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,

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.


• 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


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.


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:


“Data Management Challenge”: How do we ensure that the information we gather is

available now, and lasts generations beyond us?


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


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.


Planning and Documentation Are Key

• Every network produces and maintains a formal Data Management Plan; standard operating procedures; metadata


Bottom-up plus top-down approach works best

time

WASO

Networks

strong

weak

>

guidance

2008


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


Herd the Cats• Keep divergence within

bounds but allow flexibility

• Vigilance needed to ensure data management programs remain focused and meet established standards


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?’”


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


access controldata entry

data downloadsdata uploads

reports




reports

NPSpecies

NatureBib




reports




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


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


http://nrinfo





http://nrinfo




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

Documents

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,