Establishing Information Communities -
A Technical or an Organisational
Challenge
by Jes Ryttersgaard
Key words: Data, information, information systems,
education.
Abstract
1. Introduction
A number of countries are facing the same problems:
at the same time they are extending and consolidating their cadastral
and cartographic institutions and services and facing the challenges
building a market for spatial data and information.
At the same time the individual country has to:
- take responsibility for capacity building, education and
training of young people and staff, to secure continuos
development and to stand up to brain drain
- adjust their organizations to the continued changes in
technology
- update, upgrade and consolidate the cadastral and topographic
databases
- establish a spatial information infrastructure
- adapt to a commercial marked for spatial information
- adapt their organizations to regional and global developments
2. The Diversity
New technologies will give us new methods for data
capture. Remote sensing will give us cheaper data. Real time
positioning will revolutionize the traditional fieldwork, etc.
In time with the new technologies new actors will
enter the stage. They will be able to provide us with enormous amounts
of data. Physicists, mathematicians, statisticians and other
professionals will be involved in data capture traditionally done by
surveyors.
The available data will be used as well in public
and private administration as in business. Data from different sources
and data will be used in new combinations. Users without specific
knowledge will use and misuse the data they can get hold of.
To optimize and rationalize the use of data the
users, as well public as private, will demand nationwide homogeneous
data collections. Spatial data will be integrated in all kinds of
information-systems. Sometimes they will be visible. In other cases
they will be invisible, but indispensable because they are the real
prerequisite for the actual information-system.
There is a need for a general accepted Spatial
Data/Information Infrastructure.
3. Conclusions
Often development and implementation of information
systems are looked at and presented as a technical challenge. The
hypothesis in this paper is that in connection with establishing
information-systems involving one or more institutions or agencies the
organizational problems turn out to be very fundamental, whereas the
traditional technical aspects are of secondary importance.
As previously mentioned other professionals than
surveyors are and will be involved in data-capture. On the other hand
there is recognition of the need for professionals who can take the
responsibility for establishment of the necessary infrastructure –
spatial information managers.
It is an enormous challenge for universities and
technical high schools to adapt their curriculum to needs and demands
already recognised. If the educational institutions are able to
produce candidates who understand and are able to handle spatial
data/information infrastructure, harmonisation and integration of data
there are enormous possibilities for employment.
Besides the traditional production of candidates,
there is a need for upgrading of surveyors with some years of
professional experience. It is urgent to put focus on activities like
continuing professional development and distance learning and
training.
Jes Ryttersgaard
Informatics Department, National Survey and Cadastre Denmark
Rentemestervej 8
DK-2400 Copenhagen
DENMARK
E-mail: jr@kms.dk
http://www.kms.dk
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