Re: [emergency] One-Stop GISArticle and some thoughts

[Eliot Christian <echristi@usgs.gov>]

At 06:15 AM 6/12/2003 -0700, Rex Brooks wrote:
>Hi Folks,
>
>Hmmmn. I don't quite know what to say about this article, but it 
>highlights a situation we should probably assess better.
>
>http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=10300774
>
>My recent survey of both the EM and Health Care standards arena as part of 
>my focus on Human-Centric standards revealed common concerns in this area. 
>I'm a lot less interested in trumpeting the shortcomings than I am in how 
>to best contribute to improving this arena effectively--and saving us 
>taxpayers some money better spent elsewhere, while improving the 
>availability and delivery of information and services.

I do not think one should read into the article any criticism of the 
Geospatial One-Stop. Rather, I think the point is made that even more of 
such work is needed. Here is some background in case you are interested.

Everyone agrees that standardization of GIS data is and must be a primary 
goal. The ongoing process of GIS data standardization is supported by a 
variety of programs, in and outside of government. The Open GIS Consortium 
(OGC, http://www.opengis.org/ ) is a standardization forum that includes 
most GIS vendors among its participants. The Federal Government lead in 
such work is the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC, 
http://www.fgdc.gov/ ).

In cooperation with organizations from State, local and tribal governments, 
the academic community, and the private sector, the FGDC is developing the 
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI 
http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html ). The NSDI encompasses the 
technologies, policies, and people necessary to promote sharing of 
geospatial data.

The Geospatial One-Stop ( http://www.geo-one-stop.gov/ ) is one specific 
project within this broad context of GIS data standardization programs and 
the NSDI. The project is accelerating standardization that otherwise would 
have taken longer to achieve. Given limited resources and time, the 
Geospatial One-Stop project chose to focus on those kinds of GIS data that 
are often the base layer for other kinds of GIS data. These most crucial 
GIS data are designated as "NSDI Framework". NSDI Framework data are "the 
best available data for an area, certified, standardized, and described 
according to a common standard."

NSDI Framework is comprised of seven "themes", having the following data 
layers: Transportation (Road, Railroad, Transit, Air, Waterway), 
Hydrography, Government Units, Geodetic Control, Elevation, Digital Ortho 
Imagery, and Cadastral. You can see the products of this standards work of 
the Geospatial One-Stop at http://www.geo-one-stop.gov/Standards/

Eliot