You do not have to become a GIS expert or even have any "hands-on" experience with GIS to successfully implement GIS in your organization. However, you must be well-enough informed to describe its benefits to potential users and elected officials and to make intelligent choices about standards, hardware, software, staff, and consultants. This Guide will provide you with much of the information you need. You should do additional reading, talk to colleagues who are now using GIS, and attend GIS workshops or conferences. Good sources of information include the Governor's Council on Geographic Information, the Minnesota Land Management Information Center (LMIC), the Intergovernmental Information Systems Advisory Council (IISAC), Minnesota GIS/LIS consortium (contact through LMIC), the Metropolitan Council, and other regional governmental organizations. IISAC, LMIC, and the Governor's Council are good starting places. They can be reached by phone, fax, or Internet. Minnesota GIS/LIS holds an annual meeting every Fall where GIS professionals and decision makers from all levels of Minnesota government and the private sector get together to discuss the development and uses of the technology and learn what others are doing. Contact LMIC for information about joining Minnesota GIS/LIS and information for attending the annual conference.
IISAC
Phone: 800 657 3722 or 612 297 5530
Fax: 612 296 5800
WWW: http://www.admin.state.mn.us/iisac/
LMIC
Phone: 612 296 1211
Fax: 612 296 1212
WWW: http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/welcome.html
Governor's Council on Geographic Information
Phone: 612 296 1211
Fax: 612 296 1212
WWW: www.gis.state.mn.us
Minnesota Department of Transportation - "GIS Platform Guidelines"
John Schwartz Phone: 612 297 3108
Vic Conocchioli Phone: 612 296 6094
**COMMENT** See the Bibliography in Appendix A for additional information.
E-mail comments or questions to IISAC at iisac@state.mn.us.
| HOME|