The fact is that many enterprise GIS projects will fail because of the lack of adequate organizational involvement in the development process. The root of this problem is that many approach GIS design and implementation as a technical problem. As a result, senior management and end users are inadequately engaged in the process of defining strategic objectives, establishing success criteria, and determining potential crucial organizational issues. Experience in the development of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's enterprise GIS has shown that the opportunity for a successful implementation can be substantially improved through the use of collaborative systems technology and professional facilitators. Collaborative systems facilitate the equal exchange of ideas and information through networked personal computers. Collaborative systems technology, with the assistance of a professional facilitator, was a critical success factor in developing a strategic GIS plan, preparing and reviewing the project proposal, establishing clear user-based input for the requirements document, and aiding the ongoing management of the project.