system. In addition, we cannot contribute to a monop-
economy. IM managers should be held accountable for
oly of any one geospatial software vendor to the total
technological support of GD&S functions.
exclusion of others.
Problem: Technology and geospatial metadata
creation
Solutions
To facilitate interoperability between geospatial
Description
data development systems, USACE should strongly
Most problems related to metadata creation are not
support development of data translators, conformance
due to technology but to workload, funding, and resis-
to SDSFIE, and OpenGIS. It would be valuable to
tance to using new computer tools. However, tech-
train GD&S personnel in these areas in PROSPECT
nology is involved: we need to make the technology
GIS courses. GD&S users should have access to GIS-
of metadata creation function easily, quickly, and, as
product viewers and image-viewers that are available
much as possible, invisibly to the users. Some people
as freeware or for purchase.
hesitate to use CORPSMET because it is another new
program to learn and the metadata content standard
Problem: Information Management involvement
terminology is obscure.
in USACE GD&S
Description
Solutions
In general, GD&S environments were less suc-
IM involvement is crucial to the upkeep of net-
cessful when IM personnel were not involved. Cases
works, software, centralized data servers or reposito-
also exist where IM has not been involved and the
ries, and local computers. In addition, if training in
technology environments were highly successful, but
computer-related classes were required of Corps staff,
it is most efficient to have involved IM personnel
the boundaries of the "unknown" that many people
working with GD&S staff to enable each to focus on
fear would shrink. Computer training for GD&S staff
their area of specialty.
should be an annual requirement to keep up with the
latest information management tools and techniques,
especially operating system and TCP/IP networking
Solutions
To foster this interaction, at least one IM repre-
expertise.
sentative should be an active member of the GD&S
All employees working in GD&S and all new
Technical Committee and should be responsible for
employees in GD&S areas should be required to take
the IM information section of the GD&S Imple-
a hands-on class in metadata creation. This class
mentation Plan and Plan updates. Ideally, the IM
should be developed as part of the USACE PROS-
staff member would have experience using the geospa-
PECT training. The course requires more time than
tial software, hardware, network, and storage mecha-
can be allowed for the subject matter in the PROS-
nisms of the organization. GD&S technology support
PECT GIS courses now given. It should also be given
should be part of his or her job description, and his
as a preliminary class prior to GD&S-related sym-
or her job rating should rely in part on the IM staff
posiums that Corps personnel attend. The only way
member's support of the GD&S technology environ-
to make metadata a part of the business process in
ment.
USACE GD&S is to make it a part of the "normal"
IM support of GD&S is also required at the man-
corporate thought process of geospatial data creation.
agement level. Presentations on the USACE GD&S
As is true with the concept of simultaneous data
IM needs and metadata requirements should be made
and metadata creation, if these tools are part of current
to the Chiefs of Information Management (CIM)
college-level curricula, these issues may be resolved
meetings on a continuing basis. A USACE Geospatial
as people with less psychological resistance to meta-
Data Advisory Group (GDAG) representative who is
data as an "added" work task come in. USACE should
also in IM may be able to make these presentations to
support teaching metadata concepts to all personnel
the CIM meetings.
coming up through the ranks of the educational and
Incorporating IM into the GD&S loop may be dif-
USACE systems.
ficult in situations where IM has not been a part of
the geospatial scenario thus far. In some cases IM has
Problem: Hardware limitations of CORPSMET
refused to support the hardware and software needs of
Description
the geospatial group because it didn't fit into IM's over-
CORPSMET is a public-domain software pack-
all plan for computer systems infrastructure. This divi-
age owned and maintained by USACE. Its purpose is
sive attitude cannot be tolerated in today's competitive
to provide a user-friendly interface for metadata cre-
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