So let's define GIS
GIS can actually have multiple definitions, but for this
course, we're going to find GIS as geographic information
systems. So what is GIS?
Well, I'm going to read a quote quote that summarizes it
pretty well
GIS is an integrated system of components information about
the real world that has been abstracted and simplified into
a digital database of spatial and non spatial features, which,
in conjunction with specialized software and computer hardware
and coupled with the expert judgment of the GIS user or analyst,
produces solutions to spatial problems
So let's just go through what all those elements are
The components of GIS include the database, which is the
information, the data behind your maps that you're using
for your analysis, the software that runs the database and
understands what your inputs and outputs are
In this case, we're using ArcGIS
There's the hardware, the actual computer that runs the software
There's the network of computers that is where you get your
data from and is helpful for sharing information
There's the management procedures
This is how you decide how you collect and analyze the data
that you use, and then there's the actual people who do the
analysis. These are all the different components of GIS
So who uses GIS?
GIS is used in multiple disciplines
You might find people using GIS in the fields of biology,
ecology, archeology, economics, geology, history, business,
medicine, et cetera.
So GIS has a wide range of applications in multiple fields.
Let's talk about maps in GIS
Maps are the heart of GIS.
GIS is all about spatial information, and maps are scale
models of reality
Maps help convey information, and they are abstractions or
simplifications of the real world.
But GIS is more than just maps because it's not just a 2D
flat map
It includes the attribute data to geographic features and
allows the tools for spatial analysis
So it's not just maps
It includes the database and the ability to do the more sophisticated
analysis behind it
In many disciplines, location is a critical piece of information
that we have to understand when we're trying to think about
the problems that society must address
For example, in urban planning, there's a very strong focus
on place and understanding place at different scales, planners
have to deal with problems and data that are inherently spatial
in nature
So GIS is an incredibly helpful tool in the field of urban
planning. Urban planning requires not only an understanding
of the physical space where we live, but also an understanding
of those underlying social, cultural, political, and economic
landscapes. The GIS helps inform planning decisions because
planners must be familiar with the physical layout of cities
and regions, and they must understand the spatial patterns
of facilities and events.
GIS is an important tool for the public participation process
for helping explain spatial problems to the general public
Urban planners also use GIS for a wide range of tasks
So for all the things that planners do, for things like zoning
and land use planning, economic development, demographic
analysis, historic preservation, crime analysis, and code
inspection. All the various things that planners work on
GIS is a useful tool for helping do that work