IS 328: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

SYSTEMS

Course Instructors: DR. H. MONGI

MR. B. JUNGWA

Lecture Room: LRA018

Day & Time: Monday, 1400-1600

College of Informatics and Virtual Education

 Introduction
A new wave of transformation is taking place all around
the world. The new technology is constantly evolving
that makes people work in more efficient manner.
Information that was limited to spreadsheets and
databases is being unleashed in new and exciting ways-
all using Geography
The approach uses Geography to gain new insights and
make better and more informed decisions
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is that new wave
of technology
 Intro (cont..)
Information has always been the cornerstone of effective
decisions. Linking location to information is the process
that applies to many aspect of decision making. Spatial
information is particularly complex as it requires two
descriptors - Where is What
To unlock Geography in data used everyday to make
decision, the most intuitive way is to view them in
intelligent digital maps
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology has
made map making and analysis much easier and more
effective
 Intro (cont..)
GIS represent features on Earth (building, roads,
rivers) using a computer. Often, these data are
viewed on a map which provides advantage over
using spreadsheets and databases
A map is a figure, therefore it speaks louder than
words
Maps define “the power of where” . It provides
visualisation of static and dynamic data
 Defining GIS
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerised
system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse,
manage and represent spatial|geographic data
As an Information system(IS), GIS is a system of
interrelated components working together to collect,
process, store, and disseminate information to support
decision making, coordination, control, analysis, and
visualization
As an IS, GIS is made up of five components:
hardware, software, data, people and process
 Defining GIS
1. Hardware: The part of an information system you
can touch – the physical components of the
technology
2. Software: is a set of GIS instructions that tells the
hardware what to do
3. Data: Is the collection of facts with reference frame
of the surface or near the surface of the earth
4. People: Interact with the technology (analysts and
cartographers)
5. Process:  is a series of steps undertaken to achieve
spatial data analysis or mapping
 Defining GIS
GIS by itself can have more than one meaning:
GISystems, GIStudies or GISciences
As GIStudy (Geo-Information Study) can be
defined as the systematic study of society‘s use of
geographic information, including its institutions,
standards, and procedures
GIScience (Geo-Information Science) is the
scientific field that attempt to integrate different
disciplines to studying the methods and techniques
for handling spatial information
 Evolution of GIS
Mapping Analysis with Cholera Clusters
• The history of GIS all started in 1854 with a birth of
spatial analysis. Cholera hit the city of London.
British physician John Snow began mapping
outbreak locations, roads, property boundaries and
water lines.
• When he added these features to a map, something
interesting happened
• He saw that Cholera cases were commonly found
along the water line
 Evolution of GIS

John Snow’s Cholera Map: 1854

 Evolution of GIS

Stages of GIS Development

Before 1960: The GIS Dark Ages
• Maps were simple. They were used in vehicle
routing, new development planning and locating
points of interest. But none of this was done on
computers. Imagine a world without computer
mapping!!
• Cartographers and spatial analyst wanted to explore
computing options for handling geographic data
 Evolution of GIS

• GIS was firstly introduced in the early 1960s

• Researchers developed interest in applying
computers to produce maps and for analyzing
spatial data
• Early map producing software (SYMAP) didn’t
qualify as GIS because they were designed for
map displaying only.
• They lack the important GIS functionality of data
analysis
 Evolution of GIS

• In 1970s,the second generation mapping

software fulfilled the second function of GIS
that is analysis
• But mapping remained to be an important
activity of the early software
• In the 1980s after the development of Personal
Computers (PC), GIS software evolved its
analytical capabilities
 Evolution of GIS

In 1980s to early 1990s GIS matured as a technology

because:
• Capability of equipment increased
• Cost of storage decreased
• Computer power (speed) increased
• Graphic user interface (GUIs) made the
software easy to use
GIS developed beyond its original mapping science
to other disciplines
 Evolution of GIS
• In 1990s, the importance of spatial analysis for
decision-making was recognized
• More satellites were launched into orbit, the data
collected from space could be consumed in a GIS
• GPS becomes fully Operational and released for
civil uses
• The integration with the Global Navigation
Satellite Systems and satellite technology increase
data acquisition capability and producing real time
information
 Application of GIS

1. GIS in Mapping: Mapping is a central

function of GIS, which provides a visual
interpretation of data. GIS store data in database
and then represent it visually in maps
2. Urban Planning: GIS technology is used to
analyze the urban growth and its direction of
expansion, and to find suitable sites for further
urban development
 Application of GIS
3. Transportation and Navigation: GIS can be used
in managing transportation and logistical problems. It
is used in new route planning for railway or a road. It
is as well used in Navigation Systems
4. Environmental assessment and Analysis:
Assessment of human activities that causes
environmental degradation and natural resources
destruction. Also used in environmental disaster
assessment
 Application of GIS
5. Agricultural Applications: Used to create
more effective and efficient farming
techniques. It can also analyse soil data and
nutrition level of the crops
6. Natural Resources Management: GIS
technology can help manage and maintain
water and forest resources.
 Application of GIS
7. Surveying: Using Satellite Systems data, land
survey (i.e measuring the distance and angles
between different points on the earth surface)
can be easily performed.
8. Geology Applications: Used to study geologic
features, analyze soils and assess seismic
information, and/or create three dimensional
(3D) displays of geographic features. 
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