GIS 101

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GIS 101

• Introduction to
• Geographic Information Systems
• Spring 2004
• Instructor Damon D. Judd

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Topics to be Covered

• An overview of GIS history, definitions
• What is a GIS used for?
• How GIS data are captured, stored, retrieved,
  analyzed displayed
• Basic cartographic principles
• GIS software and its functionality
• How to use a basic GIS (ESRI ArcGIS 8.2)
• Where to find more information

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Textbooks

• Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop The Basics of
  ArcView, Arceditor, and Arcinfo, ESRI Press,
  2001.
• An Introduction to Geographical Information
  Systems by Ian Heywood, Sarah Cornelius, and
  Steve Carver, 2nd edition, 2002, Prentice Hall.

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Other Course Materials

• ArcGIS software license
• Option 1. ArcView 8.2 in class
• Option 2. ArcView 8.1 CD in GTKA book (180 days)
• Option 3. ArcView 8.3 1-year Student license
  (100)
• Option 4. ArcView 8.3 unlimited Student license
  (250). This version cannot be upgraded to ArcGIS
  9.0

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Learning is Fun!
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What is a GIS?

• Different definitions of a GIS have evolved in
  different areas and disciplines this course
  focuses on the Information System aspect.
• All GIS definitions recognize that spatial data
  are unique because they are linked to maps.
  (Location matters! not just in real estate)
• A GIS at least consists of a database, map
  information, and a computer-based link between
  them.

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Power of GIS

• The real power of GIS lies not in the ability to
  make maps, but in its ability to perform
  analysis.

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A Geographic Information System

• Allows us to look at data as one might from any
  database application with a database management
  system, one can
• Select, sort, list, group, report and print data
  by a wide variety of criteria.

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Definitions of a GIS

• A GIS is an information system.
• GIS - a computer-based system that provides the
  following four sets of capabilities to handle
  geo-referenced data
•  1. input
•  2. data management
•  3. manipulation and analysis
•  4. output
• A GIS is a Toolbox

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Another Definition

• A geographic information system is 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, or areas. A
  geographic information system manipulates data
  about these points, lines, and areas to retrieve
  data for ad hoc queries and analyses" (Dueker,
  1979, p 106).

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GIS is an Approach to Science

• Geographic Information Science is research both
  on and with GIS.
• "the generic issues that surround the use of GIS
  technology, impede its successful implementation,
  or emerge from an understanding of its potential
  capabilities."
• (Goodchild, 1992)

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A GIS Models the Real World
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A GIS Adds the Benefit of Visualization to the
Database

• A GIS is fully functional as a database system.
• The real advantage of using a GIS is the added
  power to analyze and visualize spatial
  relationships.

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Example Sliding Rocks
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A Geographic Information System

• Allows us to look at address data just as one
  might from a database application. TABULAR As
  with any database management system, one can
• Select, sort, list, group, report and print data
  by a wide variety of criteria.

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Visualization helps us find answers to many
important questions relating to PLACE.

• Where are these addresses?
• What is near the place of interest?
• How many people live in a particular area?
• What else is near this site?

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Many Ways To Visualize

• GIS allows us to view mapped data symbolized in
  various ways
• Turn layers off or on
• Place layers above or below others
• Shade and color areas to highlight specific
  features of interest
• Use a wide variety of lines and markers to depict
  differences between features

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Spatial GIS Analysis

• Proximity Analysis
• Network Analysis
• Connectivity Analysis
• Overlay Analysis

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Benefits

• GIS provides additional capability to perform
  analysis.
• GIS allows us to view and print maps of any data
  available.
• Allows us to see the big picture or view the low
  level detail.

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Who Uses GIS?

• Federal Govt.
• State/Local Govt.
• Forestry, Wildlife, Fisheries
• NGOs/Conservation Groups
• A/E/C Firms
• Environmental Consultants

• Military
• Utilities/Energy Companies
• Water, Wastewater
• Retail/Demographics
• Educators/Research
• Telecommunications
• Fire and Emergency

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What is GIS Used For?

• Environmental Assessments
• Natural Resource Conservation
• Route Planning and Logistics
• Asset/Work Management
• And many more

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Environmental Assessments

• GIS Helps Environmental Assessment in Brooklyn
• In Brooklyn, New York, the industrialized
  Greenpoint/Williamsburg community decided to
  build a GIS to answer concerns it had over
  environmental contamination.
• At Hunter College, geographers assembled three
  different map base layers parcels, a street map,
  and TIGER (census).

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Results of Assessments

• Parcel Layer

• Odor Complaints

• HazMat near Schools

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Watershed Analysis
Santa Cruz Island
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Route Planning - American Frontiers Public Lands
Trek
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Asset and Work Management
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GIS Uses Applications

• Wildlife
• Habitat assessment
• Migration patterns
• Natural Resources
• Oil Gas Exploration
• Water Management
• Farming
• Mining
• Parks planning

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GIS Uses Applications

• Law Enforcement
• Tactical
• Code enforcement
• Crime analysis
• Defense and Homeland Security
• Battlefield planning
• Risk assessment
• Target identification

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GIS Uses Applications

• Political
• Polling Places
• Demographics
• Re-districting analysis
• Municipal
• Tax assessment
• Residential planning

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GIS Uses Applications

• Transportation Planning
• Pavement management systems
• Road traffic counts
• Street signs
• Highway design and improvements

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GIS Uses Applications

• Environmental
• Hazardous Waste Cleanup
• Regulatory Compliance
• Contaminant levels
• Air Quality

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GIS Uses Applications

• Transportation
• Fleet Management
• Automated Vehicle Location
• Shipping
• Logistics (Fed Ex, DHL, etc.)

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Learning is not compulsoryneither is
survival.W. Edward Deming
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End of Week 1