Introduction to Geographic

Information System
(GLS280)
DR. MASAYU BT. HJ. NORMAN
Centre of Studies for Architecture, Planning & Surveying
Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying
Universiti Teknologi MARA (Perlis)
Lecture Outline
At the end of lecture, student able to:
• Understand the definition of GIS
• Explain the capability of GIS?
• Define the GIS data types
• Discuss major application of GIS
 What is GIS?
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 us to view, understand, question,

interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal
relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of
maps, reports, and charts.

• A GIS helps you answer questions and solve

problems by looking at your data in a way that is
quickly understood and easily shared.
 What is GIS?
Information System
A means of storing,
retrieving, sorting,
and comparing
spatial data
+
Geographic Position to support some
analytic process.
 What is a GIS?
GEOGRAPHIC Information System

GIS links graphical features (entities) to tabular data

(attributes)
What is GIS?

Use of
geography to
integrate
information
from various
sources
What is GIS? • It is an integration of five
basic components
• The key components of GIS
are a computer system,
geospatial data and users.
• A computer system for GIS
consists of hardware,
software and methods
designed to support the data
capture, processing, analyzing,
modeling and display of
geospatial data.
 ALL ABOUT DATA THE POWER OF
•The most important COMPUTER
component of a GIS •Processor with power to run the
•What types of data software
•Where can be collected? •Sufficient memory storage
•How it can be used? •Good quality-high resolution colur
DATA graphic screen
•Data input & output devices

SOFTWARE
GIS HARDWARE
COMPONENTS

ESSENTIAL SOFTWARE
•Allow user to :- import,
METHODS PEOPLE
store, manage,
transform, analyze and
output data
USER
•Technical speciallist
PROCESSING •Common user
•Well designed implementation plans •YOU
•Unique operations and analysis
•Skill + experiences
 Three Views of a GIS
A GIS is most often associated with a map. A
map, however, is only one way you can work
with geographic data in a GIS, and only one type
of product generated by a GIS. A GIS can
provide a great deal more problem-solving
capabilities than using a simple mapping program
or adding data to an online mapping tool
A GIS can be viewed in three ways:
• The Database View
• The Map View
• The Model View
• The Database View: A GIS is a unique
kind of database of the world - a
geographic database (geodatabase). It is
an "Information System for Geography."
Fundamentally, a GIS is based on a
structured database that describes the
world in geographic terms.

• The Map View: A GIS is a set of intelligent

maps and other views that show features
and feature relationships on the earth's
surface. Maps of the underlying
geographic information can be constructed
and used as "windows into the database"
to support queries, analysis, and editing of
the information.

• The Model View: A GIS is a set of

information transformation tools that derive
new geographic datasets from existing
datasets. These geoprocessing functions
take information from existing datasets,
apply analytic functions, and write results
into new derived datasets.
What GIS can do for you?
1. Perform geographic queries
The ability of GIS to search databases and
perform geographic queries has saved many
companies literally millions of dollars. GISs
have helped :-
– Decrease the time taken to answer customer
requests.
– Find land that suitable for development.
– Search for relationships among crops, soils, and
climate.
– Locate the position of breaks in electrical circuits.
A Realtor could use a GIS to find the houses that have tiled roofs and five
bedrooms
What GIS can do for you?
2. Improve organizational integration
Many organizations that have implemented
GIS have found that one of the main benefits
is improved management of their own
organization and resources.
- GISs have the ability to link data sets together by
geography, so they facilitate interdepartmental
information sharing and communication. By
creating a shared database one department can
benefit from the work of another. Data can be
collected once and used many times.
What GIS can do for you?
3. Make better decision with GIS
• A GIS, however, is not an automated decision making
system, but is a tool to query, analyze, and map data in
support of the decision making process.
• GIS technology has been used to assist in tasks such
as presenting information at planning inquiries,
helping finding best location for industrial area, and
indentify hot spot for crimes occurrence.
• e.g. GIS can be used to help reach a decision about
the location of a new housing addition that has
minimal environmental impact, is located at a low risk
area, and is close to a population center.
What GIS can do for you?
4. Making maps with GIS
Maps have a special place in GIS. The process
of making maps with GIS is much more flexible
than traditional manual or automated
cartography approaches. It begins with database
creation. Existing paper maps can be digitized
and computer-compatible information can be
translated into the GIS. Map products can then
be created centered on any location, at any scale,
and showing selected information symbolized
effectively to highlight specific characteristics.
GIS Applications
GIS in:-
• Land use planning
• Natural hazard assessment
• Environmental/resources management
• Crime, accident analysis
• Health management
• Finding suitable location
• Commercialization planning.
• etc....
GIS Applications
• Site selection
– Helicopter Landing Zones
– Amphibious Assault (Water Depth)
– Buffer Zones
– Flight Planning
– Battlefield Visualization
 Helicopter Landing Zones

HLZ sites
Amphibious Assault Planning
 Spatial Analysis
Proximity Analysis (Buffers)
1000 Meter Buffer of Railroads
Flight Planning
Flight Planning/Flythroughs
 Battlefield Visualization
and/or Situation Awareness
 Other GIS Applications
• Cross country movement
– Route planning
– Intervisibility study
• Facilities management
• Airfield assessment
• Road network analysis (convoys)
• Propagation coverages
• Observation post siting analysis
• Perspective views
CCM Analysis
CCM & Viewshed
Facilities Management
Airfields
Network Analysis
Antenna Propagation Coverages
Observation Post Siting Analysis
Perspective Views
More Interesting Examples GIS applications
• The National Associations of Realtors has an interactive mapping service
that can help potential homebuyers to find listing that meet their criteria
and can view these listings on street map. (http://www.realtor.com)
• Eyebeam, a private firm has website called Fundrace shows the geocoded
locations of 2004 presindential campaign contributions in major cities in
US (http://www.fundrace.org).
• The Mural of Winnipeg is an interactive mapping website that highlight
more than 400 mural location in Winnipeg, Canada
(http://www.themuralofwinnipeg.com)
• Some New York City cabs have screens inside that tied to the location-
based services and GPS sensors. - it can promote store or restaurants
when it passed by.
• The Arkansas Games and Fish Commisions use satellite transmiters and
GPS to track and map the movements and distributions of mallards.
(http://vestig.cast.uark.edu/website/waterfowl)
• US Department of Housing and Urban Development has a mapping
program that combines housing development information with
environmental data. (http://www.hud.gov)
• U.S Department of Health and Human Services warehouse provides access
to information about health resources, including community health centre.