What is GIS?
A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced information (i.e. spatial data). This system should include:
- hardware (computers, printers, plotters, scanners, GPS units, etc.)
- software (programs like ArcInfo, ArcView, MapInfo, Maptitude, AutoCad Map, GeoMedia, etc.)
- data (files that may be loaded into the software programs, such as roads, town boundaries, parcels, aerial photographs, etc.)
- staff (analysts, technicians, etc.)
The Web has a vast amount of resources relating to GIS. For more general information on GIS you may want to visit the following sites:
- http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/gis_poster/ - Introduction to GIS from the U.S. Geological Survey
- http://www.census.gov/support/cen2000_faq.html- A list of frequently asked questions (and their answers!) on GIS, from the U.S. Census Bureau
- http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/agidict/welcome.html - GIS Dictionary, from the Association for Geographic Information
MassGIS
is the
Commonwealth's Office of Geographic Information,
within the Information Technology Division (ITD) of the Administration
and Finance Secretariat (see crediting MassGIS).
Through
MassGIS, the
Commonwealth has created a comprehensive, statewide database of
geospatial
information. The state
legislature has established MassGIS as the official state agency
assigned to the collection, storage and dissemination of geographic
data. In addition, the legislative mandate
includes coordinating GIS activity within the Commonwealth and setting standards for geographic data to ensure
universal compatibility. MassGIS
has implemented several ways of coordinating GIS activity in the
Commonwealth. MassGIS staff are advised by the Massachusetts
Geographic Information Council (MGIC).
MGIC includes representatives from federal, state, regional, and local
government agencies, GIS consultants, utilities, non-profit
organizations, and academia.
GIS Coordination
OriginsWithin state agencies, besides formal inter-agency projects and on-going staff-level collaboration, MassGIS facilitates coordination between state agency GIS efforts through the Commonwealth GIS User Group (CommGIS). CommGIS meets three times a year in October, February, and June. If you are a state agency employee and want to receive email announcements concerning these meetings, please send email to Paul Nutting (paul.nutting @ state.ma.us) at MassGIS. MassGIS' Director also sits on the Statewide Mapping Advisory Committee, a group that advises the State Geologist on geologic mapping needs. The State Geologist is also a member of the MGIC.
MassGIS staff collaborate with Regional Planning Agency GIS staff on many types of projects. MassGIS also tracks the status of municipal GIS development and, as needed, communicates and coordinates with municipal GIS staff. Finally, the state's Operational Services Division (OSD) works closely with MassGIS staff on GIS related procurements. MassGIS led the procurement team that resulted in the current (2006) state blanket contract for ESRI GIS software and services; with funding from ITD, MassGIS also developed and implemented the e-Gov "shared service" for on-line mapping on Commonwealth web-sites.
The evolution of geographic information systems in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is not unlike its development in other states. A lead agency, in this case the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), perceived an opportunity to meet its goals through development of a statewide GIS. Three related feasibility studies were funded, a plan for development was negotiated with EOEEA's agencies, and that plan was implemented over a five year period, creating the Massachusetts Geographic Information System - MassGIS - in the late 1980s. As a result, EOEEA has become a leading provider of digital geographic information within the Commonwealth and among Massachusetts public agencies using geographic information technology.
In 2010, a Task Force composed of a variety of stakeholders was convened to determine the future of MassGIS. Organizational, governance, and funding issues were all studied to determine the best way to sustain MassGIS' critical mission. Given its evolution from working entirely on environmental themed projects to having a hand in Public Safety, Public Health, Education and a host of other non-environmental agencies and projects, the recommendation was made to move MassGIS from the Environmental Secretariat to the Administration and Finance Secretariat's Information Technology Division in this report.
MassGIS promotes and guides spatial data development, supports GIS users throughout a variety of state agencies, departments and offices, sets standards, supports the Commonwealth's web mapping services, coordinates GIS activity with other state and regional agencies, and provides communities with assistance in GIS development. MassGIS distributes data from its database to municipalities, schools, non-profit programs, and the general public in the form of paper maps and DVD products, as well as via free download from this web site.
For more information on MassGIS' products and services, see the web page Services Offered by MassGIS. For a list of contacts at MassGIS and other state GIS agencies please see the web page Contacts/Where to Turn for More Information.
When using MassGIS data on maps or in digital applications, source credit should be stated as "Office of Geographic Information (MassGIS), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Information Technology Division".