Module 3: Spatial Data Management in Organisations

Course goals

- relate the principles of management (information) science to GI (Geo-information) organisations.
- compare the structure of key GI organisations. 
- apply methods and tools for organisational SDI (Spatial Data Infrastructure) planning, development, and management. 
- assess the feasibility of the proposed organisational change. 
- develop a change strategy for the SDI of a GI organisation.

Content

• The course tries to raise the awareness of how geo-information could be organised and promoted in the real world. It emphasizes on why geo-information should be used and how that is possible.
• The course relates to Module 4 (GEO4-GIMA4), although in this case geo-information is embedded in an organisation; it is business driven rather than project driven.
• The module comes with many deadlines and, thus, resonates daily practice in the real world..

The main objective of Module 3 is to design, with a group of students, a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Change Strategy to improve the performance of an existing SDI. By developing the SDI Change Strategy, students apply relevant theory to address the governance and implementation of an SDI in practice to better serve the user.

SDI concepts and components (data, people, technology, policy (including national and European legislation), governance (including ethical aspects), standards) SDI user needs analysis.
Change strategy concepts and components.
Feasibility study concepts and components.
Integration of change strategy for SDI improvement, including impact assessment and feasibility study.