On September 24, 2025, ahead of the “Days of the Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Federation of BiH” Conference, the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs gathered two target groups – FGA employees and representatives of SDI FBiH stakeholders – in two focused workshops with a common goal: how to ensure that the data and information we manage have verifiable quality and recognizable, standardized descriptions.
The first workshop addressed the issue of quality control in the collection of spatial data: from planning field activities and documenting procedures, to establishing control dashboards that transparently track deviations and record corrective measures. Through practical demonstrations, participants were able to see how quality principles are translated into everyday work – what is actually measured, who is responsible for verification, and how results become visible across the organization.
At the same time, a technical workshop on metadata was held, placing metadata at the center of interoperability. Instead of abstract theory, the emphasis was on understandable examples: how to describe a dataset so that others can find it, understand it, and integrate it without delay; how to consistently apply ISO standards; and how to distinguish between datasets, series of datasets, and spatial data services in practice. This created a shared understanding that enables the SDI community to “speak the same language” when exchanging information.
After a short break, both topics were explored further through interactive sessions: participants defined key institutional needs, mapped challenges, and jointly agreed on the initial components of the framework – from checklists and guidelines to an initial activity plan. It was particularly emphasized that these elements will be further developed in coordination with SDI FBiH stakeholders, to ensure that methodological guidelines are applicable across different institutional environments.
The workshops were held as part of the “Days of SDI FBiH” Conference as a pre-event thematic segment, with a clear intention to convey key messages to the target groups and to launch the conference program with concrete steps. The workshops were organized within the GeoConnect project (funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands), through which capacities, tools, and work processes are being developed for sustainable cooperation and standardized practices within the SDI community.