Best Practices for Mission Applications

Emergence of GPS Data Collection in Multi-agency Projects Fuels the Need for GIS Training and Outreach Initiatives

—Helenmary Hotz, University of Massachusetts

The exponential growth of GPS technology and handheld devices has enabled data collection efforts in government agencies over the past few years. In the rush to collect data, the task of data collection usually falls to volunteers, interns and other users with little or no understanding of the technology behind the buttonology; and, frequently the entity desiring the data has given little thought to the scale or accuracy of the data to be collected. These types of problems exist, due to a lack of basic knowledge and understanding of the science and concepts behind GIS technology. For this reason, agencies reach out to the education community to provide workshops or training for the people involved in these projects. Typical requests come from the National Park Service, Trustees of Reservations and similar government organizations. Developing these programs facilitates productive partnerships that benefit all parties.