A needs assessment, or the process of developing system requirements, is generally developed by documenting the ways in which an organization uses information.  It is the evaluation of existing systems and their capabilities to perform future processing needs.

TASK1: Identify these components of your organization:

• Data Input & Output
• Output Products
• Procedures & Policies
• Applications Used
• Users

TASK 2: Perform a Functional Requirements Analysis for your organization's data usage and management.  Use it to help you identify the tools you currently use and tools you will need for future procedures.

TASK 3: Clearly identify and state your goals, objectives and purpose for the GIS:

• What is the GIS supposed to do for you?
• Who will use the information?
• How will the data be used?
• When is it needed?

TASK4: Find ways to improve efficiency & minimize redundancy by analyzing your current system:

• Data
  • Standardize the way data is encoded
• Hardware
  • Identify common hardware requirements and streamline maintenance procedures
  • Scalability (can it be upgraded?)
• Recommend New Procedures 
  • Ease of Use
  • Generate performance benchmarks

TASK5: Remember Task2: Identify your organization's objectives and purpose.

It is important to remember that a Needs Assessment is the Second Phase of a GIS implementation plan.  The goal of this assessment is to define your systems capabilities and use the information to evaluate alternative systems (Third Phase of a GIS Implementation Plan).

[ STRATEGIES INDEX ]

Last Updated on April 27, 2000