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In 2010, in partnership with the University of Washington Evans School of Public Administration and with partial funding from the State of Oregon, Greg launched the first comprehensive retrospective ROI study of a major GIS operation conducted by a non-GIS financial professional. This study led to an Esri Special Achievement in GIS Award for King County in 2012. He has continued to research and refine GIS ROI methodologies, most recently conducting a multi-agency ROI analysis in the Seattle area.

He holds an MA in geography from Wayne State University. Greg is a GISP – Certified GIS Professional. He is Past President of URISA and founder and Past-Chair of URISA's GIS Management Institute. In 2005 he founded The Summit – the Washington State GIS Newsletter. In addition to GIS consulting, he is a GIS researcher, author, and instructor. He has spoken about GIS management across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Greg has taught GIS for Public Policy as an instructor with the University of Washington Evans Graduate School of Public Administration. In his spare time Greg likes "... hiking steep, narrow and dangerous trails that lead high above the clouds to awesome views."

This workshop will help GIS managers and staff leverage geographic theory and thinking to create more value for their agency

Goals and objectives of this workshop

GIS began its development barely 65 years ago, but the scientific discipline of geography began at least 22 centuries ago with the work of Eratosthenes and later Claudius Ptolemy. Throughout that period and accelerating during the past two hundred years, new geographic analysis and theories have provided increased value to our understanding of the finite space that we share on this Earth. Alexander von Humboldt revolutionized our understanding of nature. Isiah Bowman advised Woodrow Wilson and FDR through two world wars and their aftermaths. William Bunge was part of the quantitative revolution in geography and then found new relevance for a regional approach to understanding communities.

This two-hour online workshop provides an overview of how thinking 'out of the GIS box' can enable us to be more effective managers and help find new applications of geospatial technology for the agencies that we support. We will review how thinking like a geographer can help us understand and communicate the full potential of GIS. And it will help us instill geographic thinking in the staff that we manage and the community of end-users that we support.

Audience

GIS managers and geospatial professionals who want to learn how understanding geographic theory can make them more effective.

This workshop introduces the essentials of GIS funding, budgeting, and financial planning and management for effective GIS managers.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

This workshop introduces the fundamentals of GIS funding, budgeting, and financial planning and management for GIS managers. It is intended for GIS managers of public agencies, non-profits, and private companies. Every GIS operation competes for financial resources from the agency or business that it serves. Just as the technical aspects of GIS may be mysterious to the uninformed, understanding and navigating financial processes may be a challenge for GIS managers and leaders.

Enterprise GIS is expensive to develop, maintain, and operate. Even small-to-medium-sized cities, counties, and regional agencies have invested millions of dollars to develop their GIS capabilities, and they can have large annual operating budgets. The good news is that many recent third-party studies have proven that GIS delivers significant financial return on investment (ROI) to organizations that deploy it as an enterprise business-support tool. But competing for financial resources and managing them well is a key responsibility of any manager, including GIS.

This workshop will enable GIS managers to navigate the financial aspects related to GIS confidently, to understand weekly, monthly, and annual financial processes, and to compete effectively for the financial resources needed to achieve their business goals.

The information provided in this workshop aligns with related processes and competencies found in the GIS Capability Maturity Model and the Geospatial Management Competency Model.

Audience

IT directors/managers, GIS managers, decision makers, and finance managers who want to understand the funding, budgeting, and financial aspects of GIS operations.

GIS managers will learn how to document ROI to demonstrate the value of their GIS and advocate for future financial support.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

GIS management is a challenging yet critical profession for leveraging geospatial data and technology, maximizing ROI, and ensuring adequate financial support. This is a key GIS management responsibility.

This GIS Management Academy™ workshop introduces ROI analysis methods to document net financial benefits. We will review GIS benefits and focus on recent (non-GIS industry) literature documenting significant GIS ROI at various social and institutional levels.

A major portion of the workshop demonstrates a simple, objective methodology to quantify and report GIS performance metrics and ROI. This includes a custom Excel Spreadsheet template provided to all students upon completion. Attendees will gain tools and a framework to input data and document their GIS ROI.

This GIS Management Academy™ workshop aligns with several US Department of Labor Geospatial Management Competency Model (GMCM) clusters, including: Performance Management, Communication, Relationship Management, Political Skills, and Financial Management.

Enterprise GIS is expensive to develop, maintain, and operate. Even small-to-medium-sized cities, counties, and regional agencies have invested millions in GIS capabilities with large annual operating budgets. However, recent third-party studies prove GIS delivers significant financial return on investment (ROI) to organizations deploying it as an enterprise business-support tool. Register for GIS ROI Fundamentals from the GIS Management Academy™ today.

Audience

Current GIS managers, supervisors, coordinators, and those aspiring to a successful career in GIS management. Also, agency budget and finance managers and senior agency stakeholders interested in understanding the quantifiable financial benefits from geographic information science and technology.

GIS managers will learn best practices for staffing.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

Your personal competency and effectiveness as a GIS manager are judged by the team that you assemble and lead, and the goals and objectives your team accomplishes. You will be working with the team that you have assembled for many years. Your career success and the success of your team depends on your leadership and management effectiveness in this critical competency area. The people resources that you assemble and develop are the most valuable asset that your GIS has.

This two-hour online GIS Academy™ workshop provides a clear foundation and action-based structure for GIS managers to plan, assemble, motivate, and lead an effective GIS team now and into the future.

Audience

Current GIS managers, supervisors, and coordinators who want to assemble a winning GIS team.

This workshop introduces proven strategies and methods to promote and grow your government agency or private company GIS operation.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

GIS managers must ensure key decision makers understand the value and future potential of GIS. This fosters continued engagement, as marketing and business development are rarely taught competencies. Whether for government agencies, non-profits, or private companies, we know the many benefits GIS provides. However, consider the perspective of others: what do company managers, elected officials, public works managers, warehouse supervisors, or budget analysts know about GIS and its value?

This GIS Management Academy™ workshop aligns with several competency clusters from the US Department of Labor Geospatial Management Competency Model (GMCM), including:

Enterprise GIS is expensive to develop, maintain, and operate. Even small-to-medium-sized cities, counties, and regional agencies have invested millions, with large annual operating budgets. Promoting your GIS's resources and capabilities increases its benefits and solidifies long-term support for a sustainable GIS.

Register for the "Promote and Grow your GIS for Successful Geospatial Managers" workshop from the GIS Management Academy™ today.

Audience

Current GIS managers, supervisors, and coordinators, and those who aspire to a successful career in GIS management.

This workshop shows how the GMCM can help you assess your management competencies and prioritize your continual career development.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

GIS management is a challenging profession. Effective GIS management is a critical success factor for an agency to leverage the potential of its investment in geospatial data and technology and to maximize GIS ROI.

GIS management is often seen as the culmination of a career in GIS – the opportunity to apply geospatial technology to achieve a vision for GIS within an organization, be it a government agency, non-profit, or private company. But any management position, and especially GIS management requires a systematic understanding of the many competencies required to succeed.

This workshop introduces the concept of competency models as a tool to understand the range of individual competencies that an organization needs to succeed in utilizing a specific technology and related business process. We will review a variety of published geospatial competency models.

This workshop will focus on the Geospatial Management Competency Model (GMCM) developed by the URISA GMI Committee chaired by the instructor and adopted by the US Department of Labor Employment Training Administration in 2012. We will discuss the characteristics that distinguish GIS management from IT and other domains within typical government agencies, non-profits, and private industry.

The workshop will describe how the GMCM can help GIS managers assess their own professional strengths and identify priority areas for further competency development. The GMCM can also be used to assess an entire GIS management team.

Through hands-on exercises, workshop attendees will complete an initial assessment of their own geospatial management competencies against the GMCM. Attendees will receive a report based on their input that will allow them to compare their competencies with peers and to plan their future priority competency development.

Enterprise GIS is expensive to develop, maintain, and operate. Even small-to-medium-sized cities, counties, and regional agencies have invested millions of dollars to develop their GIS capabilities, and they can have large annual operating budgets. Many recent third-party studies have proven that GIS delivers significant financial return on investment (ROI) to organizations that deploy it as an enterprise business-support tool.

However, like a sports team, symphony orchestra, or gourmet restaurant, no GIS operation can achieve its potential without effective leadership and highly competent management. GIS operational effectiveness, sustainability, and ROI varies depending on the competency of the geospatial manager.

The relationship of the GMCM to the GIS Capability Maturity Model will also be described.

Workshop attendees will receive copies of the GMCM. An exercise will be conducted during which attendees will be asked to perform an initial confidential self-assessment of their competency by applying the GMCM. This workshop will be of value to those interested in the development, implementation, and use of GIS management professional standards and best practices.

Audience

Current GIS managers, supervisors, and coordinators, and those who aspire to a successful career in GIS management. Also, HR professional and senior management interested in understanding the competencies of a highly effective GIS manager.

This workshop introduces the GIS Capability Maturity Model (GISCMM) as a tool for effective GIS management, operations, and metrics.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

This workshop introduces a variety of GIS maturity models in common use throughout the geospatial community, focusing on the GIS Capability Maturity Model (GISCMM) as a tool for effective GIS management, operations, and tracking metrics. Through a hands-on exercise, workshop attendees will complete an initial assessment of their own GIS operation.

Enterprise GIS is expensive to develop, maintain, and operate. While small-to-medium-sized cities, counties, and regional agencies have invested millions to develop GIS capabilities with large annual operating budgets, almost no GIS operation is 100% implemented. Most enterprise GIS operations lack crucial resources to meet all potential business needs, have uncertain sustainability, and see varying ROI depending on the maturity of their GIS management practices.

The GIS Capability Maturity Model will be described, along with its relationship to the USDOLETA Geospatial Management Competency Model. Workshop attendees will receive a copy of a tool to enter assessment values against the GISCMM. An optional exercise will be conducted during the workshop, during which attendees will be asked to perform an initial assessment of their agency by applying the GISCMM. This workshop will be of value to those interested in the development, implementation, and use of GIS management professional standards and best practices.

Audience

IT directors/managers, GIS managers, decision makers, and operational personnel interested in understanding the overall state of their GIS operations.

This workshop provides a clear understanding of what GIS governance is intended for and how to structure GIS governance for successful GIS.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

An effective governance structure is a key success factor for a GIS organization and for the GIS manager who leads it. But often a GIS operation will take a 'heads-down and hope nobody bothers us' attitude and just focus on developing and maintaining data, developing a small set of apps, and responding to the occasional request for some analysis or a set of maps. Just as often the GIS shop will be overwhelmed by requests for new data, apps, and projects. Is this you?

A GIS manager with leadership and vision will likely hope to accomplish more than what available resources allow. An effective GIS governance structure with meaningful and supportive participation is an invaluable tool for a GIS manager.

This two-hour online GIS Academy™ workshop provides a clear understanding of what GIS governance is intended for, how to structure GIS governance, and how it can become a highly effective tool for successful GIS managers.

Audience

Current GIS managers, supervisors, and coordinators, and those who aspire to a successful career in GIS management.

This workshop outlines the fundamentals of GIS strategic planning and how to turn a plan into action and manage it for positive results.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

What is the future vision for your GIS? How do you define success as a GIS manager? We define our lives by the decisions that we make. Decisions can be trivial or life-changing. The ability to envision a future that is different than the present, and then to plan and work to achieve that future is a profound part of a successful career or life.

This new GIS Management Academy™ workshop outlines the fundamentals of GIS strategic planning and, much more importantly, how to manage a GIS strategic plan once it has been developed. Putting your strategic plan into action can become a vital part of how you manage your GIS for continual improvement.

The GIS Strategy Management for Successful GIS Managers workshop is built upon a methodology that creates a clear, concise, and actionable strategic plan that becomes an integral part of how you manage your GIS.

This GIS Management Academy™ workshop aligns with the ‘Strategic Planning and Action’ competency cluster included in the US Department of Labor Geospatial Management Competency Model. Specific GMCM competencies covered include:

Audience

Current GIS managers, supervisors, and coordinators, and those who aspire to a successful career in GIS management.

This workshop will help GIS professionals understand the Locus Charter and how to apply it for ethical spatial data management and use.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

This workshop introduces the Locus Charter developed by EthicalGEO and the Benchmark Initiative. In early 2023 URISA joined many other organizations in endorsing the Locus Charter. The GIS Code of Ethics obligates GIS professionals to standards of practice related to society as a whole and to individuals within society. Since the GIS Code of Ethics was published, there has been an explosion of data available for GIS organizations and geospatial professionals. The potential for harm to society and individuals in society has resulted in far-reaching proposals for regulation in many countries.

URISA members, GISPs, and all geospatial professionals may not be aware that they are obligated to actively abide by the GIS Code of Ethics. This workshop introduces how the principles outlined in the Locus Charter can be used to formulate ethical data collection, stewardship, and analysis practices and use cases. The workshop advocates for companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profits to join the Locus Charter Community. Hopefully GIS professionals will advocate for the adoption of the Locus Charter, not just for GIS, but for the entire body of corporate data within their organization.

Audience

All GIS professionals, including those who hold GIS certification (GISP) or other certifications. Also those starting their careers in GIS and wanting to learn about the ethical application of geographic information science and technology. GIS professionals interested in ethical practices related to spatial data management and use.

This workshop will help GIS professionals manage GIS as a financial asset.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

GIS is expensive to develop, maintain, and operate. Every year GIS managers are responsible for expenditures for staff, software, technical infrastructure, and data. But rarely do we think about the value of our assets and fluctuations in value from year to year. The good news is we can demonstrate with proven methodologies that GIS provides agencies that use it with significant ongoing return on investment (ROI).

But there is another way to demonstrate the value of our GIS. We can calculate the financial value of the GIS assets that we manage. This two-hour online workshop presents a templated methodology for calculating the financial value of all our GIS resources. The benefits of assessing the value of our GIS include:

A GIS manager with leadership and vision will need to understand and communicate the overall value of the GIS asset that they are responsible for.

This two-hour online GIS Academy™ workshop provides a clear understanding of what GIS assets are. It presents a templated methodology to calculate and communicate the overall value of your GIS. Calculating GIS ROI and the value of your GIS asset provides significant "good news" that you can use to build support for your GIS and keep it growing into the future.

Audience

GIS managers and geospatial professionals who want to learn how to calculate the asset value of their GIS and to use GIS asset value metrics for both performance management and to promote and grow GIS use.

This workshop will help GIS professionals understand the GIS Code of Ethics and prepare them to apply it when circumstances require.

Goals and objectives of this workshop

This workshop will help GIS professionals understand the GIS Code of Ethics and prepare them to apply it when circumstances warrant. During the past few years several high-profile cases related to the GIS Code of Ethics have been publicized. Are you prepared to act if placed in a situation that might require you to violate the Code? Are you able to discuss the Code with employers, colleagues, and customers to frame the ethical limits of applying geographic information science and technology?

More than 20 years ago, URISA took the lead to convene a taskforce to develop the GIS Code of Ethics. It has since been endorsed by many professional organizations. Adherence to the Code is a requirement to become a certified GIS Professional (GISP).

We will begin this workshop by discussing the characteristics of a profession and the good and harm that professions can cause. The development and use of codes of ethics through history will be reviewed, leading to their wide use within most professions today.

The GIS Code of Ethics will be reviewed and discussed in detail. We will use case studies to understand the practical application of the various obligations defined in the Code. These include:

A key challenge we will discuss is how to act when our obligations come into conflict with each other.

This workshop is intended to be very interactive. We will go into breakout sessions to discuss our understanding of our obligations and how we might react in potential real-world situations.

We will also discuss the inherent dilemma that the Code creates for anyone who uses GIS for a government agency, non-profit, or private company.

All attendees will receive copies of the workshop slides.

Audience

All GIS professionals, including those who hold GIS certification (GISP) or other certifications. Also those starting their careers in GIS and wanting to learn about the ethical application of geographic information science and technology.