1. Systems, Science, and Study

Outline

What is geographic information?Definition of data, information, knowledge and wisdomKinds of decisions that use geographic informationWhat is geographic information science?How do scientists use GIS?

Why GIS Matters

Almost everything happens somewhereKnowing where some things happen is critically important

Position of country boundariesLocation of hospitalsRouting delivery vehiclesManagement of forest standsAllocation of funds for sea defenses

Store location principles are very important in the developing markets of Europe, as with Tesco’s successful investment in Budapest, Hungary

Spatial is Special (Geographic is Great!)

Geographic – Earth’s surface and near-surfaceSpatial – any space (including geographic) e.g. medical imagingGeospatial – synonymous with geographic

GI is SpecialMultidimensionalVoluminousRequires projection to flat surfaceUnique analysis methodsAnalyses require data integrationData updates are expensive and time consumingMap displays require fast data retrieval

Data, Information, Evidence, Wisdom and Knowledge

Decision-makingSupport

Infrastructure

Ease of sharing

Wisdom Impossible

Knowledge Difficult

Evidence Difficult

Information Easy

Data Easy

Information on the World

How it looks – FormHow it works – ProcessKnowledge about process more valuable than form, because can be used to predictGIS combine

General scientific knowledge in softwareSpecific information in databases

Forms of General Knowledge

Classifications - e.g. what is a wetland? (established rules)Rule sets - e.g. how can wetlands be used, how wilderness definedLaws - e.g. Newton Laws of Motion predict the way in which all matter (e.g. planets) behaveGeography laws are of much lower precision, e.g. spatial interaction models

Problem Solving

Components and stagesObjective or goal - often maximize or minimize (cost, distance)Tangible (well defined scale) vs intangible - e.g. quality of life, environmental impactMultiple objectives - e.g. cost and environmental impact

Multi-criteria decision-making techniques

Geographic Information Systems

Software productData sets / databasesCommunity of people working with geographic information and toolsActivity of advanced science and problem solving

Geographic Information System

Container of mapsComputerized tools for solving geographic problemsSpatial decision support systemMethod for revealing patterns and processes in geographic informationTool to automate time-consuming tasks

Brief History of GIS1960 – 70s Innovation

First GIS – Canada Land InventoryDIME US Bureau of Census Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics

& Spatial Analysis – SYMAP raster GISMajor vendors started (e.g. ESRI, Intergraph)Landsat satellite launchedKey academic conferences (e.g. AutoCarto)

Brief History of GIS

1980s CommercializationCommercial GIS software (e.g. ArcInfo)First GIS textbooksFirst global data setsClinton Executive Order

2000s ExploitationInternet becomes major deliver vehicleMore than 1 million active users

Routing

Geographic Information System

Organized collection ofHardwareSoftwareNetworkDataPeopleProcedures

GISystems, GIScience and GIStudiesGISystems

Emphasis on technology and tools

GIScienceFundamental issues raised by the use of GIS and related technologies (e.g.)• Spatial analysis• Map projections• Accuracy• Scientific visualization

GIStudiesSystematic study of the use of geographic information

Summary

GIS is a science based on extensive technology applicationUnique perspective for examining patterns and processes on the Earth’s surfaceFrom origins in 1960s now a multi-$bn industryWidely studied in schools and universities as part of many discipline curricula