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Individual Māori GIS project checklist

A small project does not need enterprise infrastructure. A simple project can still keep good source records, separate working and shared versions, maintain backups and leave enough context for somebody else to continue the mahi later.

Before you collect​

  • Write the kaupapa in one or two sentences.
  • Note whose information, whenua or relationships are involved.
  • Decide whether GIS is useful for this material.
  • Decide whether exact coordinates add anything useful.
  • Identify the intended audience for the working and shared versions.
  • Record any agreed limits or expectations around later use.

Set up the project​

For a modest QGIS project, a small number of well-managed files is usually easier to maintain than dozens of shapefiles and copies.

A practical pattern is:

Conceptual flow
  • Use clear project and dataset names.
  • Keep source material separate from edited working data.
  • Record the source and date of every important dataset.
  • Use GeoPackage where suitable rather than proliferating shapefile components.
  • Use normal device and file security for material that is not intended for general access.

Record provenance​

For important features record enough to answer:

  • Where did this come from?
  • Who supplied or recorded it?
  • What kaupapa or decision was it being used for?
  • When was it recorded?
  • Is the geometry exact, approximate, interpreted or legal?
  • What transformation has been applied?
  • Is this draft, checked, current or superseded?

Before sharing​

  • Confirm who the particular output is for.
  • Include the fields useful to that audience.
  • Use the level of spatial detail that suits the purpose.
  • Inspect metadata, filenames, thumbnails and map extent where they form part of the output.
  • Consider what other public information changes the meaning of the map.
  • Export a separate shared dataset where that keeps the working source clearer.
  • Add source, date and useful limitations to the map.

Back up​

  • Keep at least one backup separate from the working device.
  • For important data, keep an off-site recoverable copy.
  • Test that the backup can actually be opened.
  • Include attachments, source notes and metadata.

Write a one-page handover​

Record:

  • what the project does
  • software needed
  • where the main working data are
  • where backups are
  • what is not intended for general access
  • source and decision records
  • any subscriptions or accounts
  • who knows the kaupapa and can provide context later

When the project ends​

  • Decide what becomes the archival record.
  • Remove temporary copies that no longer serve a purpose.
  • Return or delete external copies where that was part of the arrangement.
  • Transfer project accounts to the organisation that will continue the work if needed.
  • Preserve an open or widely usable data export where useful.
  • Record anything the next person still needs to resolve.

Keep it proportionate​

A shared database or web platform becomes useful when collaboration, access management, volume or operational requirements justify it. A small kaupapa does not need enterprise infrastructure simply to look well governed.

Last reviewed: 25 August 2026

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