The primary objective of Brown County’s GIS Needs Assessment is to describe in detail a logical and systematic GIS Implementation Plan that includes consideration of human resource issues, software and hardware purchasing, training requirements and data acquisition and development.  It will include reasonable and realistic implementation phases that match the needs and resources of Brown County

The purpose of the Brown County, SD GIS Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan  is threefold:

1. To assess, through interviews and technical advisory group discussions, Brown County's current need for GIS applications and current capabilities to develop and support such applications.
2. To develop and validate a methodology for creating and regularly updating a county-wide GIS plan that: assesses needs; identifies potential applications; defines a coordinated but flexible program of feasible and worthwhile applications to be developed; identifies needed technical and organizational capabilities and the means for acquiring them; identifies and quantifies necessary resources; and recommends responsibilities and schedules for completion.
3. To generate a fully-functional and implemental GIS plan for Brown County through actual application of the methodology that is established.

Scope of Project

End products of the Needs Assessment will include:

• Interviews with Brown County departments and outside agencies.
• A general inventory of existing equipment, software and data in each department.
• Suggestions and strategies for meeting future GIS hardware, software and data needs.
• Projected time frames and estimated costs for implementing Brown County's GIS.

Limitations

The focus of the report will be on the needs, goals, policies, staffing and strategy issues related to a GIS for Brown County.  Some of the recommendations in this report will deal with the broader aspects of the information technology needs of the County as they relate to the implementation of a County GIS system.  However, this report is not intended to fully address all information technology issues of the County.

Rapidly changing technology can make plans obsolete before they can be realized.  Therefore, this report will provide a framework for a GIS implementation strategy that will be flexible enough to change with the technology.

This report will attempt to take the needs of all County departments into consideration.  It will also attempt to take the needs of outside agencies and areas of interest into consideration.  Key data sources will be discussed and recommended for data conversion and/or creation. Suggestions will be provided on ways that Brown County can incorporate a wide variety of data sources into its GIS.  However, not all data sources and GIS projects may be discussed in this report.

This report is being prepared by the Brown County, SD GIS Department for the exclusive use by Brown County, SD and its authorized representatives.  Brown County, SD is not responsible for independent conclusions or recommendations made by others.

Outline (Word Document)

Preliminary Plan (Word Document)

Information for Brown County Commission and Departments:

• Commission Interview Form (Word Document)
   
• Letter to Deptarment Heads (Word Document)
• County Department Interview Form (Word Document)

Information for City of Aberdeen:

• Letter to City of Aberdeen (Word Document)
• Interview Form (Word Document)

Information for Surrounding Cities and Counties:

• Letter to Rural Cities (Word Document)
• Rural Cities Interview Form (Word Document)
   
• Letter to Surrounding Counties (Word Document)
• Surrounding Counties Interview Form (Word Document)

Information for Others:

• Letter to Other Individuals and Organizations (Word Document)
• Individuals and Organizations Interview Form (Word Document)
   
• Letter to Universities (Word Document)
• Universities Interview Form (Word Document)
   
• Letter to Utility and Private Business Companies (Word Document)
• Utilities and Private Business Interview Form (Word Document)
   
• Letter to Vendors, Consultants and Planning Districts (Word Document)
• Vendors, Consultants, Planning Districts Interview Form (Word Document)