Information Technology in Qatar Information Technology in Qatar
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ IT Geographics
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Qatar is the first country to implement a comprehensive nationwide GIS and is internationally recognized as having one of the finest GIS implementations in the world.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Before the LIC came into being, land base maps were all on paper. Many redundantly stored throughout the country.Κ In 1989, a study was conducted to ascertain which areas of government and business wouldΚ benefit from the implementation of GIS.Κ Three key recommendations resulting from the study were: that a Digital mapping database be implemented for the entire country; that a comprehensive fully integrated nationwide GIS be created; and that a high level National GIS Steering Committee be established to set standards and oversee the implementation and development of GIS in Qatar.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ One of the primary tasks of The Centre was to implement a high resolution Digital Topographic Database which is now in place providing a consistent framework for a wide range of GIS users and their applications.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ A primary task of The Centre for GIS was the development of digital mapping specifications and standards for the production of Qatar's Digital Topographic Database. To this end, a book entitled 'National GIS Database Specifications and Data Dictionary - Topographic' was published and a highly automated digital map monitoring system was implemented both of which enabled the creation of a highly accurate, fully functional digital topographic database.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Subsequently, The Centre for GIS in concert with the National GIS Steering Committee, has worked with each agency that has implemented GIS, to provide guidance and advice on how to develop specifications and data dictionaries suitable for their respective disciplines in order to ensure they are not only suitable for each agency's applications, but also compatible with the specifications and standards of all other agencies. This effort has led to the development of a volume set of National GIS database specifications and data dictionaries consisting of 16 volumes, one for each agency.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ The purpose of these data dictionaries is to clearly define, for each agency, the kind of data that is included in its database, what each data item is called, how the data is assembled and structured, how accurate it is, and so on. These are the kinds of things agencies must know if they are going to electronically exchange data with each other. And since all agencies have developed their data dictionaries in consultation with each other, and under the supervision of The Centre for GIS, the process has ensured that every data item used by each agency is identified and that only one agency is made responsible for collecting, maintaining and sharing with others, a specific data item. This has ensured order and discipline in the collection, naming, coding and storing of data. Not only has this served to standardize and streamline data collection, data entry, data management, and other procedures but it has minimized redundancy and its use has considerably improved quality assurance, communication, field service, inventory maintenance, programming and a variety of other associated activities.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ All specifications and data dictionaries are approved and administered by the National GIS Steering Committee in order to ensure that the compatibility necessary for data sharing is never jeopardized.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Already LIC has converted allΚ of the Departments land base paper maps into digital form and has begun to automate its tabular data. A variety of logic checks are built into the system to ensure data accuracy.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ GIS has now been integrated into the department's life cycle where the process of obtaining a building permit must start by using GIS. An update ofΚ street name or the birth of a new parcel is being maintained and organized byΚ the GIS life cycle system. These processes have been met by aΚ comprehensive implementation plan.
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Today, 16 government agencies in Qatar are using GIS in their day to day activities. Their databases are compatible and they are all integrated through a high speed fibre optic network. Dozens of GIS applications have been developed and are at use benefiting government workers, private businesses and citizens alike.
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