Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has had one of the biggest impacts on the discipline of modern day geography. Roger Tomlinson coined the term GIS in the early 1960s in Canada. Tomlinson defined GIS in its early days as a computer application designed to perform certain specific functions (Coppock et al; 1991). GIS is interdisciplinary in nature, having a distinctive role in geography. The application created for the Canada GIS department was designed to summarize and tabulate land inventory for the country; it solved two issues: to measure irregular homogeneous geographic areas and to overlay different themes. Other early systems were created for the Chicago Area Transportation Study, the U.S. Census Bureau and Landscape …show more content…
From this perspective, GIS on its own is meaningless; it gains meaning only by its goals, which generally involve the application of knowledge by scientists, but not science itself (Table 1; McCauley 1993; Moll 1993; Skelly 1993b). Discussants view it the same as remote sensing, it is a tool. Some scientist would argue that GIS is a part of the engineering field more than it is in the science field. Engineering is identified as a problem-solving activity and science is linked to discovery and problem solving understandings. It is also felt that GIS is a tool used by geographers to answer geographic questions, thus a tool only applied when going about the business of geography, so it is geography.
Other theorists believe that the tool is inseparable from the science. When GIS advances, so does the study of Geography and Cartography. Geographers are GIS toolmakers. They understand the concepts, methods, models and theories that are behind the tool. They also understand how a phenomenon is dispersed shown through the tool and knowledge of geographic concepts. This leads to the thought that if you can do GIS, then you do geography so therefore if one is a science the other must be a science as well.
The science debate over GIS is that it is a method and or a body of knowledge used to develop and test spatial theories and hypothesis. Many believe that it is not
Geospatial technologies comprise tools that enable surveying, mapping, remote sensing, photogrammetry and geographic information systems (GIS). It is therefore, largely an information oriented technology that specifically captures, analyzes, manages and uses various data to make geographical inferences that affect every sector of the current economy. The application of geospatial technology cuts across a wide spectrum of industries such as agriculture, security, intelligence, urban planning, facilities management, environmental management and telecommunication. In the US alone, the geospatial technology sector is worth $75 billion and is expected to grow even larger in future decades. In developing economies such as Ghana, which are faced by serious land management issues, geospatial technology is expected to assist in solving many of these problems mainly by improving the land records. This improved state of land registry has enabled land owners to access credit loan facilities more easily in order to use their land as collateral. Civil engineering has also been at the core of this technology and using 3D visual tools, engineers can easily represent detailed designs and other aspects of construction.
GIS Analyst is a journey- level professional class requiring the application of a body of GIS theory and principles. The GIS Analyst completes standard professional level work assignments or projects. The position’s duties require interacting with multiple internal and/or external units or individuals to meet work requirements and objectives. The incumbent must have sufficient job content knowledge in the functional area to ensure standards are met. (“Unified Port of San Diego,” 2013)
Geography is a science that deals with the description, distribution, and interaction of the diverse physical, biological, and cultural features of the earth's surface (Websters). We study geography so that we can better understand the locations of places, people, cultures, physical features of the Earth and more around us and the world. Studying geography requires looking at all of Earth’s systems.
GIS, with their capabilities for spatial analysis and modeling of diverse data, can enhance the ability to address several natural resource and environmental issues that have spatial component (Nijkamp & Scholten, 1993). GIS can facilitate the organization, manipulation and analysis of diverse data often associated with these issues, and the data structures, and analytical techniques of GIS can be incorporated into a wide range of management and decision making operations that pertain specifically to natural resources.
Jack’s vision of a geographically enabled world was coming true, except that it was happening with technologies and companies that were unrelated to ESRI or even GIS. Many of these companies and technologies were not around in 1969, when Jack and Laura first started ESRI. Will this visionary pioneer of geographic information systems be a pioneer in this geographically enabled world that they have championed for four decades? What role will ESRI and GIS play in this new era? What resources and capabilities does ESRI have and how should it deploy them in order to create its position in this changing world? Will it continue to be the number one player in the market? How, if at all, should ESRI be responding to the new technologies and companies that are redefining the market? What are the
Providing updated geographic or spatial information is a primary responsibility of many government organization. GIS provides the structure for maintaining, updating, and organizing all of these records. ROI on Montana 's GIS-based statewide cadastral system is more than $9 million annually. GIS is becoming essential to understanding what is happening and what will happen in geographic space. Once we understand, we can prescribe action. http://www.esri.com/what-is-gis
Cartography has existed for thousands of years. From the early days of tribes marking off where their best hunting grounds are, to the modern day of mapping flight paths, cartography has evolved and developed in various ways to what it is today. There are now technologies that allow for people to design maps in ways never imagined before. Computer programmes exist that allow for different types of data to be stored so that accurate representations can be formed. It has been said that,”Maps are pictures of the world’s land surface, showing its features, resources and the way it has been developed.” (Bondi, et al., 1977)
An iterative approach is recommended at each phase of design, development, and implementation of a GIS. Throughout the system development process a close connection between the end users, the system analysts, and the technical team becomes a high priority. The end users should be allowed to select, and prioritize the most important requirements. The system analysts should be able to understand and translate the non-technical language of end users to the language understandable by the
What exactly is GIS? Geographical Information System is the use of mapping the geography of a given area to gain knowledge about it. To start mapping an area you first need a base map, this can be 2-dimensional or even three dimensional. Once the base map is established, there is an endless amount of data that can be used based upon the topic. This practice of using GIS originated in the 1960’s with a nuclear arms program; now it is being used for multiple different reasons. One
GIS is not only more cost-effective but also utilitarian and helps institutions that cover vast tracts of ground deliver their public services better and more rapidly to their users. For instance, by using GIS the management at the Physical Plant at Western Michigan University can better spread communication amongst its staff of engineers, technicians, skilled tradespersons and others in a manner that minimizes disruption of the research, instructional and public service missions of WMU. The GIS would help them in terms of utility simply expending and making the most of their resources.
The term Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a term used to refer to a system installed in a computer capable of manipulating, assembling, displaying and storing information that has been geographically referenced. Large volumes of data are mapped, analyzed and modeled using a single database depending on their locations. In short, the software gives one power to create maps. Information such latitudes, longitudes, elevations and ZIP codes are fed into the system and the results can be used to determine whether and climate patterns of different regions (Global Geographic Information Systems, 2007). Different organizations use GIS generated data to seek information regarding specific areas of interest they are interested in.
GIS can be used be used in managing outdoor infrastructures, natural resources, and assets like cables and piping system installations and vehicles. In construction planning, GIS can be used by facilities and property managers to prevent costly construction delays by knowing the location of utility lines, where environmental clearances or special permits are required, and other projects being facilitated in such locations. With GIS, maintenance staff and ground keepers can work efficiently with an access to an informed operational picture.
It is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) widely used for urban master planning for brown field. It is a spatial attribute of world co-ordinate system. GIS is kind of software in which you can see the entire world spatial map. It is a master plan for re-development of Jamshedpur. GIS is a geographic information system working with maps. It is used for creating maps and compiling geographic data and analyzing mapped information. This geographic information using maps and managing the geographic information in a database. It includes spatial information and attribute information. Spatial information is connection between the location, people and activities. The information can graphically what is happening, where, how and why it is happening show the insight and impact of the past, present and the future. This spatial data is to define the location Attribute information is to specify the exact location. This map is using a connection between the wards, villages, plots in a particular Jamshedpur town. If you take a closer look you can see where separate wards, villages and plots. In this we come across two types:
GIS is defined as a “powerful set of tool for collecting, storing, retrieving at will, transforming and
Besides distribution map, GIS was also used by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to draw a series of maps (Populus & Lantieri, 1991) that reflected land use types of intertidal zones and seabed, coastal lines and the depth contour lines.