Functional Requirements of GIS
Data
Data Database Spatial Result Output
Input
Sources
Capture Management Analysis Presentation Format
•Digitization •Different •Data Contain •Spatial •Visualization •Report
•Scanning Sources •Data Maintain Interpretation •Presentation •Maps
•Paper Map •Different Buffering Points •Photographic
•Data Security
•Remote Sensing types of Data Overlay Line Products
Data Integrity
•GPS Data •Different way Data Availability •Spatial Analysis Graph •Statistics
•Existing Digital of Capturing Data Confidentiality Qualitative Bar chart •Data to other
Database etc. Quantitative Pi Chart Digital Database
Map •Data input to
Table Models
Functions of GIS
• Integrated representation of geographic data
– The geographic data are represented in the easy and understandable manner.
– GIS makes use of various tools to represent the data in the form of point, line,
polygon, topography.
– The collection of all of these representation provides the integrated view of the
collected data.
• Spatial analysis and visualization
– GIS is responsible to analyze the collected geographic data.
– Such analysis is helpful to determine the patterns within the data.
– GIS is also responsible to visualize the data using 2D and 3D visualization
technique so as to present the analysis results to the users in efficient way.
• Geographic data storage and management
– GIS is also responsible to store and manage the collected geographic data and
obtained patterns or information.
– Such collection may lay roadmap to produce a new informative map of interest.
GIS can Answer…..
• Location: Place Name, Post Code,
Longitude / Latitude etc.
• Condition: Forest Area, Wet Land, Down Town,
Country Side etc.
• Trends: Differences within an area over time
(How much land used for residential area since
2000?)
• Pattern: What level of people live in Pokhara Newroad?
• Modeling: What if…? [non-spatial/ spatial questions]
Components of GIS
• Hardware: Computer and associated Peripherals – Digitizer,
Scanner, GPS, HDD, CD-ROM, Monitor, Printer, Plotter …
• Software: Arc Info, Arc View, Arc GIS ….( Having capabilities of
image processing, spatial analysis, cartographic production etc.)
• Database: Backbone of GIS (facilitates storage of spatial and
attribute data)
• Human Input: People for data entry to spatial analysis and
report generation
• Policy and Procedure: Policy related to collecting spatial
data, analysis procedure, implementation planning
History of GIS
• The term Geographic Information System was first used by Roger Tomlinson
in his paper "A Geographic Information System for Regional Planning" in
1968.
• In 1960, the first operational GIS was developed in Canada by Federal
Department of Forestry and Rural Development. It is known as Canada
Geographic Information System (CGIS)
• Later in 1970’s, major developments took place in American and British
universities. Significant lab works took place in Canada.
• In 1980’s PCs were commercially available. Software for Spatial analysis had
been developed.
• Commercial Agencies like ESRI (Economic and Social Research Institute),
MENRIS (Mountain Environment Natural Resources Information System), and
ECIMOD (International Center for Integrated Mountain Development) came
in action.
• In 1990’s OOPs, RDBMS, and GIS Commercial software such as Arc Info and
Arc View came in to existence.