Version 2.4
2008-01-31
The authors are Joy Paulus formerly at the Washington State Resource and Conservation Office and now at
Washington Department of Information Services and Stewart Toshach from National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The proposal was approved by the NED
Steering Committee for submittal to the Executive Summit Co-Chairs.
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1
This proposal is in response to Task 4 of the October 2, 2007 Executive Summit
“ Sharing Information to Improve Decisions ”. Task 4 is a task to glue tasks 1-3 together and relate them to other information efforts.
Resource managers, policy makers, scientists, and many others in the Pacific
Northwest would like to improve their ability to use data for making decisions about salmon recovery, aquatic resources and watershed management. This requires improved means to find, access, and integrate high quality data on fisheries, aquatic and upland habitat, developments and impacts, and water quality. Currently, these data are collected and managed across a diverse array of agencies and organizations, with different objectives, funding, and data management and formatting approaches. Data discovery, sharing, and use are frustrating, inefficient, and expensive.
In order to accelerate progress we need an information management framework for this region. Building and sharing our existing information resources together through a framework is affordable and practical. We can make this happen with your support and the support and participation of your Information Technology
(IT) Services staff. Note that a framework can be applied at any content and geographic scale.
This document provides the background, concept and components that would be included in an information framework, provides a model process to guide framework development and explains why it’s a cost effective and efficient endeavor. The problems that a framework would address are also stated and considered.
Finally, it identifies needed executive actions. Including:
1.
Commitment to work with others in partnership and agreement
2.
Scoping – to estimate resources, costs for the effort
3.
Establishment of a workgroup to develop the framework and needed actions
4.
Plan approval and deployment
5.
Evaluation
1 Let the Data Flow , Ferguson, Mike, Intelligent Enterprise, March 2006
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On October 2nd 2007 about 40 executives met at an Executive Summit concerned with Sharing Information for Improved Decisions . They agreed to advance work on four tasks:
1. Develop a vision statement,
2. Describe a pilot project for salmon population status and trends data,
3. Outline an approach for assessing watershed and ecosystem health, and,
4. Explore means to organize existing data through various management and technology approaches.
A vision statement for task 1) above has been developed:
This proposal is in response to task 4) above and the vision statement.
In the Pacific Northwest we need to improve our ability to discover and share data for fishery, habitat, aquatic habitat and upland environments. Many different groups collect and manage data of interest to a wider audience; however they mostly do it using different formats and methods. This has made data discovery and subsequent data sharing difficult, inefficient and expensive.
For example:

Most agencies maintain some form of centralized data system;

Many agencies, tribes, and private organizations collect needed information, which is accumulated, analyzed and stored but is frequently inaccessible or incomprehensible to anyone else;

Some agencies have worked collaboratively to establish mechanisms that facilitate data exchanges (e.g., the EPA Exchange Network);

Efforts continue, however they are piecemeal; and,

Most efforts to date have not been able to address the significant challenges of integration of data from numerous, diverse sources.
Two task areas (fish populations and watershed/ecosystem health) identified by the Executives provide a content (or subject area focus) for a framework. The following steps identify good ideas including approaches have worked in practice, and organize them for discussion at the next Executive Summit.
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Framework efforts work because they help managers find and use information from their own and other agencies and organizations.
An information framework is a prescription for a shared information environment that allows for:

The efficient collection of high quality information

An open-sharing and access to information, and

Allows for sound analysis and use.
It improves certainty and understanding about our information management investments.
Restore Habitat
Management Decisions and Actions
Puget Sound Ecosystem Information Framework
State Federal Tribes Local
Private
Sector NGOs
While the diagram above was developed for Puget Sound it can apply to a broader or narrower geographic region. The diagram shows that a framework effort can meet the needs of many different groups, with different goals and content interests.
Many different people, with different skills must be involved. The participants need to be:

Information/data collectors,

Data managers,

Analysts, and

Decision makers.
There also needs to be participation from different levels of government, non government organizations and the public.
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Success depends on active participation from all these groups and an executive level commitment from the joint sponsors to support the activity.
A Model Process Can Guide This Effort
The example below is one that has been embraced by the Washington State
Forum on Monitoring and Watershed Health . It’s represents a four-layer
“
Wedding Cake
” model 2 is a systematic way to identify, design and deploy an information framework.
First, “ Getting Started ”, means a necessary commitment by project sponsors to systematically address the information, data management and decision making needs with a framework approach.
Second, “ Where we are today
”. What data is currently collected and what business rules apply to that collection? What information system applications
(software) and technologies (hardware) are currently used?
Third, “ Where do we want to be
”? This includes future needed data content, business rules, applications and technology. It defines future needs in relation to future decisions that must be answered. The difference between level two and level three is commonly called gaps.
Fourth, “ Where we are today
”? or “
Where we want to be
”? This task includes defining necessary content, business rule, application and technology needs.
Level four is a plan that describes who will do what, when and where and with what resources, agreements and technology.
2 From Steven H. Spewark – Enterprise Architecture Planning. It is called the wedding cake model because a) it looks like a wedding cake and b) it is achieved (or consumed) a level (or layer) at a time.
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What You’ll Need to Be Successful
The outcomes will need to include:

A common language for information exchange, such as a data dictionary

A set of common data collection protocols or procedures

A set of shared analytical tools for compiling information

A set of web-based services that are accessible to many

An overall design structure to show what is being accomplished

A shared set of products that help reduce costs across the organizations

A shared infrastructure that reduces complexity

A set of best practices for consistency, and

A deployment plan.
Frameworks and Technology Choices
Framework efforts provide a structured way to evaluate the benefits from different technology choices. Technology works best when it is applied in the right way to a defined problem.
In general, existing system integration can be addressed in one of two ways: develop a massive centralized system or develop a linked and joined distributed system
Given the maturity of the internet and open standards there is a strong trend to develop a linked distributed system
3
.
The recent deployment of similar information networks allows the use of a basic set of web services principles:

Data are owned and managed “at the source”, not duplicated,

Users access data via standard interfaces with data exchanges - often based on a XML format,

Data producers contribute to a supported catalog (portal) for users to discover and access information, and

Institutions of any size can deploy data services.
3 http://www.nwcouncil.org/ned/meetings/2005_12/Final%20May%2025-26%20Data%20Workshop_11-30-
05.pdf
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The interconnected nature of our ecosystems demands that natural resource and environmental management information can be found and exchanged. The extent of overlapping subject areas is significant, that everything is connected to something else and nothing exists in isolation! In contrast, the existing data management world tends to have multiple institutional ‘silos’ (database systems) that are usually poorly connected.
For government agencies a critical business value
4
is to have high quality information that documents progress in meeting program goals and in demonstrating program performance to Congress and the public.
But, if you don’t know what information is in your databases you don’t know what questions you can answer.
5
Examples of Business Reasons for Investing in Information Frameworks 6

The EPA reported Return on Investment (ROI) from Exchange Network
Projects ranging from 15 to 62% with payback periods from 1.6 to 6.9 years.

The Upper Columbia Regional Technical Team identified direct cost savings of approximately $500K and improved return on existing and future investments through greater use of exiting data, a central data storage system, and common collection and quality control procedures.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Lake Survey Project saves thousands of work hours and over $216,000 annually, ensures better
 quality data, and allows easier sharing with the public.
The state of Oregon predicts staff annual savings of more than $80 million for state agencies, at least $100 million savings for city and county governments throughout the state, and actual cost savings and revenue
4 As used here “business” means accomplishing the goals and mission of the agency which are not typically measured in $ terms.
5 “Disparate data are date that are essentially not alike, or are distinctly different in kind, quality or character. They are unequal and cannot be readily integrated. They are low quality, defective, discordant, ambiguous heterogenous data. Brackett, M.H. 2000, Data Resource Quality. Addison-
Wesley
6 http://www.nwcouncil.org/ned/summit/Oct2-Summit%20Business%20Case.pdf
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enhancement (increase) of well over $80 million over a 10-year period with a fully deployed GIS utility.
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The following are examples of framework efforts that have been completed in
Pacific Northwest or other regions.

The Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Program recently completed a strategy, based on a framework approach, “A Coordinating Strategy for
Managing Fish, Wildlife, and Habitat Data Columbia River Basin
Framework” for managing program data
7
.

Pacific Northwest Water Quality Exchange http://deq12.deq.state.or.us/pnwwqx

San Francisco Bay Delta and Tributaries Project http://bdat.ca.gov/

Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems
(NANOOS) http://www.nanoos.org/
Agencies across the Pacific Northwest and the Nation seek efficient and economical access to data that is of assured quality and is relevant to their missions. A tiered and interconnected network of databases that provides ready access to “public” data can be supported by current information technology.
A specific framework that is in the planning and development phase is the
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) framework within the Federal
Columbia River Power System BiOp and the Federal Salmon Recovery Strategy.
This information management framework is outlined at: http://www.nwcouncil.org/ned/meetings/2007_02/Data%20Strategy%20Outline%
20draft%201-30-07%20no%20mark-up.doc
.
7 http://www.nwcouncil.org/ned/meetings/2007_11/Strategy%20for%20Managing%20FWP%20D ata%20-%20ver8.doc
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Important Pacific Northwest decisions challenge federal, regional, state, municipal and tribal decision makers in at least the following areas:

Land, air and water management,

The protection of threatened and endangered species,

Hazards to human and natural systems

The control of invasive species, and

The evaluation, planning and implementation of land and water uses and development.
Currently, information technology has proven its ability to locate, access, transfer and present data.
The Pacific Northwest’s natural resource and environmental management agencies and its associated inter-agency organizations, recognize the value of information technology and information exchange. Many of these agencies and organizations have committed to advance the exchange of environmental information across the region.
Business Impacts and Benefits 8 to Information Exchange
Save Money/ Avoid Costs
Save Time
Increase Efficiency
Increase Accuracy
Increase Productivity
Support Decision-making
Manage Resources
Increase Communication and Collaboration
Automate and Improve Work Flow
Expand and Enhance Information Bases
Improve Public Access to Government
Establish Enterprise-level Leverage
Assessments and plans have been completed that address the need for and value of an enterprise-level environmental information network of distributed, interconnected database networks. These need to be ‘dusted off’, reviewed by executive, scoped and implemented.
8 Measuring Up, the Business Case for GIS, by Christopher Thomas and Milton Ospina, 2004,
ESRI Press, Redlands.
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Information technology is here to stay, there is no road back.
The agencies and organizations of the region, the nation and the world are actively engaged in expanding their networks of data exchange at different scales: project, program and enterprise.
Disciplined focus on priority content and cross content efforts all stand to benefit most from advancements in data standards, information technology systems and professional networks. With Executive commitment progress in these areas can be fast and economical and are likely to provide the biggest return on investment.
Step 1: Before moving forward, put in place a formal agreement to support the effort. Cost share, responsibilities and time lines all need to be identified.
The prospect of success is high when roles and responsibilities are clearly identified. All organizations that are a part of the information effort need to be partners in a cooperative agreement.
It is essential to target a defined group of decision makers and their specific information needs.
Step 2: Executives and other decision makers must describe and prioritize their management, scientific or other questions.
If we don’t know the questions then we don’t know if we are collecting the right data and what the information system must do!
Step 3: “Where are we now?” Describe the data that is being collected and the business rules that apply to it. Describe the software and hardware being used.
Each step is critical. Get participants to document their existing systems, data dictionaries, standards and protocols. If they can’t do this then you can’t move forward with confidence of success.
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Step 4: “Where do we want to be?” Identify the data content, business rules, applications and technology you need to answer the questions.
If we don’t know our destination any success will be accidental.
Step 5: Identify needed plans, actions, and cost share to get to where you want to be and approve a plan of action.
Technology application can be risky . Upfront planning significantly reduces project risks and costs and accelerates delivery. Deliverables must be clearly documented.
Step 6: Review the framework effort. Periodically, identify strengths and weaknesses, identify new needs and fine tune the framework.
A solid, well founded framework can support many future technology changes.
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Executive actions needed to succeed in efforts to consolidate and share information.
Steps Needing Executive Actions
1) Commitment to work with others in partnership with agreements
2) Scoping – to estimate resources, costs for the effort
3) Establishment of a workgroup to develop the framework and needed actions.
4) Plan approval and deployment.
5) Evaluation
Specific Products or Tools Needed to be Successful

Standard data collection protocols

Regional data dictionary

Information Exchange Portal components

Information Exchange Network components

Plan, with budget responsibilities and defined deliverables
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