Jesper M. Paasch PhD course: Paradigms för Development of Spatial Data Infrastructure, (SDI), Aalborg, september 2007 The arguments of the Georgiadou-Harvey paper compared to Swedish evidence... A Bigger Picture: Information Systems and Spatial Data Infrastructure Research Perspectives. Georgiadou, Y. and harvey, F., 2007

There is a need for plurality in research perspectives.

Information infrastrure as Informed by: Information infrasturcture account Positivist Interpretive An assembly of technical and human resources; a proxy for competitiveness of the (global) firm An ensemble of social relations (or interactions) A heterogeneous collage of mutually constitutive technologies, networks, standard to support a diversity of application areas over time and space Management science –strategic alignment Symbolic interactionism theory Actor-network theory Accounts of information infrastructure in IS reserach in the nineties

Interpretative accounts and ontological diversity have a great del to offer to studies of SDI. SDI have a great deal to offer to IS research: The empirical setting of SDI research is mostly public governance, whereas the empirical setting of IS research is mostly private. There is a need for “a bigger picture”

Current SDI research: Independent, verifiable and repeatable research to provide hard evidence of the positive short-, medium term and macroeconomic Impacts of SDI Implementation. Improving institutional arrangements and human resources so that global geospatial technology innovations can disappear in the woodwork and become infrastructure in specific social contexts.

SDI as a social phenomenon Focusing on interactions. SDI are mostly public based and take place across the political, public administration and social spheres, in contrast to IS, which mostly is the result of private enterprises. SDI as ”public good” Focus on human agents. A social-political construction. ”The public nature of a good is not a given but a matter of policy choice made by a multiplicity of SDI ”builders”. The border between ”Public” and ”Private” is no longer fixed. SDI research can offer help to IS research:

Swedish SDI -an introduction-

” The deficiencies of the present information registration, which is important for Community planning and for the carrying into effect of plans, are in Sweden so pronounced as to necessitate a reform. The divided, incomplete and technical imperfect registration is not giving the necessary basis for a rational community activity and does not constitute an acceptable publication with regard to private interests.” “The aim has to be the fitting of the separate registers into a uniform flexible net of information systems.” Source: Fastighetsregistrering. Statens Offentliga Utredningar 1966

Background Lantmäteriet has by the government in 2006 been given the responsibility to co-ordinate Geospatial and real property information on a national basis The new National geodata strategy The implementation of EU- Inspire Directive A need for a national strategy on how the geodata infrastructure should be developed The establishment of a national Geodata Advisory Board

Geodata Advisory Board - Lantmäteriet, (chair) -Geological Survey of Sweden -The county admin. Board in the county of Västa Götaland -The Sundsvall municipality -The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions -The National Road Administration -The Swedish Development Council for Geographic Information -The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute -The National Maritime Administration -The National Defence Authorities

Source: Lantmäteriet

The development of an effective handeling of basic geographical and real property information To be the common base for Swedish actions in European and other international geodata co-operation

Areas 1. Networking is the basis for SDI infrastructure 2. Information structure 3. Technical infrastructure 4. National metadata catalogue 5. Geodetic reference systems 6. Research, development and education 7. Rules and legislation 8. Financing and pricing

Information structure A uniform national framework -Basic common methods -Based on Inspire principles -Specification of information and services

Geodata – an important part of modern e-governmnet ”A common strategy gives different actors the same rules, which hopefully will decrease the risk for ineffective work.”

Insight and influence User needs Stepwise approach Co-operation – an important requisition!

Research and education A plan for a collective direction of all research-, development-, and education efforts in Sweden Analysis of user needs and technology development “State of the art” description Description of internationally research activities Knowledge and research strategy as input to the Governments research policy

Motifs Improve the co-ordination of SDI research activities Reduce costs for collecting and updating geodata Improvement of data quality Improve the combination and co-operation wit data from different sources Make it easier to search, discover and upload geodata Develop e-government in society

Activity plan for research and education The need for legislative changes due to the implementation of the Inspire Directive Development of a national geodata portal A common model of the supply of geodata Seminar i November 2007

Government report from 2007 regarding the improvement of IT-standardization in the public domain. Title: “The invisible infrastructure”.

Example Translation and interpretation of metadata terms The existing Metadata standard SS-ISO is in English and “difficult” to use.

Information Nationell geodatastrategi: Inspire: Myndigheters tillämpning av PSI direktivet: