| Workshops |
GPN Certified workshopsCertified WorkshopsGPN Workshops have long been recognized as exceptional educational offerings The organization invests considerable resources in the development, production, and improvement of its workshops. The courses are taught by qualified instructors and the content is vendor-neutral, peer-reviewed, and updated frequently. Workshops are presented at GIS-Pro and other association conferences, and at many Chapter events. We also regularly present workshops as stand-alone virtual and in-person educational events. A number of our workshops will become offerings in our new learning management system, which will host on-demand online courses, available when convenient for you. GIS & the 911 Workflow is the first course that has been transferred to online delivery. Stay tuned for more! Frequently, organizations integrate our workshops into their conferences instead of developing their own courses from scratch. Scroll down to find out how to license a workshop for presentation at your event or for your organization. GPN Chapters may take advantage of a free license annually and Government Agency members may take advantage of a $250 license for a Certified Workshop to efficiently conduct on-site training (instructor, facility and material expenses not included). Interested in developing a workshop? Propose your idea(s). Current URISA WorkshopsHalf Day CoursesEmergency Preparedness for GISToday, natural and man-made disasters are becoming more complex, costly, and frequent. First responders and emergency managers are relying more and more on geospatial technology to prepare for, respond to, and recover from these disasters. There is a pressing need for cross-training on the non-technical disciplines GIS staff is being asked to support. Specifically, public safety (emergency management, police and fire services) and the rigid work flows which accompany their daily duties, often prove foreign to those unfamiliar with these activities. To accommodate their needs in a time-sensitive situation, the key is to arm the GIS professional with enough knowledge of emergency management and first responder activities, so they can effectively discern the needs of the incident commander and quickly produce the spatial document(s) which best support decision making in an emergency. Introduction to GIS for Equity and Social JusticeThis workshop will serve as an introduction to recent trends and practices related to using GIS for Equity and Social Justice (ESJ). GIS professionals are bound by the GIS Code of Ethics to consider the impact of their work on society. For hundreds of years, mapping has sometimes been a tool for creating and preserving inequity. During the past 25 years, there have been some uses of GIS for issues related to equity or social justice. Building Community Using Geospatial ToolsAs spatial data becomes readily available; many organizations and community groups are taking GIS out of the back room and are using it in public settings. Using GIS technology to engage various “publics” in decision making requires more than traditional technical GIS skills. This course focuses on the process of entering into this type of engagement. It will review current tools and technologies used to engage the public as well as methods for engagement. Using real-world examples, the course will explore both government and community-led projects that encourage citizen participation and engagement. These methods will be applicable to governmental, non-profit, and community organizations. Special attention will be given to the responsibility of the GIS professional to engage the widest possible audience. GIS and the 9-1-1 WorkflowThis URISA Certified Workshop is aimed at the GIS professional who is currently supporting or may support their emergency communications division in the future. In a fully operational next generation 9-1-1 system, GIS is the core component in determining how a 9-1-1 call is routed to the correct public safety answering point (PSAP). This technology shift has profound impacts on local data maintenance workflows, local data access, and data fidelity. This workshop provides an overview of next generation 9-1-1 and the role of GIS in such a system, and the implications on local workflows. It also illustrates common pain points and sources of errors in local GIS datasets. This workshop is the first to be offered via our online learning management system! Unpacking the NENA Next Generation 9-1-1 GIS Data ModelThe Data Model provides the blueprints in how to structure Next Generation 9-1-1 data in order for it to be utilized by an Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet). This workshop is intended to provide an overview of the NENA NG9-1-1 Data Model and the i3 call flow process, demonstrate best practices in populating 9-1-1 GIS fields, and provide examples of how proper utilization of the Data Model can provide better 9-1-1 call routing. This workshop is aimed at GIS professionals who provide support to their emergency communications division and/or support addressing workflows in their community. Cybersecurity Awareness for GIS ProfessionalsNational and economic security depends on reliable functioning of critical infrastructure, including transportation, utility, pipeline, and other distribution and collection networks. Cybersecurity threats exploit the increased complexity and connectivity of critical infrastructure systems, placing our nations’ security, economies, and public safety and health at risk. Similar to financial and reputational risk, cybersecurity risk can affect an organization’s bottom line by driving up costs and impacting revenue. It can also impact an organization’s ability to innovate, share and protect information, keep agreements, and gain and maintain public confidence. This workshop focuses on cybersecurity business drivers, and provides background for understanding how managing cybersecurity risks can be made part of the GIS organization’s management process. Participants learn key concepts and components necessary for protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA) of geospatial information assets. Participants also gain an understanding of the importance and key techniques for managing security of information assets including access control, disaster recovery and business continuity that can be made part of the GIS organization’s management process. Strategies for Leveling Up Your SuccessThe successful GIS professional navigates a variety of environments and groups throughout their career. Being successful requires regular assessments of your strengths and weaknesses and using that information to maximize existing skills and level up the areas that can be improved. This workshop will provide hands on applications to both identify and strengthen one’s individual skills. Through hands on activities participants will explore the relationship between the individual and the larger group. Strategies will be provided for navigating how to first identify your skills and then how to apply these skills for success. We will also explore the definition of what it means to be successful. A major part of success is the ability to plug into different groups including the workplace, professional societies, and people external to your area of expertise. The two-way nature of mentorship will also be explored. Full Day CoursesPreparing for the GISP ExamThe GISP has become a respected and in-demand indication of your skills as a GIS professional. Earning the GISP credential requires successfully completing an exam as well as a number of other application requirements. Attend this workshop to explore the topics that you need to be familiar with for each of the knowledge areas covered by the GISP exam. Information presented in this workshop is designed to help professionals who have extensive GIS education and experience, but need to know what topics to review prior to taking the exam. It also will help individuals with some GIS experience that may be lacking in one or more areas covered by the exam and that need to know where to find additional resources to study. This workshop helps you assess your knowledge of the content, sort out what is and is not covered on the exam, identify content areas you need to focus on, and even rediscover the joys of test-taking. GIS Return on InvestmentDetermining Return on Investment (ROI) is an important task for identifying GIS project and program cost and benefits, securing support and funding, choosing among alternative components and tasks, and evaluating performance. ROI analysis is applicable to all stages of GIS project planning, development, operation, and expansion. Developing the metrics necessary to determine ROI, however, can be a daunting task. This workshop presents principles and methods to accomplish this goal. The workshop covers ROI basics, types of ROI, how to determine costs, how to determine and quantify benefits, categorizing the results, calculating different types of ROI, and interpreting, using, and presenting the results. Hands-on Exercises include identifying and documenting costs, identifying and measuring benefits, and putting it together to develop an ROI analysis. Making Sense Out of Social IndicesSocial vulnerability to hazards is increasingly characterized by index values accessible via web-based, geospatially-driven tools. Such tools offer different interpretations of vulnerability due to differences in purpose, methodology and data. This workshop summarizes the considerations associated with creating a social index and explores a variety of publicly available social index tools. Participants learn when and how these tools are best applied for improving the resilience of their community to disasters. Covered indices will include the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), Social Vulnerability Index for the United States (SoVI®), Community Resilience Indicator Analysis (CRIA), Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC), Community Resilience Estimates (CRE), and National Risk Index (NRI)*. Methodologies behind each of these resources, intended uses, and practical applications will be discussed. Managing Addressing for the 21st CenturyAddresses are a vital data set for all local governments, and are increasingly needed for regional and state functions as well. Managing the addressing life cycles from assignment to maintenance, and serving address data to multiple departments and agencies with different user needs and requirements make addressing a complex task. This workshop focuses on understanding your addressing system, the workflows for address assignment and maintenance, and the development of standard-compliant address repositories that provide the structure and flexibility needed to meet addressing needs throughout your organization. GIS Program ManagementThis workshop is designed to provide insights and guidelines for public agency GIS programs. It examines the various organizational and management issues that program managers must address in order to develop and manage a successful GIS program. The workshop focuses on practical issues and challenges faced by GIS managers. It includes examples from actual GIS implementations and students will receive access to a variety of supplemental digital references and templates useful for GIS planning and management. The workshop includes a number of short demonstrations and group exercises focusing on GIS management challenges. The workshop is structured to encourage interaction and provide opportunities for attendees to share their ideas and experiences. GIS Strategic PlanningStrategic planning is a vital tool for all geospatial programs, at any stage of development. An effective strategic plan is crucial to ensuring that a GIS program gets started right. As a GIS program matures, strategic planning methods are important tools for program management, program review, responding to change, and solving problems. An effective strategic plan will help you win program approval and funding, ensure that program goals and return on investment are achieved, and keep a program on track in a changing environment. This URISA Certified Workshop teaches strategic planning methods and tools in the context of developing and managing a GIS program. Participants learn how to successfully select and apply appropriate methods for a variety of situations. GIS Maturity ModelsThis URISA certified workshop provides insights, strategies, and guidelines to government agencies as it reviews, examines, and explores GIS maturity models. How mature is your GIS? What is the best GIS maturity model for your organization? What should you do with the results of a GIS maturity model? This workshop focuses on helping GIS and IT Managers understand the benefits, strengths, and weaknesses of GIS maturation models. It explains the purpose and application as well as the benefits of using the right GIS model to determine an organization’s maturity level. It focuses on the practical issues of determining the maturity of an organization’s GIS and includes short demonstrations and group exercises focusing on quantifying GIS maturity. Introduction to Public Participation GIS:
|
8/12/2025 » 12/1/2025
Support U.S. Federal Geospatial Datasets
9/26/2025 » 1/31/2026
Participate in the 2025 GIS Management Survey
701 Lee St, Suite 960
Des Plaines, IL 60016
847-824-6300
Print Page