GIS for National Mapping and Cartographic Production Modernizing National Mapping Workflows Air

Modernizing National NOAA Modernizes Nautical Chart Production Mapping Workflow Implementing Next-Generation Charting System with PLTS for GIS Helps National Mapping Agencies Evolve Missions, ArcGIS—Nautical Solution Operations, and Service Delivery The Marine Chart Division (MCD) at NOAA Highlights National mapping agency: The name con- has embarked on an ambitious new deployment of GIS technology to create the next generation n Agencies are broadening their missions jures images of legions of cartographers labor- ing away at familiar maps of their respective of its Nautical Chart System (NCS II). MCD has while improving efficiency. used GIS for many years to improve workflows n Map and chart production timelines are countries—political, transportation, geologic, vegetation, and topographic. In truth, national and data management but wanted a commer- significantly reduced. mapping agencies (NMAs) have a vital and cial off-the-shelf enterprise-wide system for n Geographic data is more readily often underappreciated role in national gov- NCS II to gain efficiencies and streamline data exposed and shared with customers. ernment. They provide timely, relevant, and management and product generation. With the accurate geospatial intelligence in support of new system, NOAA MCD will continue to be continued on page 2 the world leader in hydrographic information management. Business Units Author, Serve, See the complete article on page 4. and Use Enterprise Content Aeronautical Transformation From Paper to Digits at the National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency By Charles L. (Chuck) McGaugh, Jr., Director, Office of Global Navigation, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Transformation involves “a major change in form, nature, or function,” as defined byMer - riam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Starting in early 2002, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) un- dertook a transformation in the way the agency does business and supports customers by moving from a productcentric to a datacentric organization. The goal, in the words of former NGA director and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper, Jr., was to provide customers “instant access to specific geospatial intelligence.” Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, NGA Enterprise GIS-based workflows help national mapping agencies meet growing customer is a U.S. Department of Defense combat support demand for more sophisticated products and greater access to data. continued on page 6

® ™ ESRI Ar c Ne w s Reprints • Vol. 29 No. 2 • Summer 2007

1 continued from page 1 Modernizing National Mapping Workflow economic development, scientific research, nat- delivered either as hard-copy maps or digital ticated products and greater access to the data. ural resource management, navigation, safety, files. Data was centered on the product sets There is growing recognition that the product- and national security. They are the leaders in and stored in a variety of databases and librar- centric system no longer meets customers’ collecting, managing, combining, and promot- ies while being processed by a disparate set of evolving demands nor is it efficient for the ing the use of accurate and up-to-date geospa- systems and tools. The specifications for these agencies. As geospatial information moves tial data for use by government, business, and products were fixed, with production require- from the realm of map publishing and special the public. Often, they are the only entity pro- ments established months or years in advance. projects to supporting mission-critical business viding these services. The acquisition of source material followed functions, customers require more content and similar timelines, and production processes currency, on-demand accessibility, and appli- Evolving Missions and Business Models depended heavily on manual operations. Cus- cation-ready formats. In many countries, there is more than one tomers ordered from an inventory of products This trend has led many NMAs to reevaluate NMA, with different agencies dedicated to and adapted them to their uses. how they interact with their customers. Many aeronautical, nautical, or topographic map- This business model is changing as the value agencies have taken steps to adapt their busi- ping. Most have focused on producing a lim- of geospatial information becomes more widely ness practices and production systems accord- ited number of standard products or series recognized and customers demand more sophis- ingly, but the demand for geospatial information

GIS-based systems simplify and accelerate map and chart production by helping mapping agencies streamline business processes, consolidate data holdings across the enterprise, and standardize production workflows.

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2 3 is outstripping their ability to keep up with the • Facilitate collaboration between analysts environment. But while they are each differ- increasing sophistication of their customers. from different business units. ent in their specific data and map products and • Expose the enterprise data holdings within services based on whether their domain is aero- The Challenge the agencies, as well as among partners and nautical, topographic, or nautical, NMAs have To meet these demands, NMAs must achieve external customers. common business functions and associated pro- greater levels of performance and quality in • Facilitate data exchange among aeronauti- cesses and procedures. These include all business functions at an enterprise level. cal, nautical, and topographic agencies. Increasing staff or adding equipment resources • Retire legacy systems gracefully. • Defining their geography of interest can accomplish this in a limited way but are • Maximize the use of standards-based com- - Assembling information relating to the solutions with diminishing returns. To really mercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products. mapping task improve, agencies must - Assessing existing information sources Common Business Functions Among NMAs - Defining requirements for new geospatial • Streamline work processes. There is no single technical solution for all map- solutions • Increase accuracy and product quality. ping agencies. Each must adapt to the require- - Setting standards for new geospatial • Eliminate data redundancy between func- ments of its particular domain. Each must work solutions tional business units. within its own special business and regulatory continued on page 15

National mapping agencies provide timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of economic development, scientific research, natural resource management, navigation, safety, and national security.

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2 3 continued from page 1 charts. The result will be the next generation of the hydrographic navigation environment, NOAA Modernizes the Nautical Chart System (NCS II). showing the nature and form of the coast; Nautical Chart Production MCD is a division in the Office of Coast the general configuration of the sea bottom, Survey (OCS), which is part of the National including water depths; locations of dangers Highlights Ocean Service (NOS), one of five NOAA to navigation; locations and characteristics line offices. NOS works to observe, -under of man-made aids to navigation; and other n GIS will be used to manage stand, and manage U.S. coastal and marine features useful to the mariner. In conjunc- production of nautical charts. resources, including navigation safety. OCS tion with supplemental navigational aids, the n Data is obtained from more than specifically oversees the Marine Transporta- nautical chart is used by the mariner to lay 50 entities. tion System. out courses and navigate ships by the short- n Project aims for gains in productivity NCS II will help MCD meet its critical est and most economical safe routes. and flexibility. challenge of providing navigation products that To produce these complex products, cover approximately 11 million square kilome- MCD uses source data including hydro- ters of coastal waters, including the Great Lakes graphic survey data, hazard updates, and The Marine Chart Division (MCD) at the Na- (areas collectively called the United States Ex- navigation aid information. From this data, tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- clusive Economic Zone). Ninety-five percent MCD maintains a suite of more than 1,000 tion (NOAA) has embarked on an ambitious of U.S. commerce, by weight, travels through paper nautical charts and is in the process of new deployment of GIS technology in the these waters alongside 110,000 commercial providing complete coverage in Electronic management of hydrographic information and and recreational fishing vessels. continued on page 14 the production of digital and hard-copy nautical A nautical chart is a graphic portrayal of

The NCS II system uses PLTS for ArcGIS—Nautical Solution to create, manage, and publish hydrographic information in paper and ENC formats.

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4 5 Technology Solutions for National Mapping Agencies

While no one solution can fit all the require- ESRI has worked tirelessly implementing a national spatial data infra- ments of all national mapping agencies structure (NSDI) within their respective coun- (NMAs), ESRI has worked tirelessly to ensure to ensure its product suite tries to promote the interoperability of digital its product suite includes standards-based includes standards-based geographic data between various suppliers, COTS solutions that provide the foundational COTS solutions that provide agencies, and users. To support content dis- tools and specific technology that mapping the foundational tools and covery for an NSDI, ESRI offers GIS Portal agencies need. These solutions are special- Toolkit, a metadata catalog server extension ized applications built using ArcGIS. They specific technology that that supports metadata search services as a are designed to model and support particu- mapping agencies need. standard part of a GIS user’s Web site. This lar business functions and workflows with product includes many capabilities to do out-of-the-box tools that provide immedi- quality control (GIS Data ReViewer), carto- advanced searching, viewing, metadata har- ate business value. The following products graphic product generation (Map Production vesting, and other functions and supports have evolved out of repeated engagements System—Atlas), and workflow management FGDC and ISO metadata standards as well between the ESRI Professional Services orga- (Job Tracking for ArcGIS [JTX]). Foundation as OGC specifications: Web Catalog Service nization and key customers within particular provides users with a consistent, repeatable, (CS-W), Web Coverage Service (WCS), Web application areas. and well-managed production workflow. Feature Service (WFS), Web Map Content (WMC), and Web Map Service (WMS). Production Line Tool Set for ArcGIS Standards and Interoperability Production Line Tool Set (PLTS) for ArcGIS is Support for standards is an important part Support for Service-Oriented a suite of applications that organizes, man- of enabling interoperability, a crucial require- Architecture-Based Implementation ages, and enhances productivity for a multi- ment for NMAs. ESRI supports geospatial Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a tude of map, chart, and database production standards from the Federal Geographic Data component-based software architecture activities. These applications provide flexible Committee (FGDC); International Hydro- model for enterprise application develop- workflow templates and data models that graphic Organization (IHO); International ment and integration. A service is a reusable help organize data automation, cartographic Organization for Standardization (ISO); Open component used in a business process and production, and data management. The PLTS Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC); IT stan- generally defined according to Web service for ArcGIS suite includes specific solutions dards from Organization for the Advance- standards (SOAP, UDDI, WSDL, XML). Web for aeronautical, nautical, topographic, and ment of Structured Information Standards services are registered and loosely coupled, defense agencies. These solutions include (OASIS) and World Wide Web Consortium meaning that they can be combined and the generation of map series and data prod- (W3C); and various GIS-related domain stan- integrated on demand, increasingly on the ucts common to domains such as dards in its software. ESRI also offers various basis of an enterprise service bus integration interoperability enablers, such as direct read/ and messaging platform. • PLTS for ArcGIS—Nautical Solution lever- write of dozens of data formats; support for SOA delivers flexibility and enterprise agil- ages the PLTS for ArcGIS applications for hundreds of projections and datums; sup- ity, fostering collaboration, enabling interop- creation, management, and publication port for openly published data models; and erability across new and legacy systems, of hydrographic information in hard-copy, tools for spatial extraction, transformation, substantially reducing the cost and time of Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC), and and loading (ETL) of data. ArcGIS also sup- development, and generally better position- Digital Nautical Chart (DNC) formats. ports various metadata- and catalog-related ing an NMA to adapt to changing business • PLTS for ArcGIS—Aeronautical Solution specifications that provide practical ways conditions. Using an SOA, users can author provides end-to-end information manage- to publish, discover, and bind to geospatial and publish a variety of geospatial services. ment and support for standards-based data and services. These can be served to the larger enterprise, aeronautical charts and data exchange. ESRI leads and participates actively in where users can flexibly integrate them • PLTS for ArcGIS—Mapping Agency many of the standards committees and with new or legacy application services and Solution provides the database models, works closely with many draft standards. As thereby create new knowledge that enriches knowledge bases, and tools for topo- these standards are finalized, they are incor- the enterprise. ESRI is committed to ensuring graphic data and map production. porated into the entire ArcGIS product suite that its products and solutions are fully com- as required, including the solution products patible with SOA principles and standards. PLTS for ArcGIS—Foundation and mentioned above. Components More Information Each of the PLTS for ArcGIS solutions above Solutions for National Spatial Data For more information, visit www.esri.com/ comes with PLTS for ArcGIS—Foundation, Infrastructure nmasolutions. which includes tools for database editing, Many NMAs are the sole champions for

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4 5 continued from page 1 on a nationally and internationally mandated NGA standards and was similar across all schedule. The transformation began with the overlapping charts. Aeronautical implementation of GIS to change the way NGA The contractor used the data abstracts and/ Transformation Flight Information Publications (FLIPs) are or the hand-drawn lithographs to create sticky- produced and disseminated to customers. backed strip waxing (“stick-up”) film overlays Highlights for text and/or graphic symbols. Each change Outdated Processes was applied manually by scraping off old n NGA moved from a productcentric to a Until 2002, the process of producing NGA annotations and graphics and replacing them datacentric organization. FLIP global charts required a large staff of with the modification for the master versions n GIS changed the way flight informa- aeronautical analysts, quality assurance spe- of each chart. tion publications are produced and cialists, and contractor personnel. Significant With more than 1,000 changes per month, this distributed. effort and expertise were required for chart tedious process required great skill. Each of the n Geospatially enabled data enables fusion maintenance. Geographic area analysts used four colors used on charts required a separate with other data for additional analysis. drafting tools to create chart overlay litho- master layer, and screened colors required ad- graphs to meet precise standards. For less ditional layers. The stick-up overlays were then complex chart changes, the analyst crafted used as the positive in a photo process to create agency and a member of the national intelligence textually descriptive directions called data negatives for each layer for every chart. In the community. The agency’s mission is to provide abstracts using detailed format standards. busiest cycle, contractors produced more than timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intel- Due to the complexity of the work and 145 charts with an average of six layers each. ligence in support of U.S. national security. technical writing involved, all information Accuracy was imperative to ensure the layers The agency’s mission includes providing received a second level of review by quality merged to form the completed Enroute Chart accurate aeronautical charts that are updated assurance specialists to ensure that it met when printed.

NGA has replaced its manual process for creating aeronautical charting products with a completely GIS-based process. Shown is an Enroute Chart being created using GIS. Visit www.esri.com/nmasolutions.

6 7 With so many changes and the possibility of human error at many stages of production, A Brief History of Aeronautical Charting consistent quality required great effort. Review To understand the change that GIS has brought to the National Geospatial-Intelligence and rework prior to publication expended many Agency (NGA), it is helpful to be familiar with the history of aeronautical charting. work hours and required substantial lead time to Shortly after the Wright brothers made their historic first flights, the skies began to fill ensure the charts were finished before the next with aircraft. Visibility was the key navigational tool at that time. Aircraft were limited to cycle began. short flights in clear weather and used transportation routes to navigate by, flying low to the railroads during reduced visibility. Early pilots began making personal notes to help Sticky Crisis them navigate to and land at increasingly distant airports, and enterprising pilots sold these While the GIS and mapping community might notes to other pilots, but air travel remained limited by visibility. have been ready to support digital aeronautical In the 1930s, radio technology made it possible for pilots to navigate farther distances charting long before, it took a stick-up crisis to through unfamiliar surroundings in reduced visibility. In 1941, the first instrument approach force a change. The world’s only manufacturer and landing charts were developed, serving pilots with the need to land in low visibility. of stick-up stopped producing the material in By this time, aviation was a matter of interest worldwide. Many organizations began 2001, and a new supplier could not be found. All drafting standards for aviation-related maps, charts, and information. During World War remaining stock was purchased, but the clock II, the demand for charts increased dramatically. By 1943, production had increased from started ticking. There were no suitable substi- around 500,000 per year to more than 11 million. The U.S. Army and Navy air forces each tutes for the strip waxing film. A new method built their own custom charts to fit their wartime needs. for correcting the charts had to be found before By the end of the war, it was clear that standardized products and symbology were all the stick-up was gone. needed to support international air travel. The following years saw the establishment and maturity of many of the aeronautical- and aviation-related agencies and associations that A GIS solution was an obvious choice, but we see today, such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the United Nations there were many obstacles, most notably the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), each mandated to ensure the safe, effi- lack of data. An aeronautical database did ex- cient, and orderly evolution of international civil aviation. ist, it was kept current, and the attribution was Today, these organizations and others drive the look and feel of aviation products world- robust. The data quality was exceptional, but it wide. They have also mandated an update cycle to ensure that all aircraft are flying on was not geospatial. the same data. Depending on the region of the world, this cycle is effective every 28 days or multiples of 28 days. It is easy to see how a map of the world’s airports and airways, The Solution: Digital Enroute Charts updated every 28 days and limited by international standards, can become a huge chal- NGA’s Aeronautical Division turned to ESRI for lenge. This challenge is the mission of NGA’s Aeronautical Division. help in solving this critical problem. Together they worked on an ambitious program to create a completely GIS-based process to produce NGA from the NGA database to the geodatabase, NGA to give customers a variety of new aeronautical charting products. The foundation the change is automatically and immediately product options, from various digital formats of the approach was Production Line Tool Set reflected on all associated charts. Text associ- to various printing options. And now that the (PLTS) for ArcGIS—Aeronautical Solution, ated with modified features is automatically data has been transformed into geospatially which allowed NGA to develop a database- updated as well, using feature-linked annotation referenced digits, the data can be fused with driven system to support digital aeronautical capability. other information for additional analysis, chart production. The NGA aeronautical data- As a direct result of the automation, digital portrayals, and applications that have yet to base is imported into a geodatabase, and data is data is synchronized with the paper product, and be conceived. Using the geospatial knowledge preformatted for charts during the data ingest. product quality has dramatically improved. of NGA’s contracted experts, the aeronautical On a weekly basis, NGA provides database NGA continues to deliver hundreds of expertise of NGA analysts, and the power of updates, and these transactions are loaded into thousands of Enroute Charts to aviators every GIS, even the sky is no longer the limit. the geodatabase, which has been optimized for 28 days without delay, and the output product is cartographic output. Quality is ensured through so similar to the manually prepared charts that More Information several steps, and a Web-based scheduling tool customers never noticed. The digital Enroute Excerpted from “Aeronautical Transforma- monitors job progress, tracking every chart in Chart process supports direct-to-plate printing, tion: Paper to Digits—Changing the Way every phase of production. completely eliminating the need for film overlays the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Using this foundation, NGA is able to produce and stick-up. Creates Aeronautical Products,” presented by charts of any scale, orientation, and projection, Charles L. (Chuck) McGaugh, Jr., at the 2004 in addition to the standard NGA series of aero- Success Transforms NGA ESRI International User Conference, available at nautical charts. PLTS for ArcGIS—Aeronautical to Datacentric Organization gis2.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/ Solution manages the chart series design and With NGA’s traditional methods, a large percent- pap2215.pdf. For more information, contact incorporates intelligent elements that are auto- age of energy was focused on the format and ap- the NGA Office of Corporate Affairs, Public matically updated based on the content in the pearance of products, rather than on the depth of Affairs Office (Web: www.nga.mil), or Brian geodatabase. knowledge behind the data. Through this effort, Cross, ESRI (e-mail: [email protected]; tel.: The database-driven system makes update its processes were transformed. Today, analysts 909-793-2853, ext. 1-1158). management many times more efficient than in devote their energy to creating and maintaining traditional manual chart production. Onetime quality aeronautical information. Technology data entry allows greater accuracy by eliminat- then transforms that quality data into a repre- ing the possibility of errors in the production sentation that the customer can utilize. chain. When a feature update is transferred The database-driven system also enables

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6 7 GIS for National Mapping and Cartographic Production Modernizing National Mapping Workflows Air

Aeronautical The Challenges National mapping agencies face new and increasingly sophisticated customer demands, along with expanded responsibilities. To meet these challenges, they need to s )MPLEMENTWORKPROCESSESTHATARESIMPLE ﬂexible, and measurable. s )NCREASEACCURACYANDPRODUCTQUALITYWITHMORE automation. s %LIMINATEDATAREDUNDANCYBETWEENFUNCTIONAL business units. s &ACILITATECOLLABORATIONAMONGANALYSTSFROM different business units. s %XPOSEENTERPRISEDATAHOLDINGSWITHINTHE agencies and among partners and external customers. Land s 2EDUCELIFECYCLECOSTSTHROUGHTHEUSEOF Topographic standards-based COTS products. s 0LANFORTHEORDERLYRETIREMENTOFLEGACYSYSTEMS

The Solutions ESRI offers standards-based COTS solutions to help mapping agencies transform their operations and missions. These include s !SUITEOFAPPLICATIONSTHATENABLESEFlCIENT STREAMLINED DATA MAP ANDCHARTPRODUCTIONWITHINCREASEDQUALITY at a lower cost Nautical s !WORKmOWMANAGEMENTSOLUTIONTHATOFFERS standardization, better communication/collaboration, consistent reporting, project tracking, and considerable cost savings in typical GIS workﬂows Sea s !TECHNOLOGYANDSERVICESSOLUTIONTHATPROVIDESALLTHE tools and templates needed to implement local, regional, national, and global spatial data infrastructure portals Learn more about ESRI solutions for mapping agencies at www.esri.com/nmasolutions.

8 Copyright © 2007 ESRI. All rights reserved. ESRI, the ESRI globe logo, www.esri.com, ArcGIS, and JTX are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community,9 or certain other jurisdictions. Innovative Solution for Road Data Maintenance at Gila National Forest PLTS for ArcGIS a Crucial Tool for Cooperation and Communication on Dual-Agency Project By Joe Encinas, GIS Coordinator, Gila National Forest, and Phil Watts, Jr., GIS Specialist, Las Cruces BLM District Highlights n A new rule requires all national forests to correctly map and classify their road networks. n More than 45,000 features were reviewed for about 6,000 miles of road. n PLTS was key to achieving cross-agency goals.

Located in southwestern New Mexico, the Gila National Forest comprises 3.3 million acres of rugged beauty, with spectacular scen- ery ranging from high, cool mountains with aspen and Douglas fir to warm semiarid low- lands with juniper, oak, and cactus. It is one of the more remote and least developed national forests in the Southwest and is the sixth larg- est in the continental United States. The forest is also home to the first designated wilderness area, the Gila Wilderness, which was established in 1924. On November 9, 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) published a new Travel Management Rule, gov- Routes can be flipped to point in the right direction. In this case, the route should end on the erning off-highway vehicles (OHV) and other left side of the route. At present, it appears to end at the road junction, which is incorrect. motor vehicle use in national forests and on grasslands. The new rule requires each national Gila National Forest Southwestern Region coordinating and streamlining project imple- forest to designate those roads, trails, and areas managers needed to update their road data in a mentation and costs in multiple disciplines, open to motor vehicle use. This resulted in the cost-effective manner with limited labor costs. including GIS. need for all national forests, including Gila They wanted to integrate locally collected Together, the agencies selected ESRI’s National Forest, to correctly map and classify field data with existing data provided by the Production Line Tool Set (PLTS) for ArcGIS— their road networks. Geospatial Service and Technology Center, Foundation as the common platform for the the USFS mapping center. The project would project. PLTS for ArcGIS—Foundation offered GIS Data ReViewer became require integration of multiple data sources, the necessary tools for editing the data within compliance with regional and national GIS the geodatabase and for quality assurance/qual- an essential mode of communica- standards, and establishment of a regional geo- ity control (QA/QC), allowing them to perform tion between the Gila and BLM database schema. maintenance of road data in an integrated fash- To achieve these goals, the GIS program ion. The Las Cruces BLM also provided expe- teams. Since both had the tool, it managers for Gila established a joint project rienced student workers as affordable labor for was possible to review the edits with the Las Cruces, New Mexico, Bureau of the project. The Gila GIS Program provided and provide guidance when course Land Management (BLM) District Office in the program management. keeping with the USFS Service First Initiative, correction was necessary to which allows USFS and BLM offices to com- Establishing Data Standards complete the project. bine resources to improve public land manage- One of the first steps in the project was to estab- ment. The initiative legally paves the way for lish a regional geodatabase schema designed to

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10 11 data standards for 11 national forests between New Mexico, Arizona, and the National Grass- lands in Oklahoma and Texas. This schema was designed from regional input by GIS specialists and data stewards, as well as specifications from the regional Data Automation Contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority. These specifications were later compiled into the geodatabase schema as standard values, or domains, which could be edited using PLTS for ArcGIS. Once established, all existing GIS layers for the Gila National Forest were migrated into the new schema.

GIS Data ReViewer Is Key Communication Tool The main focus of the project for BLM was the editing phase. This was initiated with the assistance of ESRI Professional Services, which provided a customized two-day training session of PLTS for ArcGIS, focusing on each of the features needed to edit the Gila road layer. The project then proceeded for three months in which both agencies reviewed, edited, corrected, and accepted all The use of domains allows the GIS user to edit and standardize a spatial layer without incur- roads using the Foundation tools. ring redundancy and spelling errors. One of the most important PLTS for ArcGIS tools for the project was GIS Data ReViewer, which allowed workers to iden- multiple error tables for the GIS technician. GIS Data ReViewer became an essential tify errors, provide instructions to fix those These tasks include spatial location of the mode of communication between the two agen- errors, then distribute them to the GIS techni- error, the feature class requiring editing, the cies. Since the Gila and BLM teams both had cian. This Foundation tool creates a personal GIS technician user name, date, and status of the tool, it was possible to review the edits and geodatabase that tracks essential tasks within the corrections and resolution. provide guidance when course correction was necessary to complete the project. Additionally, both agencies could share spatial bookmarks, a unique feature of PLTS for ArcGIS, which fur- ther aided the location of errors in an efficient and timely manner. Overall, this technical solution was monitored through weekly conference calls to discuss questions and resolve obstacles to keep the project on track. The magnitude of work accomplished on this project was colossal. More than 45,000 features were reviewed for about 6,000 miles of road. In GIS Data ReViewer, 400 roads were physically edited for both spatial location and attributes. All unsatisfactory edits were flagged as unacceptable until a satisfactory correction could be achieved. Employee performance was easily measured as the BLM GIS technician performed editing tasks on a two- to three- day rotation based on the complexity of the errors. The project was essentially paperless. Major cost centers included salary for the GIS technician and oversight provided by BLM. This project served as a showcase of the USFS Service First Initiative, demonstrating the use of PLTS for ArcGIS as an innovative

These types of errors are typically found in a transportation layer during the editing session. continued on page 12

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10 11 Countrywide Mapping Made Possible with GIS at the Colombia National Mapping Agency Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute analysis, hardware and software system design, to efficiently create printed maps at different (IGAC) is Colombia’s national mapping and development and implementation of the scales—1:2,000, 1:10,000, 1:25,000, 1:100,000, agency responsible for producing the offi- IGAC cartographic database. and 1:500,000—and of individual departments cial map and base cartography of Colombia. Continuing with the implementation, (Colombian states). It supports geographic studies in the form of ArcGIS Desktop (ArcInfo, ArcEditor, and Finally, the cartography branch continues to land development support and professional ArcView) and ArcSDE were installed. work toward its ideal of making IGAC the most training and education in GIS technology ArcScan for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Spatial Analyst, advanced and efficient center of cartographic and coordinates the Colombia Spatial Data and ArcGIS 3D Analyst extensions were also production in Latin America. Infrastructure. installed to provide versatile tools for updat- In addition, IGAC’s mission is to “carry out ing existing cartography and creating new More Information the constitutional mandate that refers to the data that would comply with IGAC require- For more information, contact Helena Gutierrez, production and updating of the official map ments. All information is stored in an Oracle Procálculo Prosis S.A. (e-mail: hgutierrez@ of the Republic and develop the policies and database that, together with ArcSDE, permits prosis.com), or Dewey Marino, ESRI (e-mail: execute the plans of the National Government the storage, administration, and maintenance [email protected]; tel.: 909-793-2853, ext. with respect to cartography, agronomy, land of the information in a way that is centralized, 1-1913). registry, and geography through the produc- secure, and transparent to the user. tion, analysis, and dissemination of survey Production Line Tool Set (PLTS) for and environmental georeferenced information ArcGIS—Foundation, GIS Data ReViewer, continued from page 11 with the goal of supporting land planning and and Maplex for ArcGIS were also installed to zoning processes.” perform data upload and quality control func- Innovative Solution for Road tions and generate a high-quality map series. Data Maintenance at Gila The Challenge The new implemented system integrates sev- National Forest For the past 70 years, IGAC has produced eral tools that PPSA built in Visual Basic to georeferenced cartographic maps at several execute specific tasks used by IGAC to pro- template for establishing cooperation and scales using the most modern technology duce the national base cartography. communication between the two agen- available at the time. The maps that were cies. PLTS for ArcGIS was a key tool in developed provided the nation with basic spa- The Results achieving cross-agency goals, improving tial information tools. In November 2004, the model for the map customer service, and meeting the public In 1994, IGAC began producing digital car- series (at a variety of scales, all derived from expectations of the two land management tography using Infocam software. In 2003, the the same basemap) was developed, reviewed, agencies. cartography branch initiated a process to update and implemented. Several months of evalua- the production system and generate additional tion followed, with the added objective of train- About the Authors products, such as spatial maps and orthopho- ing production group professionals charged Joe Encinas is the GIS coordinator for the tos. Furthermore, one of the principal purposes with generating basemaps and thematic maps. Gila National Forest in southwestern New was to implement a new, comprehensive GIS As a result of this study, the model for carto- Mexico. Phil Watts is a GIS specialist with that would allow IGAC to administer and stan- graphic production was refined to include all the Bureau of Land Management Roswell dardize its cartographic production system. the different map scales with the advantage of Field Office in southeastern New Mexico. The challenge for the four-year project was to maintaining everything on just one single GIS consolidate the 1:100,000-scale digital data- platform. More Information base, obtain 100 percent of the cartography for Through the collaborative work of ESRI, For more information, contact Joe urban areas, and achieve 80 percent coverage PPSA, and the cartography branch, IGAC now Encinas, GIS coordinator, Gila National for 1:25,000-scale cartography. has a basemap data model implemented on a Forest (tel.: 505-388-8231); Phil Watts, Jr., single continuous geographic database. GIS specialist, BLM Roswell Field Office The Solution “Establishing the digital capture of geo- (tel.: 505-627-0232); or Doug Cribbs, During initial planning for digital informa- referenced data with GIS has become an ESRI (e-mail: [email protected]; tel.: tion capture and responding to the agency’s example of successful technological innova- 909-793-2853, ext. 1-2439). stringent cartographic requirements, IGAC tion that Colombia is holding up for the rest chose available off-the-shelf GIS tools, select- of Latin America to see,” says Miguel Angel ing ESRI software technology as the most Cárdenas, deputy director of geography and robust, functional, widespread, and interoper- cartography, IGAC. able for the project. In 2003, Procálculo Prosis The single cartographic database is used as S.A. (PPSA), the ESRI solutions distributor the standard for information storage and man- for Colombia, signed a contract to replace the agement, saving time and money during map existing system with a new one. production and in maintenance. The database Since then, participants have proceeded to can be adjusted and improved according to implement the tasks of project requirements current needs. The system makes it possible

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12 13 Flood Map Modernization at the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) manages federal response and recovery efforts after any national inci- dent. In 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). More than 2,600 full-time employees work at FEMA headquarters in Wash- ington, D.C., and around the country. FEMA also has approximately 4,000 standby disas- ter assistance employees who are available for deployment after disasters. FEMA initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP currently serves more than five million policyholders and provides coverage for nearly $1 trillion in insured assets to more than 20,100 communities. Often, FEMA works in partnership with other organizations that are part of the FEMA flood hazard maps are integrated with a GIS database that makes data available over nation’s emergency management system. the Internet. These partners include state and local emergency management agencies, federal agen- the efficiency of multiuser GIS projects. ReViewer Error Table tools also facilitate the cies, and the American Red Cross. Through Job Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX), spatial integration of engineering data. FEMA mapping partners create flood hazard The Challenge products by progressing through a FEMA- The Results FEMA developed a five-year plan, Flood defined set of best practices workflow steps. FEMA is now able to easily track the mapping Map Modernization (Map Mod), to update The ability of Job Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX) process for its flood hazard mapping projects the NFIP’s digital flood insurance rate maps to facilitate the assignment of work among and create the final DFIRM database through (DFIRMs). DFIRMs depict potential flood users allows mapping partners to efficiently best practices using PLTS for ArcGIS. PLTS hazard risk for communities throughout manage their DFIRM projects. for ArcGIS streamlines the product develop- the United States and its territories. FEMA Many of the DFIRM workflow steps ment process and allows FEMA mapping uses DFIRMs to delineate a community’s require the use of ArcMap, an application partners to work together by project reassign- special flood hazard areas and risk pre- within ArcGIS Desktop, for data development ment using Job Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX) mium. Because flood hazard conditions are and review. Upon launching ArcMap via Job within the DFIRM tools environment. dynamic, DFIRM data needs to be continu- Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX), the user can get PLTS for ArcGIS also facilitates the spa- ally updated. FEMA contracts with state, the toolbars and layers necessary to perform tial and attribute validation process. Using local, and regional mapping partners to keep FEMA-specific tasks. FEMA manages sym- GIS Data ReViewer, FEMA can effectively flood hazard maps current and to produce bology requirements with ESRI GIS Data highlight attribute errors. The GIS Data maps. FEMA needed an integrated software ReViewer, which is part of PLTS for ArcGIS. ReViewer Error Table tools allow QC ana- solution that could manage these updates GIS Data ReViewer allows users to employ lysts to locate areas in need of revision in and changes. a set of predefined complex attribute checks the flood hazard database, track the map- to review both spatial layers and business ping process of projects, and revise the The Solution tables. These checks mimic FEMA’s indepen- database. FEMA chose to manage data for the DFIRMs dent QC process because users can detect and Once updated, DFIRMs are stored digitally by integrating flood hazard maps with a correct errors early in the DFIRM production on FEMA’s Mapping Information Platform GIS database that makes data available over process. These checks also help ensure that (MIP), which can be viewed on the agency’s the Internet. The tools used are based on FEMA-compliant data is created. Web site at hazards.fema.gov. Production Line Tool Set (PLTS) for ArcGIS, The GIS Data ReViewer Error Table tools which was specifically developed for high- allow different critics within the mapping More Information volume database production, maintenance, partner group (including QC, engineering, For more information, contact Melis quality control (QC), and cartographic pro- and mapping) to review the spatial data. The Mull, FEMA, Mitigation Division duction projects such as this. engineers and QC analysts use notepad fea- (tel.: 202-646-4135), or Glenn Berger, The development of DFIRMs begins with tures and comments in the Error Table tools to ESRI (e-mail: [email protected], tel.: Job Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX), a workflow indicate areas in need of revision, which the 678-417-1883). management application designed to improve mapping analysts then correct. The GIS Data

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12 13 continued from page 4 NOAA Modernizes Nautical Chart Production

Navigational Chart (ENC) format based on gain efficiencies and streamline data flows and improved data management will in- the International Hydrographic Organization management and product generation. crease the agency’s ability to respond to coast- S-57 transfer standard. Data is obtained from NOAA MCD contracted with McDonald altering events, as well as improve the accu- more than 50 entities, including the Army Bradley, Inc., an information technology racy of charts and ensure greater navigational Corps of Engineers, NOAA survey ships, solutions provider, to integrate, operate, safety and better coastal management. Be- and the U.S. Coast Guard. and maintain NCS II. After a rigorous se- cause MCD will manage data centrally, in- In the current system, critical updates lection process, McDonald Bradley selected tegration with ancillary legacy systems will for paper and electronic charts are pub- ESRI as a subcontractor on the project due be centralized and optimized. Furthermore, lished weekly. However, the noncriti- to ESRI’s expertise and experience work- MCD will have the capability to offer new cal update cycle for paper charts ranges ing on GIS projects. In particular, the team products and Web services within NOAA or from every 6 months for areas of high wanted to leverage PLTS for ArcGIS— to end users of the data. commercial traffic to as infrequently as Nautical Solution, which provides produc- The NCS II project is in the integrate and 12 years for remote areas. The average re- tion-oriented applications and end-to-end test phase, with initial system capability ac- vision interval per nautical chart is about workflows tailored specifically to the needs ceptance planned for mid-2008. Following 2 years. Data must be applied multiple of hydrographic offices. system acceptance, MCD will conduct an times, stored in multiple applications, and With the implementation of NCS II, extensive operational test and a multiyear processed through several production lines McDonald Bradley is creating a system that transition plan based on charting priorities. to either an ENC or a paper chart, which is compiles source data from the myriad of pro- With NCS II, MCD expects to realize sig- a major factor in the amount of time, effort, viders, stores the information in a single da- nificant gains in productivity, data manage- and quality control needed for updates. tabase, and is able to extract information to ment capability, and flexibility once the MCD has used GIS for many years produce various paper and electronic charts. transition is complete. With this move to a to improve workflows and data man- MCD expects NCS II to decrease produc- next-generation GIS-based system, NOAA agement but wanted a COTS-based tion time for charts significantly, allowing MCD will continue to be the world leader in enterprise-wide system for NCS II to more frequent updates. The streamlined work- hydrographic information management.

More Information For more information, contact Julia Powell, Marine Chart Division, NOAA (e-mail: Julia.Powell@noaa. gov, Web: chartmaker.ncd. noaa.gov), or Brian Cross, ESRI (e-mail: bcross@esri. com; tel.: 909-793-2853, ext. 1-1158).

The NCS II will help the Marine Chart Division meet its critical challenge of providing navigation products that cover approximately 11 million square kilometers of coastal waters.

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14 15 continued from page 3 Modernizing National Mapping Workflow

• Primary data collection • Approaching change by business unit tions while providing maximum flexibility to - Planning the data acquisition program allows each unit to adapt and adopt work- adapt to their particular needs and situations. - Performing or contracting field data flow improvements, new applications, new ESRI ArcGIS solutions are used to meet the collection services, and data model refinements inde- challenge of true integration of geodatasets, - Performing or contracting remote data pendently while collaborating with other maps and globes, metadata, and process and collection business units through the SOA. workflow models. • Data processing • Extracting and compiling digital Conclusion More Information information NMAs are no longer just about mapping For more information about how ESRI soft- • Performing quality assurance and charting. The increasingly sophisticated ware addresses these critical challenges, read • Instituting “one-touch” data maintenance demands of their customers, which now the article on page 5, “Technology Solutions across the enterprise include communities of users in the govern- for National Mapping Agencies.” - Defining enterprise data workflows ment and private sectors, and their own insti- - Centrally managing data workflows tutional requirements have changed their • Finalizing information products missions to providing leadership in geospatial • Information dissemination data collection, management, and dissemina- - Cataloging information tion through a greater variety of products and - Storing information solutions. - Developing dissemination mechanisms Thus, their situation has changed from stove- (digital and print) pipe departmental GIS/processes/procedures • Ensuring interoperability among all enter- for developing static map products to maxi- prise business systems mizing the value from the investment in digital • Providing access to, and integration with, information across the enterprise. Their systems other agencies, commercial organizations, must meet broader strategic goals, including and public offices • Providing accurate and timely geospatial Common Strategies products and services to Improve Business Functions • Demonstrating the capabilities to adapt to There are common GIS-based strategies that all new requirements and technologies NMAs can employ to improve these business • Extracting maximum value from geospatial functions: information • Allocating resources effectively • Maximizing the use of standards-based • Promoting collaboration throughout the COTS products minimizes operational costs organization, as well as through interde- and production schedules while leveraging partmental and interagency partnerships best practices for each domain. COTS-based and collaboration with commercial/private solutions allow workflows, business rules, organizations desktop applications, and Web services to • Ensuring the effective planning, develop- be built on a common framework. ment, and administration of core business • Adopting a service-oriented architecture functions (SOA) framework lets agencies leverage legacy data during transformation and pro- NMAs worldwide must achieve these vides flexible alignment of functions with goals within the context of their particu- business units, interoperability between lar national policies, markets, budgets, and working databases with various geospatial assets. They need cost-effective COTS-based technologies, and extensive reuse of applica- solutions that can integrate systems and tions when provided as registered services. databases and standardize business func-

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14 15 ESRI Regional Offices

ESRI Minneapolis 380 New York Street Olympia 651-454-0600 360-754-4727 Redlands, California St. Louis Boston 92373-8100 USA 636-949-6620 Philadelphia 978-777-4543 610-644-3374 Phone: 909-793-2853 Fax: 909-793-5953 E-mail: [email protected]

For more than 35 years, ESRI has Washington, D.C. 703-506-9515 been helping people make better decisions through management California and analysis of geographic 909-793-2853 Charlotte ext. 1-1906 704-541-9810 information. A full-service GIS company, ESRI offers a framework Denver 303-449-7779 for implementing GIS technology San Antonio 210-499-1044 and business logic in any organization from personal GIS on the desktop to enterprise-wide GIS servers (including the Web) and ESRI International Offices mobile devices. ESRI GIS solutions Australia Hungary Portugal are flexible and can be customized www.esriaustralia.com.au www.esrihu.hu www.esri-portugal.pt to meet the needs of our users. Belgium/Luxembourg India Romania www.esribelux.com www.esriindia.com www.esriro.ro

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Canada Italy Spain 1-800-GIS-XPRT (1-800-447-9778) www.esricanada.com www.esriitalia.it www.esri-es.com www.esri.com Chile Japan Sweden Locate an ESRI value-added reseller www.esri-chile.com www.esrij.com www.esri-sgroup.se near you at China (Beijing) Korea Thailand www.esri.com/resellers www.esrichina-bj.cn www.esrikr.co.kr www.esrith.com China (Hong Kong) Malaysia Turkey Outside the United States, www.esrichina-hk.com www.esrisa.com.my www.esriturkey.com.tr contact your local ESRI distributor. Finland Netherlands United Kingdom For the number of your distributor, www.esri-finland.com www.esrinl.com www.esriuk.com call ESRI at 909-793-2853, France Northeast Africa Venezuela ext. 1-1235, or visit our Web site at www.esrifrance.fr 202-516-7485 www.esriven.com www.esri.com/distributors Germany/Switzerland Poland www.esri-germany.de www.esripolska.com.pl www.esri-suisse.ch

Copyright © 2007 ESRI. All rights reserved. ESRI, ArcView, the ESRI globe logo, ArcInfo, ArcEditor, ArcSDE, ArcGIS, MPS-Atlas, ArcScan, ArcMap, Maplex, PLTS, JTX, GIS Data 108961 ReViewer, 3D Analyst, ArcNews, @esri.com, and www.esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain XXX?M11/07sp other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

® ™ ESRI Ar c Ne w s Reprints • Vol. 29 No. 2 • Summer 2007

Reprinted courtesy of ESRI, 380 New York St., Redlands, CA 92373-8100,16 USA • TEL 909-793-2853 • FAX 909-793-5953 • WEB www.esri.com