In the December 2005 Bulletin I described how the SCO is one of several land information-related organizations getting ready to “be strategic.” Our strategic planning effort is pressing forward, and we want to share some of the preliminary results with you.
Back in January, as the first step in the process, we developed an online survey that was sent to 188 individuals representing a wide range of specialties in Wisconsin (land information officers, registers-of-deeds, surveyors, GIS specialists, etc.) Not intended as a scientific survey, we were looking for feedback on our past performance. We also wanted help in identifying the critical resources and services that folks in the
We had an outstanding response rate of about 70%, and received many very valuable comments. Anyone interested can view the complete summary online. In short, several common themes emerged:
- The SCO is valued for the information we provide, both in terms of news and technical reference material.
- We are also valued for our data resources, and the assistance we provide in locating geospatial data.
- The SCO “sees the big picture” of what’s happening in
- We need to work out certain roles and responsibilities with other organizations, in particular the Wisconsin Land Information Association, and WI Department of Administration Geographic Information Officer.
- Technical assistance and training are important roles for the SCO, especially in the areas of coordinate systems and metadata.
- Funding is a significant concern for many survey participants. They would like assistance from the SCO not only in identifying external funding sources, but also in promoting the value of geographic information technology to county boards and other bodies that make funding decisions.
After analyzing the survey results, SCO staff met with members of the Committee on State Cartography (CSC) on February 21 to refine the mission and vision for the office. We’re still polishing off the results from that meeting, and will report on the specifics in a future Bulletin.
If you have thoughts on how we can improve our services, please stop by the SCO booth at the WLIA annual conference, or send us an e-mail. Either way, we always want to hear your feedback!