What is GIS? 1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 http://www.popvssoda.com © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

Why Does Geography Matter? 1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 Why Does Geography Matter? Almost everything that happens, happens somewhere. Knowing where something happens can be critically important. Location is so important that it is a major issue in many of the problems that society must solve Health care managers solve geographic problems when they decide where to locate new clinics and hospitals Delivery companies solve geographic problems when they decide the routes, and schedules of their vehicles, often on a continuous basis Transportation authorities solve geographic problems when they select routes for new highways Forestry companies solve geographic problems when they determine how best to manage forests, where to cut, where to locate roads, and where to plant new trees Governments solve geographic problems when they decide how to allocate funds (for disaster assistance, social assistance, etc.) Travelers solve geographic problems when they find their way through airports, give and receive driving directions, and select hotels in unfamiliar cities Farmers solve geographic problems when they employ new information technology to make better decisions about the amounts of fertilizer and pesticide to apply to their fields. © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 If so many problems are geographic, how can we distinguish them from each other? Spatial Scale Purpose Practical problems Theoretical problems Time Scale Operational decisions Tactical decisions Strategic decisions Spatial Scale E.g. site plan for a new building vs. agricultural resources across the Prairies. Purpose Practical problems Must be solved as quickly and cheaply as possible E.g. plan the route for a new highway Theoretical problems Used to advance human understanding of the world E.g. verify the theory of continental drift Time Scale Operational decisions required for the smooth running of an operation; immediate Tactical decisions medium term; e.g. where to cut trees in next year’s forest harvesting plan Strategic decisions long-term direction © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

GIScience and Problem Solving 1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 GIScience and Problem Solving Knowledge about how the world works is more valuable than knowledge about how it looks. GIS solves the ancient problem of combining general scientific knowledge with specific information, and gives practical value to both. Many geographic problems involve multiple goals and objectives, which are often contradictory in nature. Knowledge about how the world works is more valuable than knowledge about how it looks Because such knowledge can be used to predict. GIS solves the ancient problem of combining general scientific knowledge with specific information, and gives practical value to both. E.g. assessing the impact of soil erosion on agriculture in Saskatchewan requires knowledge of how soil erosion is generally affected by such factors as the sustained maximum wind speeds, and specifically where are the strongest winds in Saskatchewan. Many geographic problems involve multiple goals and objectives, which are often contradictory in nature. E.g. an agency charged with locating a new gas pipeline may decide to try and minimize environmental damage and cost. © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 GIScience Set of basic research issues raised by the handling of geographic data (Goodchild, 1992): Unique characteristics of geographic data Distinct nature of geographic problem solving Interaction between geographic information research and related disciplines Societal benefits / impacts of using geographic information encompasses both research on GIS and research with GIS © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 GISystem A computer-based system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying georeferenced data. Aronoff, 1989 A computer-based system for managing geographic data and using these data to solve spatial problems. Lo & Yeung, 2002 Managing geographic data & solving spatial problems are 2 key features that set GIS apart from other information systems. Distinguishing Features of GIS * use of spatially referenced data * graphical and attribute data input and editing * selective spatial and attribute query specialized spatial analysis tools * map and report generation © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

Questions a GIS can Answer 1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 Questions a GIS can Answer Questions a GIS can answer Location: What is at...? Condition: Where is it? Trends: What has changed since...? Patterns: What spatial patterns exist? Modelling: What if...? © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

The Geographic Approach By combining the science of Geography with the technology of GIS, we can: Collect and organize data to better understand the Earth; Analyze data to create geographic knowledge; Apply geographic knowledge to find solutions. © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS?

Some Applications Environmental Park Management Agriculture 1-Introduction to GIS 6/24/2018 Some Applications Environmental Park Management Agriculture Public Utilities Health Care Emergency 911 Real Estate Marketing GIS is used in many different organizations for a whole variety of purposes. The following is an outline of some of the different ways that people use GIS to solve complicated spatial relalated problems. There are obviously hundreds of other uses but we are only going to look at some of the more popular ones. © J.M. Piwowar What is GIS? © J.M. Piwowar

What is GIS? http://www.esri.com/what-is-gis/index.html © J.M. Piwowar