Development of GIS in Qatar - Essay Example

GIS in Qatar As we stand at the next millennium’s threshold, Qatar presents a unique GIS implementation model. Qatar is probably the only country that has been able to avail a fully integrated countrywide infrastructure for societal data that carries a societal GIS. The technology’s decision support and decision0making capacity has encouraged a vast number of institutions in Qatar to take up GIS as a prime part of the infrastructure in their organizations. In light of emerging facets of the country’s economic growth and renewed development, the government is currently framing strategies to meet the continually growing expectations that government agencies and the populace has, based on GIS technology. Without a doubt, Qatar foresees hurdles and challenges it has to face during the course of implementing its plans, and designs the contingency plans as well. On the technological side however, the continually changing trend in modeling and concepts linked to GIS data heavily strains the resources. Moreover, software solutions that are comprehensive and are at per with other Information Technology fronts and address all the needs required by this unique model have not yet emerged. Such models are the country’s pressing GIS needs for cruising into the next millennium. Introduction Qatar, a country characterized by desert topography, experienced rapid growth over the past decades following the country’s discovery of oil. Consequently, a spurt in physical growth occurred, followed by infrastructure development at a large scale, a fete which had to be at per with the rapid growth. Inefficient resource management, inadequate coordination, and duplication of efforts among government agencies heavily strained the government in the face of shrinking budgets and the ever-growing demands. In utilizing resources optimally when the country faced such rapid growth, the availability of the correct information at the correct time, became apparent as the key and efficient system of management and decision-making. This perception, along with the realization that close to eight percent of this vast body of information was related to the country’s geography, prompted the government’s option for a nationwide fully implemented GIS program for Qatar. Towards this end, the Center for GIS (CGIS) and the National Steering Committee were formed in 1990. Currently, digitally common base maps are available online for access by all agencies using GIS in Qatar, via a fiber optic network of high speed. Data consistency and the control of duplication efforts are achieved mainly through coordination between agencies and common data standards. Qatar is probably the first state to implement an integrated and comprehensive nationwide GIS that is globally recognized as one of the world’s finest GIS implementation. The paper herein attempts to describe the vision and strategies of GIS management, in a bid to overcome such pitfalls and reinforce a sustainable system model for the next millennium. GIS in Qatar; a Historical Scenario prior to Implementation Qatar experienced urban growth in a very rapid fashion the last three decades following its discovery of oil. Hundreds of kilometers of drainage networks, roads, telephone lines, water, and power networks have been constructed, accompanied by a surge in the development of real estate. During this boom period, the country experienced inept planning and documenting. Development however approached a rapid phase. During the late 80s, reconstruction of what had been built too hastily in the 60s and 70s began. The country’s government agencies were not in a capacity to keep updated records of the large-scale and rapid development. Inept inter-agency coordination, compounded by lack of information resulted in inefficient and poor planning of utilities and physical infrastructure, as well as resource management. Government agencies that were charged with specialized tasks documented and maintained paper-based maps of different scales, to enable them store and retain all the information that was relevant and pertinent to them. Along with the costs of the surveying and mapping exercise was an added cost of coping with results that were inconsistent from one agency to another. During this period that was marked by heightened demands and a downturn in budgets, the Qatari government could not afford to waste resources and duplicate efforts at a large scale. Coordination between agencies charged with utilities and urban planning was lacking, and this caused the expansion of infrastructure inharmoniously, and led to uncoordinated urban growth, resulting in a large strain on government expenditures. Qatar’s government realized the imperative need to develop an innovative framework to enable them tap and manage vast source of information that enable the constructive decision-making that is needed for the sustenance of development and maintenance of newly constructed infrastructure. The government had to contain the wastage of resources attributed to duplication efforts. To resolve the pressing issues, the government called for an innovative approach of managing information. This option, together with knowledge on the high linkage between information and topography, prompted officials in government to examine a variety of options on information technology, like systems of Computer Aided Design (CAD) for the transfer of aerial photographs/maps into electronic form. In 1988, a top Qatari government official Sheikh Ahmed bi Hamad observed a Canadian demonstration of GIS technology, and realized the potential it had to revolutionize the manner in which Qatar’s information is managed. He convinced senior government members to adopt this vision. With their cooperation, a study on user needs was carried out in 1989 by the government, to determine the governmental areas that would out rightly benefit from GIS implementation ("Qatar GIS"). The study highlighted that GIS had enormous potential for use in Qatar. Three major recommendations resulted from the study. First, that a digital database for mapping be implemented in the whole country. Second is that a fully integrated and comprehensive GIS be created nationwide. Third, that a high-level steering committee for GIS be instituted to outline standards, and oversee the development and implementation of GIS in Qatar. Acting upon these recommendations, the state do Qatar established a National Steering Committee for GIS, and its center. The center’s purpose is to oversee the implementation of GISS in Qatar in a systematic and organized fashion, and be impartial in serving the GIS requirements ascribed to governmental agencies. One of the center’s prime tasks is to ensure the implementation of Digital Topographic Database of high resolution which is currently in place and provides a consistent framework for a vast array of users of GIS and their applications. Currently, more than 40 government agencies in the country make use of GIS in their daily activities. The databases of these agencies are compatible and are all intergrade via a fiber optic network of high speed. Numerous GIS applications have been created and are being used to benefit businesses, government workers, and citizens alike. Today, Qatar experiences massive development of infrastructure and an expanding economy. Owing to the initially established standards, those agencies and companies that require GIS data can access and share data they require quite easily, and when they are in need of it. The heads of the CGIS and planning division, Mohammed Abd el-Wahab cites that the compatibly of data in itself tends to foster and sustain inter-agency cooperation since the data can be easily transferred and is easy to use. The Center for GIS and Qatar’s Nationwide GIS Today, GISnet links all agencies making use of GIS in Qatar. The database is a fiber optics network of 100 megabits-per second. There are currently 19 governmental and semi-governmental agencies making use of fully integrated GIS in their daily activities. The achievement is quite remarkable, considering the fact that not even addresses or street names which form the building block of any georeferenced information, were existent before GIS was implemented. The CGIS is constituted of around 128 personnel. Qatar has 66 GIS departments/ministries, each of which has its own designated GIS staff charged with running and maintaining GIS activities. The CGIS is made up of four divisions; 1. Topographic Survey Division 2. Planning and Projects Division 3. Mapping and Archive Division 4. System Services Division National GIS Steering Committee Hierarchical structure With a top-bottom approach, Qatar followed a country-wide GIS policy and created a National GIS Steering Committee made up of top executives in government hailing from different agencies, and a Center for GIS. The committee charged with steering GIS oversees GIS development in Qatar, and ensures that al the standards for GIS are harmonious and compatible. The committee reports to the National Committee for coordination of Coordination of Government Services that consequently reports to the cabinet, chaired by the Emir. This committee has enabled interaction between various departments of government, and is a forum for the discussion of any policy on GIS. The steering committee carries the technical and policy responsibility of formulating a strategy for implementing GIS, while the CGIS is responsible for data application, administration, programing, training of professionals, and supporting the satellite GIS units of each ministry and governmental department in Qatar. As the agency in charge of providing and maintaining online access to the Digital Topographic Database of Qatar, CGIS ensures that its comprehensive database is made up of topographically structured, highly accurate topographic maps; satellite images, orthoimagers of high resolution, and oblique images of urban areas. Because the topographic vector database is made up of large volumes of information, the data should be of highest quality in terms of accuracy, precision, attribute information, and much more. In order to maintain such a large database, Qatar required a systematic approach for performing quality control and revision of all incoming data (orthoimages and vector images) and surveyed data. A Revision and Quality Control System (RQCS) was developed to oversee quality control, and facilitate updating and editing of topographic data that CGIS maintained. An oracle RDMBS database with ArcSDE is used to store data. GIS data (non-spatial and spatial) Qatar develops both non-spatial and spatial data, as important components of the GIS implementation cycle. Estimates cite that techniques for capturing and editing data, and are used for availing data digitally, constitute close to 80% of all the resources needed for implementing GIS. Data preparation and digitization requires a lot of time and high initial investment. A substantial time lag normally exists before the user starts getting the real-time benefits, and this often leads to frustration. Qatar’s GISnet agencies are constantly in the process of building and automating their databases on the standards and guidelines put forward by the CGIS. The frequency of updating GIS system information is therefore dynamic since the information is updated when the immediate need to update it presents itself, be it a day, a week, a month, or a year. Most of the agencies have completed over three fourths of their databases. This dynamic updating is however not yet in place within some of the agencies. Objectives of Qatar’s GIS The objectives that underpinned the decision for implementing a countrywide program for GIS program are: To eradicate duplication of efforts responsible for resource-wastage by enhancing coordination between agencies and averting data redundancy. To ensure that the right information is delivered to decision-makers at the right time for efficient management and planning. To foster teamwork amongst government agencies, especially the agencies involved in infrastructure and physical planning authorities of local government, and environmental protection authorities, to ensure they work in liaison towards common goals. To efficiently manage government expenses, and consequently enable requirements for future development. To attain uniformity and consistency in regulations, standards and policies for Qatar in entirety. To enable the preparation of flexible and dynamic physical plans that are easy to monitor, update, and implement. Strategies adopted In implementing the GIS, Qatar adopted five strategies to oversee optimal output. These include; 1. Gaining support from highest government levels 2. Making concerned officials and agencies privy to the power and potential ascribed to GIS. 3. Encourage government departments to coordinate and share data 4. Involving all government departments in designing and implementing the system. 5. Establishing training and education programs, and availing GIS tools to everybody. Benefits of Qatar’s GIS Geographic information that is readily available in the desired format has resulted in more effective planning frameworks and better governmental activity coordination, hence reducing costs and saving time, in addition to nurturing high levels of cooperation between all government agencies. Through inter-agency cooperation and common standards, the government has ensured the presence of only one source agency responsible for any information type. This has eliminated duplication of efforts and redundancy in data. Numerous agencies now directly update spatial features into the digital databases hence completely eradicating the need for proper map updating which is quite cumbersome. The benefits associated with GIS implementation have gone far beyond the set goals and objectives. The land registration process has been completely automated. The system has easy-to use display and query tools, and is the only kind existent in the region. The capacity to look at the thematic layers that have been superimposed at desktop has enhanced the capability for physical planning at a great level. The country’s recently finished master plan through year 2020 has been prepared completely at the CGIS, hence making it flexible, dynamic, as well as easy to update, implement, and monitor. The model for transportation planning that predicts what impacts land use changes have on traffic contains a GIS interface, which is a unique feature in the in the integrated approach of sharing data, has saved a lot of resources. Recent projects such as the Automated Building Permit Processing System, is a good example of the manner in which a GIS is assisting different agencies in the decision-making process, with minimal resources. Qatari citizens benefit from all the gathering and mapping of data as well. They benefit by having their streets numbered and named for the first time in the history of their country. Therefore, ambulances and fire trucks can easily access the affected person’s house, with the help of an Electronic Place Finder. The government also saves money in service delivery in light of having a database that is up to date, not only for their interrelationships and the physical infrastructure, but also for the inventory of assets in every location. The CIGS has undertaken a Geographic Names Project, which has preserved the national heritage and history of Qatar for generations to come, in a GIS database. A great quantity of this information only existed in in elderly citizens’ memory and would have been erased with their passing on. Qatar has also been able to open up to challenges that technological advancements pose in the global web. ‘Explore Qatar’ is an application that opens up Qatar to the outside world and avails information on commercial installations that interests the public, and street level information that is highly detailed. With the populace of Qatar becoming more exposed to electronic geographic information every day in their lives, and children beginning to explore their region’s geography at school, Qatar’s populace’s overall geographic awareness and computer literacy has increased greatly. Incumbent challenges faced by the agencies in maintaining the comprehensive GIS system Probably because of its inherent complexity, advancement in GIS technology is lagging behind the information system technologies by a number of years. Providers of the GIS solutions are still searching for newer technologies of organizing data. Each time, with the release of a new data concept, technology users have to bear overhead costs for data transfer. Even in the presence of automatic algorithms for automatically converting data, a problem still exists in light of updating data existent applications, giving training to personnel, giving training to personnel on the emergent concepts, and much more, which calls for the overall restructuring of the system. It is quite difficult to convincingly present a justification for such costs of data conversion to higher sitting authorities that already availed generous funding for the GIS’s initial implementation ("Qatar GIS"). Data capture The techniques for capturing and updating data in the GIS system are still conventional and are yet to undergo any major adjustments over the past 25 years off GIS technology. As a result, data input cost still constitutes almost 80% of the total cost for implementing GIS. In addition, this introduces a significant time lag between the inception of GIS implementation, and when the end-user starts getting real-time benefits. Estimates cite that Qatar requires for data input for water and electricity inputs alone. Such enormous resource requirement is unjustified especially with the tremendous progress that has been made in other areas of IT. Data updating If a dynamic and proper mechanism for updating data is not envisaged in the design of the system, there is a tendency for stored data to become obsolete. Failure to update spatial data especially in a country that is developing fast like Qatar could result in electronic garbage. Processed data demand With more private and government agencies coming forward to utilize the problem-solving capacity of GIS, there is a great uproar in processed data demands to facilitate public services. Data concept trends New trends continue to emerge on concepts of GIS data. The transfer of applications and data to newer concepts of data, and consequently training current personnel requires an additional overhead budget. Adaptation Implementation of GIS warrants that personnel and departments evolve from traditional approaches and take up new methodology and tools in order to make the best out of the technology. This necessitates persistent efforts. Data security The strategically pertinent national GIS database’s security has to be handled in-house, and the GIS software does not really have much to offer in this light. Advanced GIS Tools Majority of the GIS software that is currently available requires personnel who are highly skilled to ensure the processing and maintenance of data. Moreover, the advancement levels, data concepts, and programming attained in the field of non-spatial information systems has not yet reached the GIS world. This is a grave challenge for a country that depends highly on a foreign workforce. Brain Drain The GIS is also experiencing brain-drain problems with respect to trained personnel. Replacing lost manpower usually causes a considerable delay in schedules of projects. Native language support The country does not have a native language that is user-friendly, and interfaces that are specific to this region. This in turn increases the country’s dependence on skilled foreign labor. Political support In spite of the fact that generous funding and a strong commitment by high-sitting authorities is a prime factor in implementing an integrated national GIS, the system needs to be organized in such a manner that is it is able to outline possible budget fluctuations. Meeting GIS Challenges Special Projects The CGIS has started a nationwide project for geocoding to relate all geographic entities with information that is relevant to the public and all the user agencies. Additionally, it is envisaged to set up a dynamic mechanism for updating information, so that most of the information that the agencies require will be collected and fed into the system at a go. This is a step in attempting to satisfy processed data requirements of large scale. Business plans The CGIS has come up with a national GIS business plan that sets out the vision and strategies to ensure the achievement of set objectives and goals for the next five years. So that these budget fluctuations are overcome, the objectives have been phased and prioritized. International Quality Standards An auditing consultant has been recruited by the CGIS to ensure that service and quality data are based on ISO 9000 standards. These quality standards are planned for implementation by the end of the year. A Group for Planning, Follow-up, and Implementation A working group comprised of GIS Division heads has been formed to oversee smooth implementation, as well as arrange the requisite logistics for the respective agencies’ GIS activities, according to the regulations and standards that the GIS steering committee has set out. The GIS planning committee has been formulated to see to it that the implementation of GIS in the country occurs as per the set out schedules and standards. The committee’s responsibility is to ensure that the implementation is strictly based on the National Spatial Data for Qatar. Training and Awareness Programs Data adaptation as a pitfall is addresses to a great extent through frequent and rigorous awareness and training programs, via seminars and workshops. CGIS develops easy-to-use applications in order to ensure GIS information is efficiently processed ("Qatar GIS"). To achieve this, an authorized training center has been established in the country by thee CGIS. The center recruits qualified trainers to conduct Esri product-courses for the development of GIS in the country. This training center is a unique one of its kind in the whole gulf region. Nationalization The Center for Geographic Information Systems is encouraging young Qatari nationals to delve into the GIS profession. The CGIS is acting in concordance with the University of Qatar to offer a bachelor program in GIS, a very distinct program in the region. Dynamic Updating The Center for Geographic Information System is also in the course of putting up mechanisms that will oversee the automatic updating of topographic data as well as other relevant data, wherever it is possible. Each physical development applicant is expected to submit the proposed development in the format that has been prescribed, and the activities of construction are traced right from the stage at which building permits are granted. The database is then finally updated following the issuance of a completion certificate. A pilot study carried out in Al khor, a small county, has brought about great success. Evaluating User Participation In numerous user agencies, the users are afforded apt training, and then afforded data input tasks by giving incentives. This functions to ensure participation and familiarity of user in GIS activities, hence facilitating ease of future implementation, and saving operational costs at the same time. The Future Vision of GIS in Qatar GIS is currently an integral part of Qatar’s infrastructure. It has curved out a niche as an indispensable tool for planning, and in building the country. This is especially the case for Qatar when the country is undergoing sea changes in numerous walks of life following its discovery of copious natural gas reserves. The CGIS looks to augment the ease of access of GIS information in every nook and cranny of the country to all agencies and individuals that need it. The CGIS envisions harnessing the advancement in map and internet server technology to ensure the above cause is served. The GIS management’s ultimate aim is that the populace be able to reap benefits ascribed to GIS in the same way that they are in a position to turn on the water taps and switch on the lights ("Qatar GIS."). Conclusion The benefits ascribed to GIS implementation have far superseded the laid out objectives and goals. In addition, the public’s overall geographical awareness and computer literacy has increased greatly, owing to the county’s exposure to electronic geographic information. With more private and government agencies coming forward to make use of the problem-solving ascribed to GIS, there has been a great increase in the demand for processed data that facilitates public services. Changing trends of data concepts in GIS, along with the deficiency in innovative updating/inputting solutions for data continues to create demand for high costs of operation. Most of the GIS software that is currently available requires intensive coding, and the kind of sophistication in the data and programming concepts attained in the field of non-spatial information systems has not yet reached the GIS world. As such, this emerges as a serious problem for Qatar; a country dependent on a foreign workforce, especially with the worldwide dearth of GIS professionals. Work Cited "Qatar GIS." Recent Proceedings. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. . Read More