Welcome to the Ramona GIS Inventory

Ramona is produced by the National States' Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) as a tool for states and their partners. Its primary purpose is to track the status of GIS in US state and local government to aid the planning and building of Spatial Data Infrastructures.

Using Ramona

You will enter the Ramona site either through the nation-wide view as seen here (www.gisinventory.net) or a state view (with the 2-letter state abbreviation as the prefix in the URL, for example www.in.gisinventory.net).

State views help keep the information manageable for statewide organizations by limiting information to their community of practice.

Public Areas of Ramona Do Not Require Registration

The public is free to use the Ramona status maps and directory without a user account. This lesson explains how to use these public areas.

Status Maps

Status Maps show where geospatial data exist and their current status.

1. The map tools magnify/zoom, pan, and identify to help you navigate the map.

2. Ramona contains an inventory of over 200 GIS data layers. They are divided into "framework" and "other" data layers. Framework data are the data most needed, most of the time, by the most users. Ramona features these since they are so important for planning spatial data infrastructures.

3. Folders contain categories of geospatial data - click on a folder and select your data layer of interest.

4. The map key (legend) explains how the map is color-coded by the status of geospatial data (colored by complete, in work, and planned; shaded by the level of geography that is represented). Clicking on/off in the map key will control how you view responses by level of geography. For example, reported nation-wide data layer coverage is turned off by default - click "on" to see if there is nationwide coverage of a particular data layer.

5. At the bottom of the map, you can turn map name labels on/off. You can also download a copy of the map image for use in presentations or reports.

Request Status Map Information

After selecting your data layer of interest, you can click the information "i" button from the map tools to see details of that data for the location you clicked.

1. Click a location on the map to return results for that location.

2. Scroll down your screen to view the information.

View Status Map Information

When you scroll down your screen you will see the results of your information request. Organization and contact names are listed for Ramona users who have reported they have geospatial data for your area of interest. The status, scale and production date are listed for quick reference.

If available, contact names and organizations are hyperlinked to web BASE_URLs.

Directory

Registered users of Ramona are listed in the directory. You do not need to be a registered user to search the directory. NSGIC has strict policies for NOT using Ramona to create mass mailing lists. Users must type a security code at the beginning of each search session. This prevents web crawlers from harvesting your contact information in Ramona.

Directory Search

You can search for a Ramona registered user by filling in a single search term or a combination of search terms.

Search the directory using the first letter(s) or full first- or last-name, organization name, or county. You can also search by selecting an application area or organization type from the drop-down menus.

Please note: If you are using a state version of Ramona (e.g., www.in.gisinventory.net) you will be searching the directory only for that state.

Welcome to the Ramona GIS Inventory

Ramona is produced by the National States' Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) as a tool for states and their partners. Its primary purpose is to track the status of GIS in US state and local government to aid the planning and building of Spatial Data Infrastructures.

New Users Create Account (1)

Registration is easy, open to anyone, and free of charge. Information collected by the Ramona GIS Inventory System is used to support local, regional, statewide, and national planning efforts and to help build Spatial Data Infrastructures. It is also used to promote partnership opportunities for data creation efforts. Registered users create profiles for their organization, systems, and data.

New users must create an account in order to be registered. Registered users benefit from being able to create their own user reports and automatically generate starter metadata from their responses (for users who do not already create metadata).

New Users Create Account (2)

After completing your contact information, carefully enter your email address. Note that your email address will be your user name when you login.

Enter a password for your account.

Click "Create User."

Registered User Login (1)

Log-in at the top right side of the header or on the "My Profile" tab.

Registered User Login (2)

Your login name is your email address. If your email address changes, you are responsible for logging-in under your old email address and updating your log-in information under the User Profile section.

If you forget your password, click "forgot your password?" and your password will be emailed to you. Registered users can visit the site and update their Profile as often as desired.

Welcome to the Ramona GIS Inventory

Ramona is produced by the National States' Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) as a tool for states and their partners. Its primary purpose is to track the status of GIS in US state and local government to aid the planning and building of Spatial Data Infrastructures.

How the GIS Inventory is Organized

The Ramona GIS Inventory is divided into sections under "My Profile." They include:

* User Profile
* Organizational Profile
* Systems Profile
* Policies Profile
* My Geography
* Framework Data Profile
* Other Data Profile
* State Questions (If Required)
* Metadata

Please complete all relevant information in tabs 1-5, because it is critical to the report and metadata functions of the system. In addition, please provide answers to all questions in tab 8 (State Questions) if it appears, because this information is needed to improve statewide coordination efforts in your state.

You will only see the "State Questions" tab under "My Profile" when the administrator for your state adds specific questions that they need users to answer. These questions are important for statewide GIS coordination efforts and we encourage you to complete them.

User Profile

When you login, you will see the User Profile section. The information you entered when you created your account is listed in this section. You can change/update this information at any time.

Users estimate that it takes between 10 and 25 minutes to fully complete the first five sections of the inventory. After completing these sections you will be able to inventory each of your individual data layers at any time in the future using the "Framework Data Profile" or "Other Data Profile" sections. Users estimate that it takes between 30 seconds and two minutes to inventory each individual data layer. You should only inventory data that you or your organization has created or substantially modified, either directly or through contractual services. You should not document data produced by other entities that you use in your operation.

BEST PRACTICE: NSGIC recommends users review and update their Ramona profile at least once per year.

Registering to State Ramona Systems / Changing E-mail

1. At the bottom of your User Profile, you will select the state(s) in which you live and/or work. This information is used to "assign" you to your state's version of Ramona. This helps keep information manageable for statewide GIS coordination and communities of practice.

2. You can update your email address from the User Profile. Remember your email address is your user name when you login to Ramona.

Organization Profile (and what happens if you leave your job)

Organization information is important for statewide geospatial planning. It is also used when searching the Ramona directory. List your organization's web site and all application areas relevant to your organization.

The remainder of the Ramona profile deals primarily with your organization's systems, policies, and data.

BEST PRACTICE: If you leave your job we ask that you notify your statewide GIS coordinator or the Ramona system administrator (info@gisinventory.net). We can reassign your organization information to a new/temporary person and help you create a new account.

Systems Profile

The Systems Profile is where you document important information regarding software, online mapping applications, and the projection/coordinate information of your data.

This information is important for documenting your data and for the automatic generation of starter metadata (for users who do not already create metadata).

Policies

Your organization's policies communicate under what circumstances you make your data available. Your policies have an important influence on the development of spatial data infrastructures.

My Geography (1)

Your geography is required information for the Ramona status maps and starter metadata. Please select the geographic area(s) that best represent the geographic extent for your GIS data.

Although you set your default geography here, you can always modify your geography on a layer-by-layer basis when you inventory individual data sets.

This is a two step section if your data are not nationwide or statewide.

My Geography (2)

You can select single or multiple counties/parishes, cities/towns/villages, and tribal lands. DO NOT hold down the CTRL key or Command key to select multiple jurisdictions. Simply click to activate your choices and click a second time to remove them.

Note that if you select a county(s)/parish(s), you do not need to select cities/towns/villages within that county/parish. It is assumed your data cover these areas - if they do not you can note it in the optional free-text description when you inventory individual data sets (see next step).

BEST PRACTICE: If your data cover a watershed or other irregular (non-political) boundary, select the state(s), counties(s), etc. that most closely represent the extent of your data.

Inventorying Data

Ramona inventories all layers with five basic questions:
1. Progress
2. Source
3. Scale
4. Production Date
5. Update Frequency
There is an optional free-text layer description if you want to provide more information about your data set.

For most fields you select a response from a drop-down list (select the answer that most closely represents your data).

Framework Data

Framework data are the data most needed, most of the time, by the most users. Ramona features these since they are so important for planning spatial data infrastructures.

Users estimate that it takes between 30 seconds and two minutes to inventory each individual data layer. You should only inventory data that you or your organization has created or substantially modified, either directly or through contractual services. You should not document data produced by other entities that you use in your operation.

1. Select a data category.
2. Complete the inventory questions.
3. For framework data only, some data sets have additional questions that are vital for planning purposes.
4. If you have more than one data set for the layer listed, you can click the "+" sign to duplicate the layer in the inventory.

Optional Geography

In the My Geography section above, you selected a geographic extent for the GIS data that are inventoried by Ramona. That is your default geography used for all layers you inventory. If you have a different geographic extent for a data layer, you can now edit the default geographic extent.

The optional Geography section shown here will indicate the geographic extent is being used for each layer (either your default geography, or a changed geography that you have defined - see next step).

Changing Geography

When you click "edit geography" you will be presented a screen verifying that you are choosing a specific geography for your layer of interest.

1. When you create a new geography, enter an alias name to refer to this geography. Ramona will save the new geography in case you want to use it again for other data layers that you inventory. Follow the directions from My Geography to set the goegraphic extent. You can create multiple new geographies.

2. If you have already created a new geography, you can re-use it by selecting its alias name from the drop-down list and clicking "add to layer."

3. You can edit a saved geography by selecting its alias name from the drop-down list and clicking edit geography.

4. You can delete a saved geography by selecting its alias name from the drop-down list and clicking delete geography.

Starter Metadata

Approximately 75% of GIS users don't create metadata to document their GIS data holdings! Ramona automatically generates standards-compliant starter metadata.

1. If you don't already produce and publish metadata, Ramona can publish a starter metadata record to the Geospatial One-Stop portal (this is checked by default). You can download your starter metadata and use it with your data as nature intended.

2. If you already produce full Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) metadata, you can provide a web link (URL) to the complete metadata record. Do not enter information on this line if the URL routinely changes, unless you are committed to keeping it up-to-date.

Other Data

Continue to inventory your other data layers in the "Other Data" section.

1. Select a category and layer name most closely describing your data.
2. For a complete listing of data layers in Ramona, you can download the complete layer list (it is a searchable .pdf file).
3. The standard five questions and optional free-text description are listed for every data layer.

State Specific Questions

You will only see the "State Questions" tab under "My Profile" when the administrator for your state adds specific questions that they need users to answer. These questions are important for statewide GIS coordination efforts and we encourage you to complete them.

Reports

You can use Ramona reports to share information on your systems, policies, and data.

After you have completed your Profile, you can view and download a report of your responses. Keep a copy of your report as a permanent record and use it as a quick way to reference information contained in your profile.

Welcome to the Ramona GIS Inventory

Ramona is produced by the National States' Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) as a tool for states and their partners. Its primary purpose is to track the status of GIS in US state and local government to aid the planning and building of Spatial Data Infrastructures.

A Multi-Purposed Inventory System

Ramona is first and foremost a GIS inventory system. Before Ramona, GIS users everywhere were asked to complete GIS surveys/inventories every year - and sometimes multiple uncoordinated surveys a year.

Ramona provides a single, consistent, living inventory for every state and all levels of government. That means more efficient data collection, more consistent responses, and great time-savings for users.

But NSGIC realized Ramona could be even more. Most GIS inventories asked questions similar to information documented in metadata. NSGIC knew that approximately 75% of GIS users still weren't "doing metadata." So we multi-purposed Ramona. As an added benefit to users, Ramona will automatically generate FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata starter metadata based on your responses to the inventory. (Users who already create full FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) metadata can ignore this feature.)

Inventory Information Translates to Metadata

In your Profile, Ramona is inventorying information about you, your organization, your data management policies and the status of your GIS data. This information is important for local, regional, statewide, and national GIS planning and investments. It is also an important component of your metadata - documentation of your data sets.

Behind the scenes, Ramona stores your responses in a normalized database that can be "harvested" and inserted into carefully designed metadata templates.

Users estimate that it takes between 30 seconds and two minutes to inventory each individual data layer. That layer information is combined with user contact information, organization information, systems and policy information from your profile.

Starter metadata becomes quick and painless!

Starter Metadata

As a service to you, Ramona automatically generates starter metadata based on the CSDGM metadata standard.

The resulting metadata is only minimally compliant with the CSDGM. It does not include important data quality, attribute and other information. Basic metadata from Ramona is intended to help users jump-start their metadata efforts if they do not currently have metadata.

Download Started Metadata

The metadata is provided as a standards-based XML file that can be imported into several metadata/GIS software or text editing packages for your use and completion. Each data layer documented in the system has a metadata tab to download the metadata file.

The National States Geographic Information Council strongly supports the full CSDGM standard and encourages users to add appropriate information to make your metadata fully compliant.

Posting Metadata to GOS

Ramona also posts the metadata to a web folder that is harvested by Geospatial One Stop (GOS) (www.geodata.gov). Users that already create metadata and post it to a data clearinghouse that is harvested by the GOS Portal can easily "opt-out" of metadata creation in Ramona by un-clicking on the appropriate box under each data layer.

NDOP and NDEP

In addition to the GOS Portal, your metadata on digital elevation data and orthoimagery is also shared with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for their flood map modernization program and the National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) and the National Digital Elevation Program (NDEP). This is done as a service to the users of Ramona to decrease the number of data inventories conducted by the Federal Government.

BEST PRACTICE: Posting information with the GOS Portal and other programs may result in possible partnerships for your data production efforts. Keeping them informed of your status by actively maintaining your Ramona account is a good practice, and please always keep your Statewide GIS Coordination Council informed about partnership opportunities.