1. Geography 413/613 Lecturer: John Masich jamasich@gmail.com
Advanced GIS
Geography 413/613
Lecturer: John Masich

2. Introduction I am John Masich
15 years GIS experience as a technician, analyst and manager.
GIS/Remote Sensing Manager at Kim Forest Management (KFM).
Teaching GIS in the Continuing Studies Department for the past 2 years.
Current focus on developing a GIS for KFM and working on a variety of Lidar projects.

3. Class Information Lectures – Monday 12:30 – 1:20 Room 5-159
I have no set office hours, but can set up a time with and .

4. Overview
This class is a project oriented class. The lectures will build on the concepts that were introduced in Geography 300.
A key focus will be on GIS project management (not covered in Geog. 300)
3 guest lecturers who will discuss GIS/Geo-spatial from an industry, government and consulting perspective.

5. Overview
Some lectures will be accentuated with readings and ESRI web-based modules.
The final exam (20%)will be based on lecture material and the supplemental readings and web modules.
Although this course is ESRI product focussed, the use of other software is encouraged

6. Review of course syllabus (there will be some additions once guest lecturers have their topics ready)
Previous projects
questions

7. GIS Project Management

8. My Assumptions on why you are taking the class
“GIS is a necessary evil, but understanding it will give me a leg-up when searching for a job or doing research”
“GIS is very cool. I can’t get enough of it and think it will solve the world’s problems (and it will give me a leg up searching for a job…).”
“I registered late and this was all that was left.”

9. Where does advanced GIS lead ...
If you have some level of GIS skill chances are there will be an expectation of some level of GIS Project management.
This is not always the case ...

10. Project Planning Lets start with the stats from a business perspective
85% of GIS projects fail to some degree*
87% go more than 50% over budget
45% don’t produce the expected benefits
90% go over schedule
*source KPMG Accounting

11. “Failing to plan is planning to fail” (Sir Winston Churchill)

12. Why GIS Projects fail Poor Scope Schedule No quality Standards
No systems integration
No executive sponsorship
No staff training
Failure to mange risk
Unrealistic cost estimates
No Internal marketing
Planned obsolescence
Not all of these will apply to you

13. $ The excuses No time Costs too much Not important Too busy
I need to start now
Costs for Planning
Costs for Correction $ $
Before Project Starts
After Project Starts

14. The Project Plan Your Roadmap tells you; Where you are going
How you are going to get there
Who and What you have to work with
When you are done.

15. A Living Document
Your project plan is a living document that changes as situations change.
Share your plan with all stakeholders (Instructors, Lab Asst., other students).
Designed to keep you on course.

16. Components of the Project Plan
Project Definition
Project Description
Who, how, when where
Procedures
Cost/time estimates
Project Deliverables
Management Plans
Policies
What and Why
Control documents
Quality Assurance
Resource management

17. Level of Detail Proportionate to the project complexity.
All sections will need some level of breakdown, but detail may vary.
Re-use the good stuff.

18. The 5 steps to Designing a GIS Project
Careful design at the beginning of a project will help you avoid hours of unnecessary work and redundant tasks. There are five basic steps to carrying out a GIS project:
Research Question and Project goals
Methodology
Data
Analysis
Presentation

19. Research Question and Project goals
What is the purpose of the project
What is your research question
Spatial extent and scale/resolution
What type of spatial data do you need
What are the sources of the data
What are the appropriate types of data to answer questions

20. Methodology
Create a logical flow that charts the steps that will result in successful analysis.
What type of analysis (this will depend on data being used)
Overlays
Raster Algebra
Procedure for dealing with data management (projections, attribute definitions)

21. Data Inventory data requirements and sources of information.
Is the data already in digital format?
Will the data need to be collected
If so allocate appropriate time

22. Analysis and accuracy assessment
Once started, project may need to be revised (the Living Document...)
Evaluate the accuracy and validity of your final product
Document analysis results

23. The Analysis process

24. Presentation
Format
May already be defined
Who is the audience