A primary task of The Centre for GIS was the development of digital mapping specifications and standards for the production of Qatar's Digital Topographic Database. To this end, a book entitled 'National GIS Database Specifications and Data Dictionary - Topographic' was published and a highly automated digital map monitoring system was implemented both of which enabled the creation of a highly accurate, fully functional digital topographic database.

Subsequently, The Centre for GIS in concert with the National GIS Steering Committee, has worked with each agency that has implemented GIS, to provide guidance and advice on how to develop specifications and data dictionaries suitable for their respective disciplines in order to ensure they are not only suitable for each agency's applications, but also compatible with the specifications and standards of all other agencies. This effort has led to the development of a volume set of National GIS database specifications and data dictionaries consisting of 16 volumes, one for each agency.

The purpose of these data dictionaries is to clearly define, for each agency, the kind of data that is included in its database, what each data item is called, how the data is assembled and structured, how accurate it is, and so on. These are the kinds of things agencies must know if they are going to electronically exchange data with each other. And since all agencies have developed their data dictionaries in consultation with each other, and under the supervision of The Centre for GIS, the process has ensured that every data item used by each agency is identified and that only one agency is made responsible for collecting, maintaining and sharing with others, a specific data item. This has ensured order and discipline in the collection, naming, coding and storing of data. Not only has this served to standardize and streamline data collection, data entry, data management, and other procedures but it has minimized redundancy and its use has considerably improved quality assurance, communication, field service, inventory maintenance, programming and a variety of other associated activities.

All specifications and data dictionaries are approved and administered by the National GIS Steering Committee in order to ensure that the compatibility necessary for data sharing is never jeopardized.