Asian Surveying & Mapping
Breaking News
Launch of Australia’s 1st orbital rocket, Gilmour Space’s Eris-1, delayed again
Update for 6:15 p.m. ET on July 1: Gilmour Space...
SAASST, UAE Space Agency strengthen scientific partnership
SHARJAH- Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Director of the...
Shubhanshu Shukla to speak to students and ISRO scientists this Friday
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will interact with school students...
ISRO hands over 10 advanced technologies to Indian firms in major push for space commercialisation
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has transferred ten...
DIGIPIN Launched: India Embraces Geospatial Precision in Digital Addressing
IIT Hyderabad (IITH), in partnership with the Department of...
HAL to build, market Isro’s SSLV in landmark deal
New Delhi, Jun 20: In a historic move for...
Taiwan developing space capabilities for all-weather imaging
TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan is advancing its space...
Honda hails successful test of reusable rocket as it looks to get into the space business
Tokyo — Japan's second-biggest carmaker, Honda, has successfully tested...
China’s space program provides larger platform for broader international cooperation
BEIJING -- Experts from China's manned space program said...
India To Launch $1.5 Billion Joint Earth Mission With NASA In July
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian...
  • Oct 9, 2018
  • Comments Off on URISA Releases White Paper Defining the Boundaries of Practice Between Surveyors and GIS Professionals
  • Corporate, News
  • 419 Views

October 9th, 2018
URISA Releases White Paper Defining the Boundaries of Practice Between Surveyors and GIS Professionals

In recent years, URISA’s Policy Advisory Committee has facilitated several panel discussions at GIS-Pro conferences during which surveyors and GIS professionals have discussed the distinctive, yet complementary, services that each profession provides.

Surveyors and GIS professionals each create, analyze, and draw conclusions from maps and associated data. While their respective skills and responsibilities are distinct, there is sufficient overlap to have caused some conflict as to which practices are appropriate to each profession. One might say the “boundary of their professional practices” is somewhat uncertain.

Some states have defined the practice of surveying for which licensure is required so restrictively that operation of a public agency’s GIS mandates supervision by a licensed surveyor. In some states, GIS professionals are using easily-operated GPS devices to capture the location of new elements for public agency maps – a practice traditionally reserved for licensed surveyors. This paper reviews the current definition of that professional boundary, and outlines some aspects that remain insufficiently precise. Good will and mutual respect have enabled these two professions to arrive at the current “boundary” definition, providing a model for renewed resolution of remaining uncertainties. The goal of this White Paper is to assist with the dialog by providing background and recommendations.

Both types of professionals can work together to ensure their work products are suitable for the intended purposes, and that they protect the public’s health, safety and welfare. As non-licensed map makers, it is up to GIS professionals to ensure that their geodata and maps include the metadata information necessary for them to be used appropriately.

The community is invited to download, read (and share) URISA’s White Paper “Defining the Boundaries of Practice Between Surveyors and GIS Professionals – Background with Recommendations” authored by long-time member Bruce Joffe, GISP and numerous contributors from URISA’s Policy Advisory Committee.