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Master Thesis: GIS Project management Final Version
3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR GIS
3.1. Introduction
The previous chapters describe the life cycle of GIS projects and the methodologies which
are useful. But how to apply this knowledge when doing an actual project?
Based on the life cycle and methodology principles outlined above in this chapter an
approach towards an actual project is proposed. The assumption is made that the GIS
project is of a strategic nature and involves several departments of an organization.
Finding the appropriate guidelines is not easy. Not many GIS projects of this magnitude of
complexity have been conducted and even fewer have been documented. The approach in
this chapter is based primarily upon the PRINCE handbook (Bradley, 1993) for project
management which is primarily meant for Government projects. PRINCE is an abbreviation
of PRojects IN Controled Environments and is the standard project management method
for Government (in the UK) IT departments approved by the CCTA. Basically PRINCE is
the definition of the products to be produced by a project. When using the Structured
Systems Analysis Design Methodology (SSADM) PRINCE is the project management
methodology to be used. SSADM however is, as argued in chapter 2, not always applicable
to GIS projects. Methodologies like RAD/JAD have to be used. By extension PRINCE is
not always applicable. The argument here is that a specificific management approach for
strategic GIS needs to be developed. This involved combining PRINCE with “The
Customer Project Life Cycle”(Hewlett-Packard, 1995) which is the mandatory project
management approach of Hewlett-Packard and taking account of the issues described in
“Managing Geographic Information Systems Projects (Huxhold et al, 1995), and
Management van Complexe IT projecten (Roelofs et al, 1996) of KPMG. Additionally the
© 1997 Hans Bestebreurtje, MSc UNIGIS 46