Enterprise GIS at the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure: a

business case study in return on investment

Simon CallaghanIndependent Study, Master of Science

Carnegie Mellon University

IntroductionUndertook an Independent Study during Master of

Science in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University

Previously worked as a GIS Officer at DTEI in 2007-08, topic suggested by the South Australian Surveyor-General, Peter Kentish

Unable to gain detailed monetary figures, therefore politically inappropriate to conduct a cost-benefit analysis

“Enterprise GIS ROI: a case study from SA”, Position Magazine, October/November 2011 No. 55, Intermedia.

DTEILarge SA Government DepartmentEmploys approximately 3500

Core businessRoadsPublic transportLand divisions and land recordsEnergy efficiency

GIS History at DTEIBegan using GIS in 1993 in the Transport Services

Division

Growth driven by technically determined enthusiasts

Ad hoc GIS growth department-wide

Traditionally map-based and data centric

The “Fujitsu” project (South Australian Government)

BackgroundIn 2006, DTEI’s executive group decision to

rationalise

GIS Strategic Plan 2007-2012 written involving a consultancy from Melbourne

GIS Office created in 2007

2008 David Harvey replaces David Goodwins as DTEI’s Director of GIS

BackgroundFormation of GIS Steering Committee

GIS Steering Committee recommends rationalisation

2008 Global Financial Crisis hits

In 2009 South Australian Government Treasurer demands all Departments cut their budgets by 30%

Previous stateAd hoc growth caused entropy

Entropy occurs in any ICT system when left unplanned and unchecked

100’s of servers scattered throughout the Department

Redundancy of data throughout the Department

Need for a single point of truth

Current stateApproximately 50% of DTEI employees use

spatial data in some capacity and 30% use GIS in some form

Federalised structure – moving towards a centralised structure

Corporate Data Repository – allows distributed data management

Spatial Data Sharing Initiative (SDSI)

Current stateStreamlined approach to find the 30% budget cuts

250 ESRI licenses and < 10 of AutoDesk and MapInfo – minimising diversity of products

Fixed licenses for specialists only

Floating licenses for the organisational userseg environmental scientists and planners

Move towards web-based services eg Property Location Browser

SDSIIt has committed stakeholders – beginning

with only 4 State Government departments

Budgets have been slashed post-GFC forcing the need to do more with less

There is a longer-term commitment to success from the stakeholders

Continual GrowthMoving towards an enterprise GIS

Continued development of tools by GIS specialists

Continued development of geo-processing by GIS specialists

Growth of the CDR as a centralised “single point of truth” to provide more certainty in decisions

ChallengesMaximise the return on investment from GIS at every

opportunity

GIS Office has a mandate, but limited budget, limited staff, a short-term life-cycle, and a politically volatile agenda

Funding for the GIS Office runs out in 2012

Clever organisations do not build an ICT systems without planning for the future – this is now taking place

ChallengesContinued growing demand for digital services

One of the first few South Australian Government departments to tackle this problem

One of the biggest users of spatial data of all South Australian Government departments

Continually finding new improvements on return on investment

Return on investment

Source: G. Van Gaans

Return on investmentBroadening customer base and increasing the

use of spatial data throughout the department

Utilising the technology and specialists to automate processes

Minimise spending through shared cost structure both internally, through CDR, and across government through SDSI

Incorporate location intelligence further into decision-making processes and executives’ thinking

ConclusionDTEI’s Executive have recognised the value

of GIS to the organisation

Must give the GIS Office more authority to make decisions for the Department

Must invest further in the move towards an enterprise GIS at DTEI in order to avoid further entropy

AcknowledgementsMr David Harvey, Director of GIS, DTEIProf. William P. Kittredge, PhD, Carnegie

Mellon UniversityProf. Kristen Kurland, Carnegie Mellon

University

Questions