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What is GIS?

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GIS = Geographical information systems

Okay to leave now?

No!

Two parts to the definition…?

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You signed up for the course -

What does GIS suggest to you?

Who might use a GIS (and why)?

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MoSoSos*

*mobile social-software services

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Some textbook definitions

“A powerful set of tools for collecting, storing, retrieving at will, transforming and displaying spatial data from the real world.”

Burroughs 1986 (Principles of Geographical Information Systems for Land Resources Assessment)

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Some textbook definitions

”A decision support system involving the integration of spatially referenced data in a problem solving environment.”

Cowen 1988 (Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 54:1551-4)

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Some textbook definitions

”Any manual or computer based set of procedures used to store and manipulate geographically referenced data.”

Aronoff 1989 (Geographic Information Systems: a Management Perspective)

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Some textbook definitions

”An information system that is designed to work with data referenced by spatial or geographic coordinates. In other words, a GIS is both a database system with specific capabilities for spatially-referenced data, as well as a set of operations for working with the data.”

Estes & Star (in Clarke 2001, Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems)

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Some textbook definitions”A special case of information systems

where the database consists of observations on spatially distributed features, activities or events, which are definable in space as points, lines, and areas, to retrieve data for ad hoc queries and analyses.”

Dueker (in Clarke 2001, Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems)

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What do these definitions have in common?

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Here’s what we think …1. A GIS is a special type of database, designed to be used

with spatially or geographically-referenced objects (features, processes, or events)

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Here’s what we think …1. A GIS is a special type of database, designed to be used

with spatially or geographically-referenced objects (features, processes, or events)

2. A GIS contains operations or tools for working with spatial data. These tools include typical database operations (sorting, selecting, querying, etc.) plus specifically geographic operations (setting and changing scales and projections, etc.)

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Here’s what we think …

1. A GIS is a special type of database, designed to be used with spatially or geographically-referenced objects (features, processes, or events)

2. A GIS contains operations or tools for working with spatial data. These tools include typical database operations (sorting, selecting, querying, etc.) as well as operations specific to geographic issues (setting and changing scales and projections, etc.)

3. A GIS serves a wide variety of purposes, centering on the storage, display, and analysis of spatial data.

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Two things that a GIS isn’t*

1. A computerized cartographic (map-drawing) system

GISs often display their data and analyses by means of maps, but they are themselves much more than just the map.

* But is often confused with

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Two things that a GIS isn’t*

2. A GPS (Global Positioning System)

Both the U. S. & Russia operate satellite systems that can provide ground coordinates to a hand-held unit, but the coordinates, without other data, don’t constitute a GIS.

* But is often confused with

(Why not?)

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The class mascot

Name ???

Useful information?

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A Real-life GIS

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Looks like just a map?

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Look at “tool bar” at left

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Use the Zoom tool

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Where’s SBU?

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How to find our mascot?

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Add Hydrant layer…

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It still looks like just a map

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But let’s use the Identify tool

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Here’s the database

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What could you use this for?

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The Ends Justify The Means

Academicians appreciate “beautiful” solutions & wonderful techniques

“Real People” appreciate solutions that work and often don’t care where they come from

A GIS is a tool; it is “beautiful” to the degree that it can produce good solutions

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Tools vs. Products (Carpentry)

A carpenter uses tools such as planers and routers

A carpenter is not a “planer and router expert” (though s/he has such expertise)

A carpenter produces woodcraft, but must be able to use the tools

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Tools vs. Products (GISers) A GISer uses tools, primarily a GIS A GISer is not a software expert

(though s/he has such expertise) A GISer produces solutions to

problems involving geographic data; to do so, s/he must be able to use the tools

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An Important Hierarchy DATA – the bits and bytes that we

ask a computer system to store

INFORMATION – Data put into context

KNOWLEDGE – Information applied to real world situations

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MCI

What is it?

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What is MCI? Telecommunications company? Initials of Michael C. Irving? 1101 in Roman Numerals? The Marine Corps Institute? Motor Coach Industries?

Without context, you can’t tell!

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Components of a GIS (the tools)

Computer Systems and Software

Spatial Data

Data Management and Analysis Procedures

People

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Outputs of a GIS (the solutions)

Maps

Database-type reports (including query results and calculations)

Prose-style reports

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The key to being effective

Knowing what questions to ask

And designing the GIS to answer those questions