human interface in order to model the workflow process and it
must support time in the GIS to analyse historic data. If some 5
to 20 strategic targets are identified and each strategic target
identifies several subtopics, hundreds of scenarios will enter
into the requirements.
The advantage of this procedure is to offer top management
personnel a global perspective as to the magnitude of the
problem. With this information they should be able to ‘weed
out’ the essential requirements from the ‘nice to have’
functionality. By concentrating on essential requirements tends
to lead a ‘prototype’ implementation into production much
earlier by eliminating a natural human focus on details.
4. STRATEGIC ASPECTS
Strategic aspects are the most important dimension concerning
a GIS implementation. Only they guarantee the success. They
help to overcome principle weaknesses in the present
organisation (Born, 1994). A high benefit can be reached since
the objectives of the organisation are understood and the
necessary restructuring can be performed in a better and
elegant way. The costs of investments and current costs are
reduced and conflicts between management and the
departments are minimised. In addition the motivation of the
employees will be increased.
Once a GIS has been introduced, it is important to benchmark
a prototype to be sure all strategic targets are functional. This
is generally performed by analysing existing workflow patterns
compared with those resulting from the usage of the system. A
preliminary cost/benefit analysis should be arranged.
S. WORK PROCESSES
The use of work processes within GIS have not yet become a
matter of course today, although in commercial areas there
exist quasi-standards. In GIS, systems are generally compatible
for data exchange. This is due to the reason that in GIS most
developments are individual and the technical processes are
more complicated than with commercial processes. The notion
of adapting their work processes to standardised procedures is
somehow strange to technicians. To define requirements under
the consideration of changing an organisational structure, exi-
sting work processes are analysed by using the methods of
Structured Analysis (SA) or Structured Analysis and Design
Techniques (SADT) (Raasch, 1991). On an interview by
interview basis, work processes are investigated as they relate
to the data exchange between administrative and technical
departments. The work process is subdivided into various
components consisting of terminators, storages and data flow
as shown in figure 2. Following this, the optimisation towards
the final process occurs, trying to minimise the number of
methods within the organisation and avoiding redundant
processes. This leads to a considerable acceleration of data
flow and reduces the number of stops with the parties involved.
The availability of GIS functionality and along with the notion
of distributed data, the decision competence of the experts will
be increased. The existing structure of the organisation can be
reduced (lean management). The work processes are performed
82
in GIS using modern human interfaces. The experts work with
their familiar application and technical terms. The usage of
GIS or operating system specific terminology can be hidden
from the user.
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By performing these criteria for the selection of a GIS and
considering the required applications accordingly, the presence
of a GIS within the work place will be acceptable. GIS will
become not only a tool in itself but also an important tool for
human use and for the improvement of the work place. It can
provide a highly motivated and efficient working group with
attempts to optimise the economics of managing spatially
related data administration.
6. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
GIS requirements are rather individual to each organisation
and are covered differently by the systems available in the
market. This should be considered during evaluation process.
By deriving requirements from objectives, one gets a clearer
perspective for the GIS (Steidler, 1994). In this context it is not
necessary and is also counter-productive to ask for more
functionality.
At this point it makes sense to concentrate on the technical
aspects which are directly related to the defined objectives.
The advantage of this procedure is to be able to build up a
benchmark which can meet the objectives in a reasonable
amount of time and to provide a cost benefit analysis. The
strengths and weaknesses of any system versus the realisation
of objectives are analysed at this level. This process may or
may not be an iterative one according to the vendor's
understanding of the objectives. This avoids the needs of
developing a ‘super monolithic’ system which cannot work.
6.1 Requirements for a GIS
The requirements for a GIS are structured due to their diversity
(Gause, Weinberg 1993). They have to be evaluated on a
product specific basis. The following list may be used as an
example:
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