Definition[]
A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.
GIS allows users to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. GIS can be used to evaluate trends, collaborate between disciplines, understand the landscape and make better more informed decisions about complex scenario's and policy.
Overview[]
"GIS are powerful technologies that use digital map information to connect vast amounts of data by their geographic location. GIS helps decision makers visualize and understand complex situations and relationships, identify and compare the relative merits of alternate scenarios, more accurately and comprehensively predict outcomes, productively engage stakeholders and build consensus, and evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken. With GIS technology, maps can represent layers of information that can be combined, analyzed and displayed in space and time to show multi-stakeholder group patterns that they could not otherwise see of or determine with paper maps or single-factor databases.
"Specifically:
- GIS technology is capable of integrating, analyzing and displaying geographically referenced informationz
- GIS is a tool that allows users to analyze spatial and temporal information and display the relevant structures and operations that exist in a designated area
- GIS technology has a number of value-added functions including: infrastructure planning resource and asset management and environmental impact assessment.
"GIS embodies the notion of a digital or electronic map as an interface to a rich array of information linked to or associated through geographic location. GIS helps visualize and understand complex situations and relationships, identify and compare the relative merits of alternate scenarios, more accurately and comprehensively predict outcomes, productively engage stakeholders for building consensus, and evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken. In short, GIS is an important and powerful technology helping government make more effective and adaptive decisions in the face of emerging and changing conditions."[1]