(1) The application is directed towards a legislative mandate, policy 
directive, information requirement, or other important need of the 
organization. 
(2) The top management of the organization has been briefed and supports 
the test of the application. 
(3) The organization performs the test of feasibility itself or is active- 
ly involved if a contractor does the work. 
(4) Technologists assisting in the test have a clear understanding of the 
organization's needs and constraints. 
(5) A simple application of Landsat data over a broad area is used as an 
introduction to the technology. 
(6) A systematic evaluation is carried out as to the cost, accuracy/ 
precision, and timeliness of the Landsat application. 
"How do these common elements improve the chances for a successful application 
of Landsat data? Element 1 provides focus and relevance to the activity. 
Element 2 provides the necessary visibility and implied high level support to 
ensure that adequate cooperation and manpower will be made available throughout 
the organization. Element 3 is vital to overcome internal resistance to the new 
technology through training and familiarity with the procedures. Element 4 
ensures that the supporting technologists have properly conceived the problem 
and are pursuing solutions that are correlated with the organization's time- 
tables for information and are matched with the organization's ability to 
assimilate the new procedures in terms of both cost and sophistication. Element 
5 recognizes that an early success will provide a favorable climate for more 
complex and time consuming feasibility tests. Element 6 provides the necessary 
data for top management to assess the cost, personnel needs, etc., involved in 
implementing the new technology. 
"Unfortunately, the majority of tests to date of the application of Landsat data 
have been deficient in one or more of these apparently important elements. 
Knowledge of, and where appropriate, incorporation of these elements into exist- 
ing and future tests may help to overcome the institutional factors which 
currently hinder the increased operational use of Landsat data." 
Even if these elements are present in a project, it still requires time and 
patience to transfer technology to a potential user - a minimum of three to five 
years in our experience. 
Although institutional barriers are a major impediment to operational use of 
Landsat data, further improvements to the existing and planned systems are also 
necessary to maximize the use of these data (item #3). Every effort should be 
made, for example, to reduce the time required from acquisition of the data to 
receipt by the user through direct transmission of the data to ground stations 
and the use of communication satellites. Improvements in data quality and geo- 
metric fidelity should be continued, with a major emphasis on providing a varied 
date output that minimizes the need for extensive redundant preprocessing of 
Landsat data before information analysis. 
    
  
  
   
   
  
  
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
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