Spatial information infrastructure under construction – chances and threats for the self-government of the Capital City of Warsaw

Abstract

In the paper, problems of the City Hall of the Capital City of Warsaw connected with implementation of the project „Building of the Central Spatial Database (CBDP) of the Capital City of Warsaw”. The project is directed by the plenipotentiary of the Mayor on construction and development of the spatial information infrastructure of the Capital City of Warsaw and implemented with the assistance of the Geodesy and Cadastre Department of the City Hall.
The general objective of the project was defined as creation of a unique integrated information solution allowing to make available spatial data stored and updated by organizational units of Warsaw to the extent justified by internal needs of the City Hall and expectations of external users and in the manner ensuring integration of these data into national and European spatial information infrastructure.
The focus was on the most difficult stage of works, namely the analysis of possibilities to meet the needs of potential users of spatial information and determination of reasons why these needs cannot be fulfilled to the expected extent and in a manner most suitable for the users. The list of users of the data in the spatial information infrastructure of the City of Warsaw was set up taking into account local and regional needs as well as the role of the capital of the country and of an important European city. It was determined that for individual groups of users different features of the data are of decisive importance, including reliability, comprehensiveness, usefulness from the point of view of their application, meeting specific requirements resulting from national regulations, interoperability and necessary minimum of unification of spatial information useful on a global scale.
Strategic analysis of the project was presented, based on elements of SWOT methodology, including strengths and weaknesses of the organization implementing the project in comparison with opportunities and threats originating outside the organization.
The strengths are the resources already held providing chances to build SII for the needs of Warsaw, subject to consistent continuation of the actions already undertaken. Weaknesses result from the fact that due to broad range of actions undertaken there is a threat that financial and staff resources may be insufficient for their continuation and may entail the need to prolong them or restrict them to priority tasks taking into consideration primarily the City’s own needs. The greatest chances of success in building spatial information infrastructure of the City of Warsaw are connected with growing interest in access to the data describing spatial aspects of the city. On the other hand, threats are to much extent connected with lack of appropriate cooperation of units creating law and coordinating construction of the national information infrastructure with the units interested in spatial information and the units acquiring and storing such information.
At the end, a study of a concrete, relatively easy case of an address as basic spatial information is presented. Priorities of the users of the address data are determined and on this basis strengths/weaknesses and opportunities/threats are indicated.