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enterprise-wide GIS activity support as well as support to departments beyond what <br /> existing staff requires . <br /> A successful GIS effort must be results-oriented . Therefore , the expertise and quality <br /> of analysis conducted by User Support staff are vital . It is recommended that the GIS <br /> Director provide User Support for those departments that he/she deems appropriate : <br /> additional support will be provided by specific departmental resources . As GIS usage <br /> grows throughout the County, those departments/divisions / offices that require a <br /> great deal of user support should consider hiring a department-specific GIS Specialist <br /> or GIS Technician in the future ( such as the recommended GIS Specialist and GIS <br /> Technician in the Public Works Department) . <br /> Data Collection / Production : A great deal of time and effort is spent by most <br /> organizations to develop accurate and effective GIS datasets . This data must be <br /> maintained properly for it to retain its usefulness . This is primarily the role of GIS <br /> Technicians and GIS Interns . As GIS develops within an organization , new data will be <br /> collected and will need to be converted to adhere to data standards . Specific tasks <br /> such as digitizing , scanning , and metadato creation are also the responsibility of GIS <br /> Technicians and / or GIS Interns . It is recommended that the GIS Director coordinate <br /> and provision the appropriate resources to collect, produce , and maintain GIS <br /> datasets for those departments that do not have the necessary staff to perform this <br /> task . <br /> Kt Hiring vs. Retraining <br /> A fundamental question encountered by organizations during implementation of an <br /> enterprise-wide GIS is : " When should we hire additional GIS staff, and when should we <br /> retrain existing staff to handle GIS responsibilities ? " The answer to this , in large part, depends <br /> on the existing status of GIS within each organization . Large and mid-size counties will <br /> require GIS staff in several functional areas (outlined in the previous section ) . <br /> There are two general categories for the hiring or retraining of staff. The first is core GIS staff . <br /> As outlined previously in this chapter, even decentralized GIS organizational structures <br /> require core GIS staff to handle non-department specific GIS issues . Many of the <br /> responsibilities of core GIS staff require specific knowledge of GIS and Information <br /> Technology issues . As a general rule, a large organization without existing staff to handle all <br /> of these responsibilities will need to hire additional staff . <br /> Staffing issues in GIS-participating departments are more complex when compared to core <br /> GIS staff . A primary reason for implementing an enterprise-wide GIS is to facilitate and <br /> improve existing business processes . A large organization utilizing enterprise-wide GIS will <br /> have more end-users of GIS than specific GIS staff . <br /> The majority of staff within GIS- participating departments will primarily utilize GIS data <br /> browsers . Although basic GIS data browsing and querying require limited training , the <br /> functionality required for advanced spatial analysis , using robust applications such as <br /> ArcEditor or ArcView , is much more complex . Individual departments will need to have staff <br /> with appropriate knowledge to effectively operate these applications . At present , the <br /> County has several staff members with the skills and knowledge to utilize more advanced <br /> applications , such as ArcView and Arc Editor. <br /> " In general , it is easier to hire a professional for the required business function ( such as <br /> engineer or planner) , and train them in GIS , than it is to hire a GIS-trained staff member and <br /> 2-9 <br /> GIS Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan Chapter 2 - GIS Organizational Structure and Staffing <br />