Expanding geospatial-data decision making capacity at South Florida GIS Expo
On Aug. 21, Civic Designer Nikki Zheng joined our inhouse GIS Developer Raluca Taylor to represent the City of Port St. Lucie at the annual South Florida GIS Expo at Palm Beach County Convention Center. The forum brought together GIS professionals, government agencies, educators and technology partners across the South Florida region for a day of presentations on how geospatial data is changing the way local government makes decisions.
The team heard examples from neighboring cities and counties about how geospatial data and Esri tools are used to make parcel-level analysis, automate asset management, interpret land histories, inform city
strategic planning and equip staff with easy-to understand information during emergency planning and emergency drills.
Takeaways included informing how the City can continue to build its geospatial capacity in-house; how to use spatial data to inform strategic planning and policy decisions; and more importantly, build public transparency to share more effective stories of the work the city is doing.
Growing strong project managers across PSL
The InnovatePSL Academy launched a new citywide Foundations of Effective Project Management training this August. The inaugural class met Aug. 12, followed by the second session on Aug. 26. Over both days, 26 employees from multiple City departments came together to learn practical skills that help projects large or small run more smoothly.
The training was developed with input from experienced City project managers and focused on real-world tools that help teams gain clarity early, stay organized and keep projects on track. Students learned how to define a project’ s
goals, build realistic timelines, work effectively with contractors and identify risks before they become significant issues. They also practiced communication techniques to make project updates clearer and easier for leaders and residents to understand.
By the end of the two sessions, employees left with skills they could use right away, including creating project charters, developing realistic schedules and confidently working across departments to ensure project success. This Citywide effort strengthened collaboration and advanced our strategic goal of building a high‐performing government organization that delivers well-planned and executed, resident‐focused projects across the City of Port St. Lucie. www. CityofPSL. com
30 ON THE
PSL PULSE