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The Future of Spatial Data and Society Summary of a Workshop (1997) / Chapter Skim
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WORKSHOP RESULTS
Pages 37-42

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From page 37...
... LESSONS LEARNED Workshop Mechanism Organizers of the workshop made use of several mechanisms for encouraging participants to think creatively about the future of the NSDI: circulation prior to the workshop of background documents and white papers and an agenda that broke the meeting into three stages of facilitated discussion, first identifying external driving forces, then enumerating anticipated changes, and finally considering four alternative scenarios. it goes almost without saying that thinking creatively about the future is difficult.
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From page 38...
... For example, it would be difficult if not impossible to make sense of the four Wegener and Masser scenarios discussed in Chapter 5 if the word "spatial" were replaced with some other type of data, however well defined. The vast majority of the points made in this report apply more or less exclusively to spatial data; in that sense there is, indeed, something special about "spatial." National Spatial Data Infrastructure in earlier reports, the Mapping Science Committee took the view that the NSD]
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From page 39...
... It is the Mapping Science Committee's sense that most workshop attendees think it is more likely that the spatial data community will influence rather than change the course of society to any significant degree. However, workshop participants were given the opportunity to look at the specific implications of a wide range of future forces on the spatial data community, first by identifying external forces likely to drive changes, then by identifying specific changes, and finally by discussions framed by four alternative-future scenarios.
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From page 40...
... STRATEGIC QUESTIONS Organizations and stakeholders within the spatial data community will be making many strategic decisions and choices in the coming years. in some cases a choice may directly influence the path of society toward one of the Wegener and Masser scenarios.
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From page 41...
... 5. How will your organization adapt its investment strategies to respond to rapid technological change and yet ensure cost-effective access to current technology?
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From page 42...
... The NSDI must Unction as a forum for continuous dialogue, as a mechanism to promote research and education, and as a source for numerous partnerships and collaborations. The committee hopes this report will serve to stimulate continuing dialogue In the coming months and years and help inform policy and advisory groups that make decisions and develop strategic plans for the long term.
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Key Terms

  • data community
  • partnership arrangement
  • driving forces
  • mapping science
  • alternative future

  • national spatial
  • strategic decisions
  • future scenarios
  • data infrastructure
  • identifying external

  • major strategic
  • organization prepared
  • workshop mechanisms
  • merely echoes
  • help elucidate

  • significant degree
  • future forces
  • digital futures
  • workshop reviewed
  • anticipated changes

  • encouraging participants
  • contains lessons
  • activities beyond
  • creative input
  • community play

  • template outlined
  • specific changes
  • moves forward
  • identifying specific
  • rare outliers


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