Introduction to the Geospatial Profile of the

Federal Enterprise Architecture

Doug NebertFGDC Secretariat

June 2006

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Enterprise ArchitectureDefines a framework in which one describes the current and future work activities and justifies the investments (personnel, data, applications) of an “enterprise”A precursor to electronic government (e-gov) and business process re-engineering

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Goals of EAto provide a structured approach to business process assessment and re-engineeringto support classification of business processes, data concepts, standards, services (components and interfaces) to provide a reference framework to store models that explain the services and data behind themto improve efficiencies within an organizationto identify potential for services and data re-use for multiple purposes

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Transitional Process

Standards

US Approach to a Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA)

Drivers

BusinessArchitecture

DataArchitecture

ApplicationsArchitecture

TechnologyArchitecture

BusinessArchitecture

DataArchitecture

ApplicationsArchitecture

TechnologyArchitecture

StrategicDirection

Current Future

Contextual

Conceptual

Logical

Physical

As Built

Functioning

Why

Why

Who

Who

When

When

Where

Where

What

What

How

How

Models

Adapted from “Federal Enterprise ArchitectureFramework”

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FEA Reference ModelsBusiness Reference Model (BRM) –define mission-critical lines of business, business processes, and functionsPerformance Reference Model (PRM) developed to define measures of business performanceTechnical Reference Model (TRM) –identifies and describes the technology (components, interfaces) used to achieve the BRMService Reference Model (SRM) defines the types and instances of services required to support processesData Reference Model (DRM) – defines the data/information concepts, structures, definitions, and values or enumerations required by the BRM in the context of the TRM

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Requirements for Geospatial Profile in Enterprise Architecture

Geographic information is used in a majority of business settings in and outside of governmentGeographic information and services are not addressed consistently within and between organizationsInteroperability among providers and consumers of geographic data and services requires a common understanding of semantics and functional capabilitiesDevelopment of common multi-jurisdictional approaches to the use of geographic information and services requires inclusion in Enterprise Architecture

Integrated Data and Information “To Be State”

Using the FEA-DRM

PollutionPrevention& Control

EnergyResearch

PublicHealth

Monitoring

RecreationalResource

Management& Tourism

ConsumerHealth &Safety

Consumer Safety

DOE

Emission

DOI

Natural Resource

HHS

USDAHealth

Recreation

Shared lines of business

Geospatial Overlay

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Solution: Creation of guidance for geospatial capabilities in the FEA

Develop a Geospatial Profile document for the FEA to support its cross-cutting nature, along the lines of the Profiles being developed for Records Management and Security and PrivacyDeploy the concept outside the bounds of FEA to include local and state government

FEA Geospatial Profile

Companion to Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) Reference Models to recognize and promote the pervasive nature of geospatial capabilities in lines of business across governmentAudience: Agency chief architects and CIO staff in federal, state, or local governmentObjective: to develop consistent methodology to call-out geospatial elements of all aspects of government businessFormat: 60 page document with many resource annexes

Geospatial

Security & Privacy

Records Management

Eco

nom

ic

Develo

pm

ent

Educa

tion

Com

munit

y a

nd

Soci

al Serv

ices

Healt

h

Hum

an

Reso

urc

es

Fin

anci

al

Managem

ent

Natu

ral

Reso

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es

Hom

ela

nd

Secu

rity

Agenc

ies

Lines of Business

Pro

files

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The Geospatial Profile of the FEA:

highlights the role of geospatial capabilities within the recognized FEA lines of businessis intended for use by federal business planners and business architects involved in budget planning and submissionis general guidance on how geospatial capabilities can be recognized and inserted into an agency’s enterprise architecture (EA)

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Objectivesto promote consideration of location as a component of agency business activities and processesto support description and sharing of geospatial resources across organizationsto build geospatial considerations into all aspects of agency enterprise architecture development.to reinforce existing guidelines, standards, and policies established by OMB, FGDC, and ISO for development, management, and use of geospatial resourcesto measure performance in the use and management of geospatial resources.

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Geospatial Profile OutlineExecutive SummaryIntroduction to the Geospatial Profile

Objectives Audience Document Structure

Introduction to Geospatial Concepts

Cross-cutting nature of geospatial

Overview of Geospatial Capabilities

The NSDI Business Reference Model

Data Reference ModelService Components Reference ModelTechnology Reference ModelPerformance Reference Model and Maturity ModelAppendix A: References Appendix B: Glossary Appendix C: FEA OverviewAppendix D: Use Case and ScenariosAppendix E: Geospatial Activity Examples for BRMAppendix F: Geospatial Business LanguageAppendix G: Geospatial Service ComponentsAppendix H: Geospatial Standards ListAppendix I: Acronym List

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Profile Approach Provide background on geospatial concepts and applicability Insert an awareness of a geospatial context into each of the FEA Reference Models Expand existing taxonomies and approaches to recognize the activities and products of the geospatial community

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FEA Business Reference Model

Consider geospatial specialization as a sub-function

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Approach to evaluating geospatial aspects of business activities:

Approach to evaluating geospatial aspects of business activities: Analyze business activity descriptions to determine

possible roles for location based information in the execution of the business activity.

Determine the function of geospatial data, technology, and services in carrying out those activities.

Develop or refine a business statement that describes the role of geospatial data and technologies in support of the business activity.

Questions template to identify geospatial capabilities with subject experts

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Recommended geospatial business functions

Development of geospatial policies, standards, and guidanceImplement geospatial services with common and documented interfacesDissemination of geospatial data to external users

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Geospatial Business Language

The Geospatial Business Language is comprised of five basic types of terms:Application: A computer program with a user interface or computer program component that employs geospatial data and technology; a geospatial business process or sub-process that is implemented as a software program or program component.Data: A geospatial information class, type or property.Function: A geoprocessing capability; a geoprocessing user tool; a geospatial service component.Process: A general series of business activities that employs geospatial data and technology.Technology: An application of science that generates, displays, manages or otherwise processes geospatial data. (Excluding general-purpose Information Technology.)

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Data Reference ModelPromotes data sharing and discovery through three capabilities exposed for agency data resources: Data context (taxonomies) Data sharing (exchange schema and

format) Data description (metadata)

Full reconciliation with the FEA DRM version 2.X is not included in this Profile

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Data context (taxonomies)Spatial contexts exist to reference location using addresses, coordinates, grid reference systems, and place namesISO 19115 includes a Topic Category system for thematic content classification

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Data sharing (exchange)Use of Framework Data Content standards for exchange (ANSI/INCITS)Use of standard formats and services for exchange (OGC GML, WFS)Use of geospatial data formats for exchange

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Data description (metadata)

Reference to FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) in active useRecommends future use of ISO 19115 and its XML encoding (ISO TS 19139) for the format and transfer of geospatial metadata

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Service Component Reference Model

Defined as a “baseline for categorizing and aligning federal business applications into common, reusable Service Components, … categorized into appropriate service domains and service types.”Appendix includes a table of SRM extensions that highlight candidate geospatial service components within existing domains/types

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FEA Service domains and types

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Geospatial aspects of TRMIn the context of the TRM organization, geospatial standards and specifications are identified to improve interoperability in enterprise solutions ISO, W3C, OGC, OASIS, FGDC and

other standards are referenced

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AppendicesReferencesGlossary and acronymsUse case and scenariosGeospatial activity examplesGeospatial Business LanguageGeospatial Service ComponentsGeospatial Standards List

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Initiative Status, April 2007Drafted a Charter for a Geospatial WG under the FGDC and CIO AIC, refined work planIdentified a wild-land fire scenario as the context to be followed by examples in the Profile documentConvened writing teams for the Introduction section, and to provide geospatial guidance for each of the relevant FEA Reference ModelsPosted Version 1.0 Draft of Geospatial Profile 10January2006Developing Profile Version 2.0 for release, Spring 2007

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Initiative co-leads

Wendy Blake-Coleman, EPADouglas Nebert and Ivan DeLoatch, FGDC

For more information contact:Doug Nebert (ddnebert@fgdc.gov)