Geographic Information Systems: An Introduction, 3rd Edition

20.4 Example of Strategy for a National Map Service

Recommended strategies for national road databases in Scandinavia include the following necessary conditions (Nordic KVANTIF 1990):

1. General strategy. The national map service should adopt an offensive strategy to adapt to rapidly changing technologies and markets.
2. Creating databases. A multitheme national road database (with geometry, driving limitations, ID links to addresses, etc.) created with data from various sources should be aimed toward a small nucleus group of users willing to pay for the services provided. This will make the project feasible. This product cannot be classified as a public service, as many financially weaker groups will be excluded.
3. Currentness. Currentness is paramount—that is, updating every three months for important items and at least once a year for all other items.
4. Financing. A multitheme road database should be user financed. As the market demand is so varied, the product is not a characteristic public service. Semipublic financing may gradually increase during the updating phase as products become standardized and more users access the data. The portion of the road database dedicated to rationalization of national map production can be financed by normal public funding.
5. Pricing. Market pricing should involve a high entry price to cover updating costs. Otherwise, the road data will be inadequately financed, which will create problems in the updating phase and pricing problems for both the initial ...