ICIT GIS Orientation Session: Documentation for Data and Procedures: A Case Study

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ICIT GIS Orientation SessionDocumentation for
Data and Procedures A Case Study

• Presented by Rick Havel
• GIS Coordinator
• Johnson County, Iowa
• January 23, 2003

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Documentation in Relation to GIS

• Metadata (Data about Data)
• meta-data is definitional data that provides
  information about or documentation of other data
  managed within an application or environment.
• Procedural
• Can be included in metadata
• More centered on how to then what

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Metadata in ArcGIS

• Complies with FGDC standards
• Federal Geographic Data Committee (www.fgdc.gov)
• Data describing data
• Directly appended to the data it describes
• Moves with data
• Certain elements are dynamically updated
• Collected in a consistent framework

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Levels Procedural Documentation(not
comprehensive)

• Task - helps users or managers complete specific
  task operations.
• Examples Adding a subdivision to the parcel
  database, QA/QC, and changing a parcel id.
• Application - helps users or managers understand
  specific application activity.
• Example Software installation, purpose of
  software, etc.
• System - documents the overall system structure
• Examples Network design, database location,
  backups, etc.

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Johnson County Map Maintenace Tracking System

• Task based documentation for parcel maintenance
• Customized using ColdFusion (web customization
  and database software) and SQL Server (Database
  Management System)
• Contains editable help documentation for managers
  and users. (ActiveEdit)
• Serves user based reports using Crystal Reports
  Enterprise Version.

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Dropdowns used as much as possible to reduce
input errors.
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Reports! Reports! Reports!
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Application and System Documentation

• Built using the same software as the Map
  Maintenance system
• Catalogs documentation for several applications,
  system operations, and procedures.

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HELP DOCUMENTATION!
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Making Help Help!

• Help System Must Be
• Easy to create/update
• Easy to access
• Consistent across applications/systems
• Searchable
• Enforced as part of the workflow

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HELP!
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ActivEdit Software
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Closing Comments

• Each organization is different.
• Some may have the ability create a system
  internally, others must outsource this type of
  development.
• Make your system easy to use and access,
  otherwise it wont get used.
• Should be universal, otherwise each group will do
  their own thing.

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Thank You!
Rick Havel GIS Coordinator Johnson County
Information Services 913 S. Dubuque St. Iowa
City, Iowa 52240 phone [phone] fax
319-354-4213 rhavel_at_co.johnson.ia.us