Research for Special Topics in GIS
- 1. Curtis L. Lewis GIS Technology and the Lifeblood of Our Civilization Geography 417- Special Topics, Dr. Wei Ji Tuesday, July 2, 2012
- 2. Two years ago, during my third semester attending the University of Missouri- Kansas City (UMKC), I was enrolled in the Urban Planning and Design program. Like many programs, our Urban Planning program offered some education in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). An introduction course, and an advanced science course. Only the introduction course was required, and I took it. Although I have heard that other Urban Planning programs offer a broader range of GIS intensive coursework, the required course offered at UMKC was enough to re-spark my interest in mapping/cartography, and deepen my interest in city, and spatial planning. Even though I’ve since left the Urban Planning program to major in Geography, and pursue UMKC’s GIS certification, I did so in hopes of continuing my long-standing interest in city, and spatial planning, but with a larger GIS focus. This long-standing interest in planning has an underlying, more specific current. I’m not only interested in planning space, but specifically, the movement through space. I believe that the movements we make, and the movements we make possible, are the lifeblood of our civilization. The street for the commuter, the freeway for traveling tourist and the tractor-trailer of goods, the railway and the cargo ship for freight, important freight like food, water, medicine, petroleum, without which, our civilization would break-down, and cease to exist as we know it. I believe that transportation planning is at the central core to keep this life-blood moving, and since taking that introduction class, I believe GIS is the best way to make that happen. “A geographic information system (GIS) is an effective way to integrate the
- 3. information needed to support the many facets of transportation planning.” (Hanson 164) This belief has been shared by others for many years. “The use of these support systems is highly desirable when professional planners, politicians and decision-makers must act jointly to effect certain decisions.” (Timmermans 4) Since my first course in Geographic Information Systems, I have taken multiple ArcGIS and other GIS related coursework. As a result, my knowledge base and my experience have grown. I have completed several projects involving transportation and transportation planning. Although transportation planning itself, on the whole, is a joint effort between engineers, planners and environmental agencies, a very large portion of transportation planning falls under the umbrella of federal, state and local governments, especially if the municipality operates with a local, or regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). I believe this is why government has been involved with GIS technology for so long. “Local government was one of the earliest and is one of the most important users of the technology.” (Timmermans 6) “…GIS, in its current form, is an appropriate support tool for urban planners in some of their decision making tasks. This is certainly the case for tasks that require the detailed and accurate knowledge of the detailed location of physical objects, such as utilities planning (e.g. pipelines, electricity lines), cadaster and engineering applications.” (Timmermans 126) “…the departments of central and local government showed early interest in GIS technology. They contain large quantities of spatially referenced information.” 60 (Timmermans 60 -via Campbell and Masser, 1992)
- 4. Since governments have begun to utilize GIS technology, they have amassed spatial information to be used as a base and to be updated. This makes GIS technology efficient and extremely usable, which has been anticipated since before the technology had really come into focus for urban planning during the 1990’s. “…GIS… may be possible to provide the tools for future planning and design.” (Timmermans 70) “…GIS is potentially as much a tool for design or planning, organization and control as it is for scientific or spatial analysis…” (Timmermans 63) “It was perceived that the use of GIS technology would prevent unnecessary duplication, would increase speed, would increase efficiency, would reduce costs and would support strategic decision-making.” (Timmermans 61) Since that time, speculation about GIS technology has been accurate in the sense that it has continued to grow and expand to enhance the field of planning, and because of this, for many years now, GIS technology has been associated with the field of planning. In addition to this, many organizations and firms now have their own GIS nook of technicians operating the software for the specific needs of that organization. “There is a strong sense that GIS technology will have a growing impact on professional practice and that the professions need to be involved in its development.” (Timmermans 55 -via Department of the Environment, 1987) “GIS is now a technology widely accepted by organizations involved in planning at different spatial scales and in different sectors.” (Stillwell 10) “There is little doubt that GIS will become an ever more essential part of the software suite that every researcher and planner engaged in urban plan-making will have available on his desktop computer.” (Stillwell 39) These days, GIS technology has become such an integral part of the planning process, whether its metropolitan planning
- 5. organizations, or other governmental organizations, private organizations or firms, etc., that the location of almost anything constructed is almost guaranteed to have somehow been planned using GIS technology. Now that we’ve seen how the lifeblood of our civilization depends upon transportation planning, and is heavily supported by GIS technology, let’s examine the common purpose that all the lifeblood actually serves in our civilization. The lifeblood; the vehicles, the semi-trucks, the ships, the trains, everything that’s used to move people and goods from one location to the next, serve a common purpose that supports our civilization. That common purpose is business. Through business our civilization is upheld. Because of this purpose, people and goods are able to be transported from one place to another. Most businesses, especially because of our increasingly global economy, depend fully upon transportation, and the relocation of people and goods. So, the more businesses know, the better our civilization is served. What businesses know, and understand about the world, and its conditions around them, is known as ‘Business Intelligence’ (BI). Today, because business also drives the lifeblood of our civilization, like transportation planning, it is also increasing in need for a deeper understanding of GIS technology. “…these two data-centric disciplines have forged independent but parallel paths. Only now are they beginning to converge.” (Eckerson 13) Businesses lose out on a much more complete perspective of how to handle their activities. “…without access to a GIS, analytically driven organizations miss valuable insights.” (Eckerson 13) The very needs that GIS technology fills are so extensive in today’s world that the very concept
- 6. and labeling itself is beginning to be redefined from just ‘geography’, or just ‘space’ to fit the idea of each broader need. “…location intelligence is the newest moniker for something that used to be called spatial analytics, geographic information systems (GIS), or just mapping software. Location intelligence (LI) creates maps that enable users to view the relationship of objects in space and perform a variety of spatial calculations…” (Eckerson 12) “…location intelligence is more than just a map with dots on it. Location intelligence is a full-fledged analytical system. These so-called geographic information systems specialize in storing and manipulating spatial data, which consists of points, lines and polygons plotted as coordinates in space. Each spatial object can be imbued with various properties or rules that govern its behavior.” (Eckerson 13) Business is beginning to find that they can remain on par with leading business decision making by accessing and utilizing GIS technology. “The Esri Business Summit brings some of the best minds in business together to share how commercial organizations worldwide are using place-based decision making to support customer service, grow profitability, and manage change in an increasingly complex world.” (Richardson 14) As the caliber and importance of personal technology continues to rise, with it also has given rise to the use of location data. More applications than ever are allowing people to view their personal information plotted on a map. “With the mass adoption of smart phones and location-aware applications, the amount of location-based data is exploding, and people are more and more accustomed to looking at the information through a map lens. This adoption is making a big impact in the business arena. People are more comfortable with viewing data on a map, and when they see
- 7. patterns, they want to understand them—that’s location analytics.” (Richardson 16) “…location analytics gives you the ability to see your data in a whole new way that graphs, charts and tables can’t reveal. Simply being able to interact with your data through mapping enables you to find and understand patterns that weren’t obvious in tables or charts.” (Richardson 16) Business and Transportation planning are the two main forces behind the movement of the lifeblood that keeps our civilization alive. GIS technology and location information/analytics is so imperative to the world around us that it is literally no surprise that this technology has become, and is becoming, the dominant, main support for both of these arenas. As we have seen, GIS technology has dominated planning, and transportation planning for many years now, and it is just now beginning to work its way into the business arena, but it has also been a long time coming. “Location analytics is one of the next big waves for the business analytics space. Location as a part of business analytics has always been relevant—most commonly for things like site analysis and customer intelligence applications—but it’s been overlooked for too long.” (Richardson 16)
- 8. works cited Eckerson, Wayne. “Location Intelligence is More Than a Map.” ArcUser Fall 2012: 12- 13. Print. Hanson, Susan, and Genevieve Giuliano. The Geography of Urban Transportation. New York: Guilford, 2004. Print. Richardson, Karen. “Keeping Service Levels High and Costs Low.” ArcUser Fall 2012: 14-15. Print Richardson, Karen. “Information Through a Map Lens.” Interview with Chris Ovens and James Killick. ArcUser (2012): 16-19. Print. Stillwell, J., S. Geertman, and S. Openshaw. Geographical Information and Planning. Tokyo: Springer, 1999. Print. Timmermans, Harry. Decision Support Systems in Urban Planning. New York: E & FN Spon, 1997. Print.