PowerPoint Presentation

Federal geospatial policies and platforms enabling data sharing: challenges and opportunities for the futureTodd Spangler

PSU GEOG 596ACapstone Project ProposalJune 26, 2012

Advisor: Dr. Anthony Robinson

AgendaBackground/Problem Statement

Project Objectives

Research Methods

Expected Outcomes

Project Timeline

Background/Problem StatementChallenges exist with geospatial data discovery, access, and exchange mechanisms across federal, state, and local governments

The US Government recognizes geospatial information as Nationally Significant Assets and is working to improve access to this data

Numerous policy documents and initiatives are attempting to foster more efficient use, management and production of geospatial data

Noticeable progress is being made with sharing of geospatial data but many gaps remain

Technology is changing so rapidly that Federal agencies will need to adapt in order to realize benefits and meet the needs of the nation

3Project ObjectivesThree primary objectives:

Review federal policies and initiatives to better understand how they are shaping geospatial data sharing and contributing to the evolution of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)

Compare and contrast several geospatial viewers to highlight information sharing methods and address any significant gaps or challenges

Explore how emerging technologies like cloud computing and user defined content are likely to influence future NSDI implementation and associated challenges

Policy/Initiative ReviewPolicyDateDescription/SignificanceThe 1994 Plan for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI): Building the Foundation of an Information Based Society March 1994Seeks improvements in the management and production of geospatial data and accessibility of information for the NationExecutive Order 12906 Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and Access: The National Spatial Data InfrastructureApril 1994Authorizes and coordinates the NSDICalls for agencies to develop procedures to share geospatial data with the public within one yearCircular A-16 RevisedCoordination of Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data ActivitiesAugust 2002Established the Federal Geographic Data Committee to coordinate NSDIDefines 34 data themes of nationally significant geospatial data.NSDI Future Directions Initiative: Towards a National Geospatial Strategy and Implementation PlanJune 2004Identifies The National Map and Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) as ways to facilitate data sharing for decision support systems and encouraging partnerships across organizationsCircular A-16 Supplemental GuidanceNovember 2010Introduces the National Geographic Data Asset (NGDA) Portfolio approach and depict The Cloud in CONOPSPolicy/Initiative ReviewInitiativeDateDescription/SignificanceGeospatial Line of Business: Common Solutions and Target Architecture (Redacted Version)March 2007Addresses problem of numerous geospatial efforts being conducted independentlyWeb-based services will be managed and delivered through trustworthy providers (Federal and Commercial)Suggests data produced should be encoded and exposed as WMS, WFS, GML and other OGC compliant formatsGeospatial Line of Business, Program Management Office, Concept of Operations4March 2007Recommends establishing broker service for data searching among agencies and promoting access to data servicesSee diagramModernization Roadmap for the Geospatial Platform v4 March 2011Geospatial platform will link data.gov and Geodata.gov,Leveraging cloud computing capabilitiesDraw upon other coordination efforts such as NGAC, NSGIC, Geospatial LoB, etc.Provide Infrastructure resources such as Data centers and data repositories (ie cloud

Policy/Initiative Review

Strategic NSDI concepts Geospatial LoB Concept of Operations OverviewGeospatial Platform Conceptual ModelAnalysis of Geospatial ViewersCompare and contrast several geospatial viewers to highlight information sharing methods and address any significant gaps or challenges

Identify candidate viewers to be analyzedCollect system description and purposeDevelop analytic method to compare and contrastSummarize results

Analysis of Geospatial Viewers

Candidate viewers have been identified

System descriptions have been collected

Analysis of Geospatial ViewersDetermine criteria to assess geospatial viewer capabilities for publishing and consuming data Utilize standards outlined in the Geospatial Line of Business: Common Solutions and Target Architecture Geospatial Viewers/COPSThe National MapOneview (formerly ICAV)SAVER2CORPSMAPUSACE GEARNGA PalanterraVIPEROGC compliantXXXXXXWMSX XXXXXWFSXXXXXXKMLXXXXXRESTXXXXXRSSXXXGMLOTHERNotional-Data still being collectedEmerging TechnologiesExplore technologies like cloud computing, social media, and other user defined content

Evaluate how these technologies will likely influence future NSDI implementation and the associated challenge

Review recently published federal documents related to The Cloud and Shared ServicesGain familiarity with FGDC led GeoCloud Sandbox Initiative

Expected OutcomesAnticipated finding from Policy/Initiative review:

Federal government policies have provided a roadmap producing, managing, and sharing geospatial data.

Many successful geospatial data sharing initiatives are underwayNSDI, Geospatial LoB, Geospatial Platform, Data.gov, etc

Gaps remain for discovering, consuming, and publishing geospatial information Lack of incentives Need mechanism to hold data owners accountable for compliancePolicies and initiatives will require constant updating to keep up with technology advancements

Defining NSDI themes was a major step in the right directionFailed to define specific data sets within each theme

Progress can be slow but steady

12Expected OutcomesAnticipated results from Analysis of Geospatial Viewers

Most systems have adopted OGC standards for sharing data services

Many systems are For Official Use Only (FOUO) restricting user access

Cloud based services may provide an effective means to share unrestricted data with broader audience

Most systems have not yet developed capabilities to incorporate user defined content/crowd sourced data from mobile devices (i.e. phones, Twitter, etc)

Progress can be slow but steady

13Expected OutcomesAnticipated findings from review of Emerging Technologies

Cloud GIS (IaaS, SaaS, PaaS), data clearinghouses, and user generated content will improve accessibility of data but create challenges Accuracy/trusted sources

Emerging technology will require federal agencies to modify policies, embark on new initiatives and make design changes to systems/architecturesGeoCloud Sandbox Initiative, etc

Progress can be slow but steady

14Project TimelineComplete review of federal policy documents and initiatives - 6/20

Deliver capstone project proposal to peers - 6/26

Complete analysis to compare and contrast geospatial viewers to assess data exchange mechanisms - 7/15

Finalize research on cloud based solutions and user defined content to summarize benefits and challenges facing Federal agencies -8/15

Deliver final project presentation at a professional conference (tbd) Possible venues: -GIS in the Rockies 2012 Conference, Denver, Colorado, Sept 20-21, 2012 - GIS-Pro 2012: URISA's 50th Annual Conference for GIS Professionals, Portland Oregon, Sept 30-October 4

ConclusionsWhen complete, this project will benefit the GIS community in the following ways:

Broaden awareness of the policies and initiatives within the federal government addressing geospatial data sharing

Provide GIS managers with an assessment of various geospatial viewers and their embedded capabilities to publish/consume data

Shed light on emerging technologies that are likely to influence GIS in the future

Questions?Thank you for your time!

tds204@psu.edu