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In just a few short years, the I&M networks have become known as a key source and supplier of reliable, organized, and retrievable information about parks that was formerly unavailable, misplaced, or lost to managers and others who needed the information for sound decisions or sound science. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Inventory & Monitoring Program
How did we get here?
In just a few short years, the I&M networks have become known as a key source and supplier of reliable, organized, and retrievable information about parks that was formerly unavailable, misplaced, or lost to managers and others who needed the information for sound decisions or sound science.
Inventory & Monitoring Program
• Data are essential for well-reasoned and defensible decisions affecting park resources
• Data are perishable: they must be responsibly managed and cared for long-term
• The value of data increases the more they are used, shared, and integrated with other information
Starting premises:
Natural resource data are valuable and irreplaceable
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Old habits are hard to break .
• Studies have been done, but data not accessible.– stored at universities,
different locations– old dBase or Lotus 123 or
Excel files, but don’t know what the columns are
– data sheets and folders full of papers
– big, thick report sitting down on the library shelf.
• Studies have been done, but current staff doesn’t know about them.
• Data are in electronic format, but nobody has the time or skill to do analysis.
•The scientists have the information, but the managers do not.
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Without good data management planning and practices:
• Information is lost• Data do not survive turnovers of personnel--
institutional knowledge is gone• We waste money• We reinvent the wheel• Information is not available for good decision-
making• Information is not available to the public to help
build constituencies
Starting premises:
Inventory & Monitoring Program
“Data Management Challenge”: How do we ensure that the information we gather is
available now, and lasts generations beyond us?
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Data Management lessons learned so far
• Commit dollars and staff to data management
• Planning and documentation are key• Keep it top-down and bottom-up• Build a community of data managers• Herd the cats• Listen to users • Plan for change
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Commitment to Data Management at I&M Networks
• At a minimum, 30% of network resources is allocated to data management and reporting.
• Every I&M network hires a full-time, permanent Data Manager
• Recognition that data management and associated reporting are critical components of a successful NR program; they are the bridge between science and management.
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Planning and Documentation Are Key
• Every network produces and maintains a formal Data Management Plan; standard operating procedures; metadata
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Bottom-up plus top-down approach works best
time
WASO
Networks
strong
weak
>
guidance
2008
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Build a “culture of data management”
• 32+ I&M data managers: varied backgrounds, expertise, perspectives. Great collaboration.
• Share code, methods, ideas, solutions• Listserves; annual meetings; grapevine
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Herd the Cats• Keep divergence within
bounds but allow flexibility
• Vigilance needed to ensure data management programs remain focused and meet established standards
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Listen to your users, and plan for change
• Two, five, ten years down the road – what will we be facing?
• Listen to your users: what are their ideas, needs, gripes, worries, problems, successes?
“Memo to self: ‘Feathers?’”
Inventory & Monitoring Program
IRMA – Integration of Resource Management Applications
• Major restructuring of natural resource information management at the Natural Resource Program Center in Fort Collins.
• Position us for growth in the next decade
Inventory & Monitoring Program IRMA: silos are deconstructed into reusable, multipurpose “services”
user identityuser identity park codepark code referencesreferencesuser identity
park codereferencesdata sets
access control data entry
data downloadsreports
observationstaxonomyvouchers
user identitypark codereferencesdata sets
access control data entry
data downloadsreports
observationstaxonomyvouchers
user identitypark codereferencesdata sets
access controldata entry
data downloadsdata uploads
reports
user identitypark codereferencesdata sets
access controldata entry
data downloadsdata uploads
reports
NPSpecies
NatureBib
user identitypark codereferencesdata sets
access controldata entry
data downloadsdata uploads
reports
user identitypark codereferencesdata sets
access controldata entry
data downloadsdata uploads
reports
Data Store
Silos: stand-alone systems that duplicate data and don’t interact well
APCAM
RPRS ATBI
taxonomytaxonomy
NatureBib/Data Store
observationsobservationsaccess controlaccess control
Build once, use many times
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Testing Role-based Teams
User Interface Consistency
User Requirements
Iterative Development
Reporting Portal Help AuditingError
Handling
Foundation
Processes
Frameworks
Supporting ServicesIdentity Feedback Notification Park Units File
Resource DataSpecies Citations Observations Vouchers Taxonomy
Building the IRMA Infrastructure: now underway
Hardware Software Staff Organization
Inventory & Monitoring Program
http://nrinfo
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Inventory & Monitoring Program
http://nrinfo
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Inventory & Monitoring Program
Inventory & Monitoring Program
For more information:
• I&M Data Management: – http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/datamgmt/– http://www1.nrintra.nps.gov/im/datamgmt
• Natural Resource Information Portal: – http://nrinfo
