OSU Cooperative Extension Service
McCurtain County Pilot Project
User Needs and Requirement Considerations
for GIS Capability Applications Development
December 01, 2009
Introduction
Part of the first phase of this project includes tasks that help the user participants in this
pilot project to develop for each user and his user organization the general and specific
user application needs/requirements desired to enable the user and his organization to use
GIS application capabilities for some of their chartered functions such as informational
analysis and management.
Earlier Project Demonstrations
A variety application capabilities were demonstrated to various Users in the earlier
project this year including:
-Integration, combination, and overlaying thematic mapping data to relate any data with
a spatial component, regardless of the source of the data.
-Mapping where things are. Finding places that have the features you're looking for,
and to see where to take action.
-Finding features—People use maps to see where or what an individual feature is.
-Finding patterns—Looking at the distribution of features on the map instead of just an
individual feature, you can see patterns emerge.
-Mapping quantities, like where the most and least are, to find places that meet their
criteria and take action, or to see the relationships between places. This gives an
additional level of information beyond simply mapping the locations of features.
-Density mapping lets you measure the number of features using a uniform area unit,
such as acres or square miles, so you can clearly see the distribution. Mapping density
is especially useful when mapping areas, such as census tracts or counties, which vary
greatly in size. On maps showing the number of people per census tract, the larger
tracts might have more people than smaller ones.
-Monitor what's happening and to take specific action by mapping what's inside a
specific area.
-Find out what's occurring within a set distance of a feature by mapping what's nearby.
-Map the change in an area to anticipate future conditions, decide on a course of action,
or to evaluate the results of an action or policy.
-Site Selection and location based on multiple parameters and criteria.
-Finding various groupings, concentrations, relationships, general shapes, densities,
patterns etc. of land allotments and related to various parameters and criteria.
-Demonstrating GPS generated mapping such as trails, roads, county and city assets, etc.
This type of demonstrated capability did assist some the earlier project Users to associate
and relate to their own information management problems and assisted them in defining
their needs and requirements to better perform information analysis functions using this
GIS capability within their organizations. These Users actually participated defining
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specific application queries. This newly formed OSU pilot project will continue in part
to use this method to assist Users in the User needs and requirements definition.
Possible Applications and Application Queries
Some of the earlier project Users participated in review of possible application queries as
presented by the project. These were submitted by the earlier project to stimulate
discussion and to introduce to the Users to possible useful applications.
The following application queries below are submitted and listed by County organizations
and hopefully will introduce to all the Users of this Pilot Project the possible beneficial
applications used by experienced GIS Users in other counties. From this listing the Users
from their respective organizations can select one more queries to assist them in developing
their own needs for this Pilot Project demonstration. For the purpose of this Pilot Project
Not all queries listed can be developed during this project because of limited funding and
support resources. However the User should strive to define any of these application
requirements based on his or her knowledge base regarding GIS and Information
Technology. This may vary substantially. For the most part the Pilot Project proposes to
begin with training and application activities that are in nature less complex and easier
accomplish by the participants and eventually the User can grow to more advanced
applications after The Pilot Project is completed.
Emergency Management
-Address pin-maps of all citizens
-Finding and mapping all categories land use, geographic features, properties,
transportation, utilities, flood plains etc
-Zooming in on all features and properties with latest aerial photo
-Showing all tax parcel information; showing selected property ownership distributions
-Showing adjacent properties to selected features
-Showing property boundaries, districts, precincts etc
-Showing all related natural resources, census, economic info for designated areas
-Providing information to enhance decision-making associated with emergency planning,
response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
-GIS can provide regular maps of the local community and of areas of special interest to
emergency management.
-GIS can conduct spatial queries and display the results. such queries could include: what
residents are within a 100 year flood zone; which schools or nursing homes are within
300 yards of a rail line or major state highway; or how may people live within a 100 year
flood zone.
-Conduct complex spatial analyses such as the area, residents, and businesses that would
be vulnerable from a chemical release from a fixed facility or an intersection.
Tax Collector
-Finding and mapping delinquent tax properties
-Zooming in on property with latest aerial photos
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Showing adjacent properties
-Showing property boundaries
-Showing all related natural resources info.
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Tax Assessor
-Finding and mapping all categories of properties
-Zooming in on property with latest aerial photo
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Assist in tax parcel mapping
-Showing selected property ownership distributions
-Showing adjacent properties
-Showing property boundaries
-Showing all related natural resources info for properties
County Commissioners
-Using GPS to update existing asset data bases and maps such as related road and
infrastructure assets
-Finding, mapping, updating, tracking all roads by precinct etc.
-Tracking road surface types
-Zooming in on property and areas with latest aerial photo
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Showing selected property ownership distributions
-Showing adjacent properties
-Showing property boundaries
-Showing all related natural resources info for controlled areas and all properties
-All types of demographic analysis
-Bond election demographics
-Site planning analysis
Mayors and City Managers
-Using GPS to update existing asset data bases and maps such fire hydrants, manhole
covers, sewer lines, etc
-Finding and mapping all categories of properties
-Zooming in on property and areas with latest aerial photography
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Showing selected property ownership distributions showing adjacent properties
-Showing all related Natural Resources info for their Cities and all properties
-All types of demographic analysis
-Bond election demographics
-Site planning analysis
Idabel Industrial Authority
-Finding and mapping all categories of properties
-Zooming in on property with latest aerial photography
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Showing selected property ownership distributions
-Showing adjacent properties
-Showing property boundaries
-Showing all related Natural Resources info for properties
-All types of demographic analysis
-Bond election demographics
-Site planning analysis
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School Districts
--Address pin maps of all students
--Create and print maps at any scale of the district including streets and a variety of other
layers
-Generate and maintain school attendance boundary maps
-Upload student data files for address-matching creating computer "pin-maps" of student
locations
-Visualize patterns on a map and color-code your student population based upon Userdefined database queries
-Perform attendance boundary planning scenarios with the school site online redistricting
tools
-Access community demographic reports for any area within your school district which
include current year estimates and five year forecasts of population by age, socioeconomics and housing data
-Bond election demographic analysis
-Excellent teaching tool for geography and participation from Students.
Law Enforcement
-Pin-mapping of crime scenes
-Pin -mapping of identified sex offenders
-Pin-mapping of identified felons
-Address-matching creating computer "pin -maps" of County and City Citizens
-Patrol briefing maps
-Finding, mapping, updating, tracking all roads by District and Precinct
-Finding and zooming in on property and areas with latest aerial photography
-Providing information to enhance decision-making associated with police and
emergency planning, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
-Conduct spatial queries and display the results. Such queries could include: what
residents are within a 100 year flood zone; which schools or nursing homes are
within 300 yards of a rail line or major state highway; or how may people live within
a 100 year flood zone.
-Conduct complex spatial analyses such as the area, residents, and businesses that
would be vulnerable from a chemical release from a fixed facility or an intersection.
-Provide regular maps of the local community and of areas of special interest to
police and emergency management.
Fire and Emergency
-Address pin-maps of all citizens using GPS
-Using GPS to update existing asset data bases and maps such as related road and
infrastructure assets
-Finding, mapping, updating, tracking all roads by precinct etc.
-Tracking road surface types
-Zooming in on property and areas with latest aerial photo
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Showing selected property ownership distributions
-Showing adjacent properties
-Showing property boundaries
-Showing all related natural resources info for controlled areas and all properties
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Water and Utility Services
-Address pin-maps of all citizens using GPS
-Using GPS to update existing asset data bases and maps such as utility meters, fire
hydrants, manhole covers, sewer lines, power lines, water lines etc
-Finding, mapping, updating, tracking all roads by precinct etc.
-Tracking road surface types
-Finding and mapping all categories of properties
-Zooming in on property and areas with latest aerial photography
-Showing all tax parcel information
-Showing selected property ownership distributions showing adjacent properties
-Showing all related Natural Resources info for their service population and all properties
Task Activities for Defining User Needs and Requirements
The tasks outlined below are user needs and requirement tasks found in the previously
submitted “OSU Users Development Plan” date August 26. These tasks are designed to
assist the user to define and develop his or her user needs and requirements through a
stepped process. This process incorporates: 1.) Training & orientation so that any user
can be acquainted with the GIS capability and have sufficient understanding to properly
define ones requirements; reviewing current application and application queries practices
already demonstrated in the earlier project for selected Users in McCurtain County; 2.)
Reviewing current application and application queries practices already in use by other
counties outside McCurtain County; 3.) Reviewing the list of possible applications given
above to analyze and determine those queries/applications that possibly apply to your
information management/analysis needs; 4.) Reviewing and analyzing the chartered
functions and information analysis needs within each Users functional organization to
determine those information analytical needs that can possibly use the GIS capability to
better perform the analytical function and provide the needed information; 5.) Reviewing
and analyzing the specific data needed (such as tax parcel info, census data, aerial
photos, census data etc.) for the information management/analysis within each Users
functional organization to determine what data should be incorporated into OSU GIS
database to better perform the analytical function and provide the needed information;
6.) Reviewing and analyzing this specific data as applied to the information
management and analysis to determine the level, accuracy, and specific locations of data
needed for the OSU GIS database; 7.) Reviewing and analysis of basic GIS systems and
software capability to determine the type of systems and software capabilities needed by
each user to perform his or her analytical functions.
If each user can perform and step through these 7 activities and the listed tasks
descriptions below, the pilot project can proceed with demonstrations for specific
applications and application queries need by each user.
User Needs and Requirements Tasks
These tasks are stated according to the “OSU Users Development Plan” dated
August 26. Each of these tasks in the following treatment will be discussed with
hopefully in sufficient detail that each individual user can successfully define his or
her user needs and information requirements and can continue through the pilot
project participating in the development, demonstration and evaluation of operational
applications applied to their respective organizations.
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Task 1. Each member will obtain and conduct the needed general orientation training
to define user needs and requirements for using defined GIS systems
Some of the Users already have sufficient background to start their process steps to generate
Their own user needs and requirements. Some of the Users have had a brief introduction to
GIS orientation at our last pilot project meeting held September 26. Other Users have not
received any orientation and will receive further orientation training at our next pilot project
meeting to be held January 06, 2010. At this meeting the project will assess if further
orientation training is needed and will schedule that training as a group or individually.
This general orientation early in the project development includes: the basics of overall
GIS technology, Geo-spatial referencing, Geo-spatial databases, Geo-spatial mapping,
needed equipment, available Software tools, various software applications, and general
uses of the technology; the basics of using and operating “MapWindows” software; and
the basics of operating and using “ARCGIS” software which has more capability
specifications than “MapWindows”. This orientation training is definitely needed for the
identification and development of each members User needs and data requirements.
Task 2. Each Users Group member will coordinate with his home organization to
define and establish a comprehensive set of User needs and define the type of
application that a GIS capability can possibly assist the organization to better perform
information analysis functions.
Each Users Group member will coordinate with his home organization to define and
establish a comprehensive set of User needs and define the type of application that a GIS
capability can possibly assist the organization to better perform information analysis
functions. To begin, each user must review, assess and list the various information
management elements within his or her organization and take each element and identify the
information analysis required within this information management process. Identify the
types and level of information and/or data required for the information analysis in the
management information process. From the data, identify those types of information and
data that can be spatially represented on a map. Remember, that almost all data has some
type of relationship to other data that can be spatially represented. For example, tax
information can be related to land/tax parcels which can be mapped.
The previous application queries above were submitted and listed by County
organizations and hopefully will introduce to all the Users of this Pilot Project the
possible beneficial applications used by experienced GIS Users in other counties. We
hope that these will stimulate discussion and to introduce to the Users to possible useful
applications.
From this listing the Users from their respective organizations can select one more queries
to assist them in developing their own needs for this Pilot Project demonstration. As stated
before, for the purpose of this Pilot Project not all queries listed can be developed during
this project because of limited funding and support resources. However the User should
strive to define any of these application requirements based on his or her knowledge base
regarding GIS and Information Technology. This may vary substantially. For the most
part the Pilot Project proposes to begin with training and application activities that are in
nature less complex and easier accomplish by the participants and eventually the User can
grow to more advanced applications after The Pilot Project is completed.
Task 3. Review the previous application queries for the GIS, as developed by the
earlier project conducted this year and determine its usefulness for further
demonstration including needed enhancement if needed.
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A variety application capabilities were demonstrated to some Users in the earlier project this
year. Various application queries and applications were demonstrated to these Users and in
for our training session coming January 6 (our next group meeting) these queries and
applications will be demonstrated to the entire group including those Users not having
participated in the earlier project. Those having participated in the earlier project by defining
these applications and seeing the results of these applications can re-evaluate these and
incorporate new data enhancements and requirements. The newly onboard Users can benefit
from this process to begin to define their own queries and applications and assist in their
preparations for their user needs and data requirements. These applications/queries will
be incorporated with the January 06 training session along with newly demonstrated
capabilities. Hopefully the earlier Users can assist the new Users and the new users
should not hesitate to ask for help.
Task 4. Review User data requirements and application data from the previously
developed geo-data-base and determine its usefulness to be used in your defined
application queries and define any new data that will be required for GIS capability
demonstration and analysis.
The newly developed OSU Extension Service McCurtain County database has many layers
of geo-spatial data that was originated by the earlier project. Each of the original Users
having already defined data for the database now can update their application database on
further assessment of their applications and enhancements. As the new users define their
new applications/queries, they must assess the already existing database and it layers of data
information and add any new data that they need to incorporate into the database. This can
be coordinated with OSU database Manager/Al Tongco and he can assist you in your data
changes and inputs.
Task 5. Each member will coordinate with project staff to define GIS capability
requirements for the system equipment and software needed to conduct their defined
applications for the Pilot Project. This will include the type of central geo-data-base
system interface and the User software application stations such ARCGIS 9.3, ARC
Explorer, and “MapWindows” that the member may require.
After orientation training and demonstration and after the completion of the Users
assessment and selection of the listed possible applications/queries or any new queries
not listed, each User will directly coordinate with the OSU project staff to assess and
determine the type of central geo-data-base system interface and the User software
application stations such ARCGIS 9.3 and/or “MapWindows” that the User member may
require.
To summarize each user will be expected to participate in the orientation training so
that he or she can begin to assess their organizational informational management
needs and assess the data needed to perform the information analysis. He or she will
be expected to identify the types and level of information and/or data and identify those
types of information and data that can be spatially represented on a map. Further, each
User will be expected to assess and select those application/queries from the OSU
provided list of application/queries (listed above) and or develop another that may not
be provided. Based on the these selected applications the User will assess and determine
the specific geo-spatial data for incorporation in the OSU database and base on the
complexity of the application, determine the type of GIS capability and software to
perform these application/queries..
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Each User member is expected to document his assessments and definition of his
organization’s user needs and requirements.. The OSU project staff will be available
To assist not only with the documentation but with any of the task activities.
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