Rules
This can be a set of instructions describing how data is to be captured manually (e.g. when converting data from paper or raster records to a vector format) or may be a set of mapping rules when the data in one system is to be represented differently in another system. The rules should take into account any data cleansing that may be required and should always consider how the quality of the migrated or captured data is to be validated.
Plans
Any project, large or small, needs to be planned. Questions such as when does this need to be done by, can it be done in stages, who is impacted, what resource is required, what are the dependencies, what will it cost should all be addressed in the plan.
System Analysis
It's important to choose the correct system for your data and for your users. Consideration should be given to the amount of data to be stored, its type, the number of users who are to access this data, what type of access do these users require (e.g. view only), how will the users access the data (e.g. stand alone, internet, intranet), how will the data be maintained, what functionality is required (i.e. how is the data to be used).
