Des Plaines, IL (October 10, 2013) – The GIS Management Institute® has published the URISA GIS Capability Maturity Model, culminating a two-year effort. The GISCMM provides a first-ever framework for assessing not only the capability of an enterprise GIS operation, but also the process maturity of those who manage and operate the GIS.

A capability maturity model is a structured objective mechanism to assess an organization’s capability, as well as its management and operational process maturity. The  URISA GIS Capability Maturity Model  includes 23 enabling capability assessment components, which include the sorts of assets that a GIS operation acquires. The Model also includes 22 execution ability assessment components, which include the key processes that are required to manage and operate an enterprise GIS.

The URISA GISCMM will help organizations assess the development stage of their GIS and the process maturity level of their operations.  This assessment will help them target priority capability enhancement s and process improvements.  GIS staff responsible for operations and management will be able to use both the GISCMM and the GMCM to assess their own professional strengths and weakness and to identify training and other professional development priorities.

To help GIS professionals and managers understand and begin using the Model, URISA’s GIS Management Institute will present a 90 minute webinar on the topic on Wednesday, November 6, 2013.

An early version of the model, developed by URISA Past-President Greg Babinski, was designated in November 2009 as a URISA Initiative. In 2010, when URISA agreed to develop the  Geospatial Management Competency Model , it also agreed to update the GISCMM. The update process began with a daylong GIS Managers task force at the 2011 Washington GIS Conference.

In 2012 refinement of the GIS Capability Maturity Model fell under the responsibility of URISA’s new GIS Management Institute® (GMI). In late 2012 and early 2013 the GMI Committee reviewed and revised the GISCMM based on the 2011 GIS Managers task force, and on its own recommendations. In April 2013 the revised GISCMM was published for international peer review. Appropriate peer review comments were incorporated into the Model, which was then unanimously endorsed by the GMI Committee in September.

The GIS Capability Maturity Model is the culmination of the work of the seven-member 2011 Washington GIS Managers Task Force, the 14 members of the GMCM Committee, the 20 active members of the GMI Committee, and the 23 GIS management professionals who responded to the GISCMM peer-review.

For more than 50 years, URISA has been identifying and addressing challenges in the practical application of technology for urban and regional systems. The GISCMM continues that practice. The intellectual capital it represents for the Geospatial Profession will be a key resource for the development of the URISA GIS Management Body of Knowledge (GMBOK).

The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association’s (URISA’s) qualifications to organize the GISCMM effort include its 50-year history as one of the founding organizations of the GIS profession, its successful organization of the GIS Certification Institute, GISCorps, and the URISA Leadership Academy. It’s most recent initiative is development of the  GIS Management Institute®. 

Proceed to  URISA’s GIS Capability Maturity Model.



Contact: 

Wendy Nelson
Executive Director
URISA
Email Contact   
www.urisa.org    
847-824-6300