a CIS spatial database (back-end
application)
○ to develop a user-friendly multimedia website
(front-end application)
○ to integrate geospatial technologies as a service
linked to the back-end CIS spatial DBMS and
front-end website application
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

9. Scope
● limited to the geospatialCIS design comprising of
geospatial web-based and database technologies,
adequately enabled with capability for data
management, visualization, user collaborative
tools, information production and sharing based
on one selected CIS implementing district site of
Rakai
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

10. Scope area

11. Significance
● to contribute towards improvement of efficiency
and increase in effectiveness of the CIS
establishment and development
● enhanced CIS will facilitate regular and
sustainable monitoring of government, non-
government organizations (NGOs) and other
poverty eradication initiatives among
communities for timely appropriate evidence-
based policy formulation and decision making
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | theoreticalframework|theoreticalillustration

12. Theoretical framework
● Key concepts: web site, geospatial, CIS, database,
GIS, ICTs, programming languages, scripting,
maps, web hosting, blogs, multimedia,
● system development life cycle (SDLC) method for
prototype system development
● three tier architecture model as the preferred
model for prototype design
introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance |theoreticalillustration

13. Community Information
System Process Model
People
Information
System
Business
Solution
Business
Challenges
Organization
Technology
> Develop a geospatial
web-based community
information system
strategy
> Design new products
and services
> Manage and
administer production
and services
> Consolidate & analyse CIS
preferences/requirements
> Enter & serve data/information via
web interface
> Provide information display,
visualization & exchange capabilities
> Produce intelligible maps, reports,
tables, graphs, pictures, videos,
information
> Improved efficiency in
Community Information
production
> User-friendly and timely
provision of community
services and products
> Increase in utilization and
effectiveness of the CIS for
community development
> Improved community
monitoring and evaluation of
programmes & projects
> Variability of internet connectivity
> Inadequate financial, human and physical
resources
> Low ICT literacy rate and appreciation
> Fragmented CIS data
> Collaborate with CIS
stakeholders and
partners
> Revise community
information system
production processes
> Provide manpower
and financial resources
>Procure Web hosting
site
> Use relational
database technology
> Use GIS services
platforms
> Use web technologies
to integrate the system
components
> Stabilize IT
infrastructure introduction|literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction| background | generalobjectives | specificobjectives | scope | problemstatement | significance | theoreticalframework

14. Contents of the presentation
Introduction
● Literature review
● Related Work
● Methodology
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion

15. Literature review
● Introduction
● Database technologies
● Web technologies
● Geospatial technologies
● Research assumptions
● Study questions
introduction | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | databasetechnologies | webtechnologies | geospatialtechnologies | researchassumptions | studyquestions

16. Introduction
● the right of access to information to all citizens
(Uganda Constitution 1995)
● A big percentage of population are rural
subsistence farmers who find it hard to access
information (UBOS Census report 2002)
● G2C, G2B & G2G connectivity programme through
National Backbone Infrastructure (ICT 2006)
● ICTs are a tool for poverty alleviation in
developing nations (Ssewanyana 2007)
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
databasetechnologies | webtechnologies | geospatialtechnologies | researchassumptions | studyquestions

17. Database technologies
● many secure database management systems both
under open source and off-shelf software
applications
● desired DB includes that which would enable the
integration and configuration less cumbersome to
end user and light enough to do the work
● deployable by low-cost website hosting
● allowing multi-user capability,and capable of
inputting and outputting information in user
friendly manner
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | webtechnologies | geospatialtechnologies | researchassumptions | studyquestions

18. Web technologies
● various programming language environs that are
deployable and recommended in modern dynamic
websites including PHP5, HTML5, .NET, ASP.
NET, JavaScript, AJAX, etc
● there a variety of internet service providers that
connect to the different rural areas in the country
● the different browsers accessible produce varying
results when it come to geo-info, latest being
based on Web 2.X series
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | databasetechnologies | geospatialtechnologies | researchassumptions | studyquestions

19. Geospatial technologies
● limiting factor to the utilization of geospatial
applications is due to the initial high cost of
purchase of software and set-up requirements of
speed and memory for dedicated hardware
● alternative open-source software should be tested
for accessibility and functionality and ease of
manipulation and analysis
● installation and adaptability to local lower
government computer environments
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | databasetechnologies | webtechnologies | researchassumptions | studyquestions

20. Research assumptions
● Availability of timely data collection from local
government rural communities
● Available and accessible internet connectivity at
the selected sites of the study
● Adequate financial, human and physical
resources for the study
● Information services and products will serve the
purpose of the local government community rural
development and rural initiative projects.
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | databasetechnologies | webtechnologies | geospatialtechnologies | studyquestions

21. Study questions
● Can the present CIS be enhanced to capture data in
a user-friendly, accurate and timely manner?
● Can the existing web technologies be adopted in CI
production to support development planning and
at the various levels of local government?
● Can appropriate geospatial tools be integrated into
the current CIS infrastructure to generate
intelligible and evidence-based products and
services for rural community development?
● introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | databasetechnologies | webtechnologies | geospatialtechnologies | researchassumptions

22. Contents of the presentation
Introduction
Literature review
● Related Work
● Methodology
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion

23. Related work
● Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure
GeoSearch, an enabling technology for the users
to freely search for, identify, visualize and obtain
basic geographic and demographic data for areas
in Canada (UN Report 2009)
● WB report 2010, Uganda has not embraced fully
current trends in ICTs especially open source
geospatial web-based technologies
introduction | literaturereview | methodology | conclusion

24. Contents of the presentation
Introduction
Literature review
Related Work
● Methodology
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion

25. Methodology
● Introduction
● Requirements' specification
○ Primary data
○ Secondary data
● System analysis and design
● Implementation
● Testing
● Packaging
● Documentation
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | conclusion
introduction | requirementspecs | systemanalysis | implementation | testing | packaging | documentation

26. Introduction
● Case study methodology true essence, exploration
and research method that investigates
contemporary real-life phenomenon through
detailed contextual analysis of a limited number
of events or conditions, and their relationships
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
requirementspecs | systemanalysis | systemdesign | implementation | testing | packaging | documentation

27. Requirements' specifications
● System Development Life Cycle technique to
be used
● different data gathering techniques shall be
used depending on the situation and the
respondents targeted including
questionnaires, interviews, secondary
data/information, district reports/plans,
current information systems at the district
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | systemanalysis | systemdesign | implementation | testing | packaging | documentation

28. System analysis and design
● The analysis will be based on the user and system
requirements generated from the collected data
● features of the geospatialCIS prototype will be
specified to achieve all the required system
functionality in order to fulfill the objectives
● conceptual model consisting of the database, the
user interface and the communications part
● the three components will designed separately
but with proper interfaces to ensure proper
system integration and communication
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | requirementspecs | systemdesign | implementation | testing | packaging | documentation

29. Implementation
● transforming of the developed designs into
functional system which will include development
of the database component, the algorithms, user
interfaces and geosystem integration through the
website communication component
● best practices as derived from the literature to be
further reviewed shall be used in web design,
database design and geospatial technology
integration
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | requirementspecs | systemanalysis | testing | packaging | documentation

30. Testing
● developed prototype will be tested to satisfy the
system specification and meet the user needs
● test plan will be developed and run on a given set
of test data
● Unit testing will be carried out on all the different
components of the system individually as they
were developed and then system testing as whole
● Any discovered undesirable behavior will be
debugged and tested on web hosting servers and
different browsers and window platforms
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | requirementspecs | systemanalysis | implementation | packaging | documentation

31. Packaging
● the installable pieces of the packages used and
their instructions shall be put together and
compiled for downloading and installation at the
user/clients machine.
● the server components shall be configured for the
levels of use to the guest users, authorized user
and administrator user roles, privileges and rights
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | requirementspecs | systemanalysis | implementation | testing | documentation

32. Documentation
● The entire project documentation shall be written
according to the set guidelines for project
proposal report writing in partial fulfillment of the
award of Master of Science in Information
Systems, included shall be the code for the parts
of the different components for improvement and
evaluation, together with an enclosed installable
CD attached on the inside of the back page.
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion
introduction | requirementspecs | systemanalysis| implementation | testing | packaging

33. Contents of the presentation
Introduction
Literature review
Related Work
Methodology
● Conclusion
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology | conclusion

34. Conclusion
● realization of a geospatial web-based community
information system will contribute towards CIS
aims and objectives
● increased availability of user-friendly information
to all major actors at lower local government rural
community socio-economic transformation and
development shall promote citizen access to
government geospatial data through use of free
and available ICTs.
introduction | literaturereview | relatedwork | methodology

35. Thank you