Appendix B
COMMITTEE’S SURVEY AND INTERVIEWS CONCERNING USER REQUIREMENTS AND SATISFACTION
When the committee decided to divide some of the data gathering tasks between two subgroups, subgroup A1 on user requirements attempted to develop data to reinforce and expand personal and professional experiences with the USGS user satisfaction by sampling typical USGS map/data users in five general categories. These categories included (1) large-scale users (utilities, municipalities, local governments); (2) state government users; (3) commercial users (publishers of maps and digital data); (4) users of spatial data who do not use USGS products to meet their needs; and (5) other users including recreational, planning, and environmental users. All of the interviews (primarily by telephone) were conducted using a questionnaire developed by the subgroup. This questionnaire follows. The results of this survey are integrated into the committee’s analyses in the report; detailed analysis and records of the interviews are on file with the Mapping Science Committee.
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Introduce oneself as a Mapping Science Committee member; explain purpose of interview, i.e., we’re trying to find out if users of USGS information are satisfied, how much information they use from the USGS, etc.
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Determine that interviewee does, in fact, use USGS maps or digital data; if not, what maps or data are they using?
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Purposes for which they use USGS maps/data; where they get it, specifically what do they buy, how much ($/quantities), how often. If it were not available, what could or would be substituted?
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What are the strong points of current USGS products? Weak points?
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Are the users of USGS information changing? Do they expect spatial digital data usage changes in the 1- to 10-year period? Try to assess evolving digital data needs, in particular, any plans for using the 1:100,000 TIGER files, creating their own digital data files, etc.?
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Are there products user would like to have from the USGS? What about willingness to pay?
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Explore how user feels about what federal mapping role should be; in particular, what about the USGS role?
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Explore how user feels about the USGS as service organization (not just supplier of hard-copy products or digital files).
ORGANIZATIONS SAMPLED
Municipal Governments and Public and Private Utilities (John C.Antenucci, interviewer)
Alabama Power Company
Albuquerque (NM), City of
Ann Arbor (MI), City of
Austin (TX), City of
Baltimore (MD), City of, Public Works Department
Boston (MA), City of
Carolina Power & Light Company
Charlotte (VA), City of
City Public Service, San Antonio
Columbus (OH), City of
Deerfield Beach, City of
Denver Water Department
Dupage County Assessor
Erie & Niagara Counties Regional Planning Board
Florida Power & Light Company
Greenville (NC), City of
GTE of Illinois
Houston (TX), City of
Indianapolis (IN), City of
Iowa Public Service Company
Jefferson County, Colorado
Johnson City
Kentucky Utilities Company
Knoxville (TN), City of/Knox County
Lassen County
Little Rock (AR), City of
Little Rock Wastewater Utility
Long Beach (CA), City of
Los Alamos City Utilities
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
Louisville/Jefferson County Municipal Sewer District
Mesa (AZ), City of
Metropolitan Utility District, Connecticut
Miami (FL), City of
Michigan Consolidated Gas Company
Milwaukee (WI), City of
Nashville (TN), City of
Nashua, City of
New Braunfels Utilities
Northeast Illinois Planning Commission
Northeast Utilities
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Natural Gas Company
Orlando Utilities Commission
Pasadena Water & Power Department
Peoples Natural Gas, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh (PA), City of, Urban Redevelopment Authority
Phoenix (AZ), City of
Pinellas PK Water/Utility District
Portland General Electric Company
Public Works Agency
Puget Sound Power & Light Company
Savannah Electric & Power
South Carolina Water Resources Commission
Southern California Edison Company
Southern California Gas Company
Southern Company Services
St. Petersburg (FL), City of
Suffolk County Real Property
Wisconsin Gas Company
Ventura (CA), City of
State Governmental Agencies (John D.Bossler, interviewer)
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality and Engineering (2 interviews)
Massachusetts Environmental Management Department (Division of Hazardous Wastes)
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Soil and Water Conservation)
Ohio Department of Transportation (Bureau of Aerial Engineering)
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Planning Coordination Office)
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (Soils and
Hazardous Waste Office)
South Carolina Department of Transportation
South Carolina Land Resources Commission
South Carolina Geodetic Survey and Geologic Survey
Commercial Users (Henry J.Perez, interviewer)
American Automobile Association, Falls Church, Virginia
Champion Map Company, Daytona Beach, Florida
General Drafting Company, Convent Station, New Jersey
H.M.Gousha, Comfort, Texas
International Aerial Mapping Company, San Antonio, Texas
Tobin Aerial Surveys, San Antonio, Texas
Miscellaneous Organizations (Thomas J.Wilbanks, interviewer)
Argonne National Laboratory
Batelle
Bechtel
Dames & Moore
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Martin Marietta
Meridian Corporation
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
RCG/Hagler-Bailly, Inc.
Resources for the Future
Science Applications, Inc.
Sierra Club
World Resources Institute