NGAC Interagency Data Sharing and Collaboration Spotlight Session: Best Practices and Lessons Learned Robert F. Austin, PhD, GISP Washington, DC March 18, 2011

Data Sharing and Collaboration: Keys to Success 1. Example: Identify key decision makers in each stakeholder group 2. 3.

Data Sharing and Collaboration: Barriers to Success 1. Example: Liabilities issues associated with providing data to external organizations 2. 3.

Next Steps Assemble today’s discussion into a draft document of Best Practices and Lessons Learned? –Participants? Prepare NGAC recommendations regarding Data Sharing and Collaboration for consideration by FGDC?

Appendix: Examples of Best Practices - Past GECCo Findings

Keys to Success Federal and state funding support Dedicated and consistent team members to project Identify key decision makers in each stakeholder group Develop clear roles and responsibilities for everyone – i.e.: data collectors, users, etc. Educate and brief local legislators, council members, elected officials (i.e.: the highest level decision makers) in order to obtain a commitment for resources Educate everyone on the value of using GIS and spatial data

Keys to Success Provide a education/briefing to private and public executives (highest level decision makers) to gain support Alignment/compliance/use with Federal and State mandates and tools Leverage Federal data standards Tie project to appropriate F/S/L programs, develop relationship to ensure compliance and assistance Need common operating picture, including standard operating procedures for Emergency Responders

Barriers to Success Liabilities issues associated with providing data to external organizations Security issues - data getting into the wrong hands Competitive information gets in the way of sharing data when planning for and responding to an event Vulnerable infrastructure assets are not easily identifiable or available for emergency events Same data, different formats and accuracies, including the data format issues between software vendors

Barriers to Success Determining what data needs to be shared, can’t share everything Confusion regarding who is doing what about coordination How is the data to be used once you give it to an external organization Data is usually not complete or up-to-date, so it makes it more difficult to know if you are making the right decisions at the time Emergency response plans are out of date and do not leverage GIS technology

Major Needs: Collaboration and Support Establish data sharing agreements among essential public and private organizations Establish advanced contracts for data collection, such as the use of remote sensing technology for incident management Develop predefined list of GIS and other technical personnel and vendors required to support an event Data formats, translations, data currency are major issues for sharing data Differing priorities complicate the situation

Major Needs: Data and Database Management Predefine all critical infrastructure data necessary to support planning for and responding to an event Establish back-up data center Consolidate multiple datasets of duplicate data into a single environment Create/share single, common georeferenced land base (e.g., buildings, utilities, street and building addresses) Multiple sources of the same data confuse the issue when different organizations need to share data

Major Needs: Interoperability and Accessibility Establish guidelines for shared data with the media during and after an event Develop interoperability standards to enable the integration and exchange of related critical infrastructure protection data Develop mobile mapping capabilities for both taking data in the field and collecting it during and after an event Establish an ftp site for monthly data exchange