MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION AND DATA STRUCTURE

Sumant Diwakar

Definition of GIS

What is GIS?

A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data

for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically

referenced information.

GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many

ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes,

reports, and charts.

A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a

way that is quickly understood and easily shared.

GIS technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system

framework.

Top Five Benefits of GIS

GIS benefits organizations of all sizes and in almost every industry. There is a

growing awareness of the economic and strategic value of GIS. The benefits of GIS

generally fall into five basic categories:

• Cost Savings and Increased Efficiency

• Better Decision Making

• Improved Communication

• Better Recordkeeping

• Managing Geographically

Selected Definition of GIS

DoE (1987)

A system for capturing, storing, checking, manipulating, analyzing

and displaying data which are spatially referenced to the Earth.

Aronoff (1989)

Any manual or computer based set of procedures used to store

and manipulate geographically referenced data.

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION AND DATA STRUCTURE

Sumant Diwakar

Carter (1989)

An institutional entity, reflecting an organizational structure that

integrates technology with a database, expertise and continuing

financial support over time.

Parker (1988)

A information technology which stores, analysis, and displays

both spatial data.

Dueker (1979)

A special case of information system 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.

Smith (1987)

A database system in which most of the data are spatially indexed,

and upon which a set of procedures operated in order to answer

queries about spatial entities in the database.

Ozemoy, Smith and Sicherman (1981)

An automated set of functions that provides professionals with

advanced capabilities for the storage, retrieval, manipulation and

display of geographically located data.

Burrough (1986)

A powerful set of tools for collecting, storing, retrieving at will,

transformaing and displaying spatial data from the real world.

Cowen(1988)

A decision support system involving the integration of spatially

referenced data in a problem-solving environment.

Koshkariov, Tikunov and Trofimov (1989)

A system with advanced geo-modelling capabilities.

Devine and Field (1986)

A form of MIS that allows map displays of the general information.