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Minnesota Geospatial Commons – Test Implementation
1
Project Plan
Project Name: Minnesota Geospatial Commons – Test Implementation
Date: 06/07/2010 Version: 1.3
Prepared By: Mark Kotz
A Executive Summary
Business Need/Opportunity
The Minnesota geospatial community has access to a large number of shared geospatial datasets, mainly
through multiple data download sites. However, no one web location exists through which people and
organizations can find and share such data. Shared web services and applications are even less accessible, and
only modestly promoted as a potential shared resource. There exists in Minnesota a significant opportunity to
collaboratively develop a single location through which published Minnesota geospatial resources can be found
and shared.
Many in the community are very interested in this opportunity and have a compelling business need to see it
succeed, not the least of which are the agencies that manage the biggest GIS data distribution sites in the state
(DNR, Met Council, MnGeo & Mn/DOT). Further, the existence of a collaboratively developed Commons
may eliminate the need for existing, disparate GIS data download sites, saving several organizations from the
responsibility of maintaining their own sites and upgrading them periodically.
The coordinated geospatial commons that is envisioned would greatly advance our ability to share web services
in particular, by both providing a place to publish information about them and also by facilitating assessments
of the reliability and trustworthiness of such web services. The increased usage of web services will produce
efficiency gains for many organizations, in particular those that develop geospatial applications.
Perhaps most importantly, the Commons will provide a one stop location for a broad array of business and GIS
users in Minnesota and beyond, whether professional or casual, to find and share useful resources, and will
promote greater sharing of geospatial data, services and applications.
Statement of Work
This effort includes the following:
Define the needed functions of the Commons
o Begin with those functions needed by the major data producers
o Get additional input from the broader MN geospatial community
Assess existing sites and products and choose a product for a test bed implementation
Further define the critical functions and requirements (i.e. role of the broker, services documentation)
Form a multi agency implementation team advised by the Commons workgroup
Create and approve a project charter
Create and approve a project plan for the test bed implementation
Implement a test bed Commons focusing on high priority functions
Test functionality and assess strengths and deficiencies of software product and implementation
methods
Make recommendations and project plan for a full production Commons, including
o Roles and responsibilities
o Functions to include
o Implementation methods
o Timeline