Why GIS Matters

Almost everything happens somewhere Knowing where some things happen is

critically important

Position of country boundaries Location of hospitals Routing delivery vehicles Management of forest stands

Allocation of funds for environmental concerns

Why GIS Matters

What are the distinguishing characteristics of geographic problems?

1. Scale of Inquiry

2. Intent or Purpose

Why GIS Matters

What are the distinguishing characteristics of geographic problems?

3. Basis of Time Scale

A) Operational, required for smooth functioning of an organization

B) Tactical, medium-term decisions

C) Strategic, long-term direction

Transactional, databases that require updating

Spatial is SpecialGeography is Great!

Geographic – Earth’s surface and near-surface

Spatial – any space (including geographic)

Geospatial – synonymous with geographic however, also has technological connotation

Why is Geographic Information Special?

Multidimensional, need 2 coordinates

Z

X,Y

Why is Geographic Information Special?

Voluminous, large databases

Sinusoidal

Cylindrical

Equal Area

Hammer-Aitoff

Behrmann

Why is Geographic Information Special?

Requires projection to flat surface

Unique (spatial) analysis methods

Why is Geographic Information Special?

Managing What We Know

Data, numbers, text, symbols, which in some sense are neutral and almost free context-free

Information, implies a degree of selection, organization and preparation for particular purpose

Degree of interpretation, given a “relation” to another data set

Knowledge, information to which value has been added

Interpretation based on context, experience, purpose

Codified Knowledge, written down and transferable

Tacit Knowledge, obtained little by little and complicated to transfer

Managing What We Know

Evidence: between information and knowledge information that has been validated

Wisdom: decisions made or advice given that is objective highly individualized

Managing What We Know

Information on the World

Software captures and implements the general

Database represents the specific

Nomothetic: general or universal laws

Idiographic: Individual or specific cases or events

Forms of General Knowledge

Classifications

Rule sets

Laws

Geographic laws are of much lower accuracy

Problem Solving

Stages:

1. Objective

2. Tangible vs. intangible

3. Multi-criteria decision-making techniques