Data Needs Assessment for Project Planning
What is a Data Needs Assessment?
Why is it important to conduct a Data Needs Assessment?
This presentation will explain the process and provide you with a Data Needs Assessment template. Once you have completed the template, you will be able to identify: Why it is important to incorporate agency requirements; What data is available; Is the data appropriate; What to do in the event there are gaps in the data set; Questions to ask to remedy data gags; Recognize the crucial role metadata plays in planning, and; Identify standards used for local regional or national data.
By completing a Data Needs Assessment your planning team will be able to outline realistic time lines, identify funding options for any data gaps and open up lines of communication between the resource specialists and GIS staff.
These are all critical planning considerations for any project when you need to use GIS data.