The specific list of GIS technical applications selected in this study for
further development reflect the local priorities, experiences, and expertise of
the users surveyed. Overall, the process for determining priorities resulted in
a stronger level of acceptance and agreement on the meanings, contexts, and
elements of “GIS user needs”. More importantly, participants and respondents
described their support for acknowledgement of social concerns, and making
those concerns a more explicit part of the process. This type of engagement
process can result in higher public support and collaboration for technology
implementation phases of this and other future GIS implementations to benefit
local government and support public policy initiatives.