About GETIS
GETIS is: Geoprocessing networks in a European Territorial Interoperability Study.
GETIS aimed to contribute to an improved technological quality in the geo-processing market sector by analyzing the most innovative information sources available. As the greatest concern of the project was focused on the users, it largely contributed to this community, directly in the sense of economic actors (for example, the EO industry) as well as indirectly, for example, in the case of disaster management, where accurate and quick information save lives.
The current situation in Europe is that numerous technology and content based initiatives compete for market share and research investment. This is a poor starting point compared with other regions, such as North America, where strong federal initiatives are a better basis for entrepreneurial exploitation.
Funded through the European Commission's 5th Framework for Technological Development, this project spanned multiple countries but remains user driven and focused on Disaster Management to prove the need for Interoperability.
GETIS Objectives
The main goals of GETIS are the following:
- Create a Web-Based Proof of Concept for Information Interoperability
User demands for fast, web-based services mean that one GETIS objective is to show how this can be done. The Proof of Concept will show that an open-source, web mapping solution can fulfill data interoperability needs for disaster management. The Proof of Concept will illustrate how a typical flooding scenario can be effectively managed using standard commercial software products and web services from various sources. This is a large part of WP5.
- Identify the key information that is required by user communities
In any disaster management scenario, there will be a common baseline set of information that will always be needed. Identifying this minimum data was a requirement of WP2.
- Introduce advanced schemas and enable new standards
Because Interoperability is a key point in the GETIS project, working with standards is very important. GETIS will incorporate both existing standards for data attributes and encourage development of new standards for information flow. More details on standards work can be found in WP4.
- Validate Results with a Working Group of experts (Users)
Throughout the entire life of the project, GETIS aims to be user driven. This means not only following their guidance and suggestions, but also validating our plans and results with a group of identified experts. These people might work in emergency planning, information retrieval, or other fields related to the project. Working Group information can be found on their WP5.
- Ensure that results are taken up by the user community
Once GETIS has shown how web-based services can aid interoperability in disaster management, the goal will be to take this back to the users community. The need for these services has been demonstrated again and again, so WP7 was created to take the user-driven GETIS solution back to the people that need it.
- Establish a competitive market platform
To benefit users and industries outside of disaster management, GETIS must also show that interoperability is a viable process for a variety of problems and at low cost. By taking advantage of existing infrastructure and standards, GETIS can demonstrate an effective and efficent method for transmitting added-value spatial information.
Project Organization
The project is divided into seven Work Packages of related work items. In short, the goal is to define user needs and create a framework for information exchange. This is both a conceptual framework for the flow if information and a physical one of standardized web based services.
- WP1 - Project Management
Adminstration, budgetting and reporting.
- WP2 - User Requirement Evaluation
Definition of minimum baseline data and user requirements, plus all Work Group activites.
- WP3 - Use Case Scenarios
Anylysis and evaluation of user needs. Creation of general structure and flow of information.
- WP4 - Standards Review
Brings together the GETIS general structure and relevant standards.
- WP5 - Exploitation
The GETIS proof of concept, demonstrating the way web services and standard software can be used for infomation interoperability.
- WP6 - Quality Assurance
Internal work package to grade how well timelines and goals are met.
- WP7 - Dissemination
Introducting GETIS to relevant communities and linking to other projects.
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