| Step | Step Details | Tips |
| 1. Identify Partners and develop goals | Determine if appropriate partners are partners are part of your IM Network
Work with IM Network partners to determine your collective goals.
- Why do you need this dataset?
- What will it be used for?
- Who will use it?
- What is the purpose of the dataset (cartographic, database, online data collection)?
A possible goal for administrative boundary: | - Ask existing partners if others should be added to the IM Network. Such as the appropriate government department technical staff
- Many partners will have different goals for the dataset. Make sure all partners understand the needs of others.
- Start by asking what partners are currently using and why?
- Understand the implications of changing the COD
- Having a functioning IM Network prior to the development of goals and objectives would be ideal.
- Consider a specific working group to deal with core datasets like Administrative boundaries
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| 2. Develop objectives and strategies with partners | Work with IM Network partners to determine objectives and strategies to reach your goal(s).
Possible objectives for administrative boundaries: | - Use your IM Network to determine the most appropriate objectives and strategies.
- With an agreed goal develop objectives and strategies. This does not need to be detailed effort but should help frame the investigation of sources and datasets.
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| 3. Identify sources | Start with your IM Network, ask which agencies should be contacted.
Prepare a table with detailed metadata for every dataset
Share this table with your IM Network
Ask IM Network to contribute metadata and contact information of the Administrative Boundaries in the table if they are using different sources of data
Review metadata and current knowledge of datasets to see if a short list can be created | - Consider this an investigation, there will be multiple data sources for admin boundaries, be clear on your ultimate goal while investigating these sources.
- During your investigation acquire as much metadata as possible and keep a data trail.
- The government department responsible should always be the first choice.
- Ask data sources to participate in the IM Network (e.g. explain data needs, provide updates, process, build relationships)
- If there are multiple sources available, compile metadata and contact information about all available datasets in a table for easy analysis
- The "best" dataset is useless if it cannot be shared with all the partners.
- A "dirty" dataset that can be shared can be cleaned and brought up to minimum standards.
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