Research Paper. The predictive use of GIS to model property valuations

Abstract

GIS is a technology which is ideally suited to analysis of the market values of properties, since such values are based upon spatial comparisons as well as individual property attributes. Great Britain now has a new mechanism of local taxation, the council tax, which is based upon the capital values of properties. Central to the implementation of this tax has been the potentially controversial assignment of properties to valuation ‘bands’. This paper posits that a geographical model embedded within a GIS provides an alternative means of devising credible capital values, and anticipates some of the prospects for the use of GIS in local revenue-raising.     

Justifying investment in GIS: a local government perspective

Abstract

Justifying GIS in local government is a complex task for two main reasons: first, a GIS implementation can range from a single, well-defined application in one department to a corporate multi-purpose GIS; and, second, local authorities are complex organizations currently facing major pressures for change, and considerable uncertainty about their future structure and role. The purpose of this paper is to review the potential use of cost-benefit analysis, to explore tangible and intangible benefits, to identify the costs involved, to explore the effect that a robust GIS strategy can have on the relationship between costs and benefits, and to review some of the published material on the cost-justification of GIS in local government.     

Internet-based investment environment information system: a case study on BKR of China

Investment environment (IE) analysis is a spatially oriented problem. Although geographical information systems play an important role in dealing with spatial problems, few efforts have used GIS for IE analysis. The traditional standalone GIS limits the information flow between the end users and the information providers, especially the feedback information from users. For local government it is more important to understand the interests of the investors and their expectations so that they can improve their local IE and attract more investment. The Internet provides a means of direct and mutual communication for both sides. This paper deals with issues related to the Internet-based investment environment information system (IEIS). A case study on the IE of cities along the recently completed Beijing-Kowloon Railway (BKR) is given to illustrate the methodology of an Internet-based GIS approach.     

GIS Technology Used to Establish a Digital Cadastral Database

The above outline describes the DCDB being developed by DOSLI, its concepts, structure, applications and derived benefits. For public sector users GIS provides a means of more efficient provision of services. Benefits will be most apparent to organisations which already use and rely on geographic information, but will quickly spread to other organisations. To private sector users GIS offer a valuable way of increasing competitiveness. Indeed, the adoption of GIS may become essential to maintain competitiveness in the analysis of customers and markets. GIS technology has the potential to serve the land management decision making process significantly better than conventional methods. DOSLI believes that its investment in GIS technology and use of the DCDB as the primary geographical reference fabric will realise this potential and result in significant benefits to individual users and long term benefits to the nation as a whole.     

How effective are GIS in practice? A case study of British local government

Abstract

GIS have received increasing attention in recent years, particularly in local government. Despite the claims in the literature about the potential of the technology, to date there is still little information on the impact GIS applications are having on the organizations in which they are being implemented. With these considerations in mind this paper presents an evaluation of the findings of twelve case studies which were undertaken in a variety of British local government contexts during 1991 and 1992.

The evaluation of the findings of the case studies is divided into two parts. The first part indicates the limited impact GIS has had on the local authorities investigated even after at least two years experience. Given these findings the second part seeks to identify the issues which appear to be responsible for inhibiting the effective implementation of GIS in British local government. Overall it is suggested that some organizational cultures are inherently receptive and able to sustain the development of innovations such as GIS. However, whilst very few organizations are inherently innovative it was possible to identify four factors which appeared to enhance the chances of success. These are simple applications producing information which is fundamental to the work of potential users, user directed implementation involving the participation of all the stakeholders in the project, an awareness of the limitations of the organization with respect to the range of available resources, and a high degree of stability with respect to the general organizational environment, or alternatively an ability to cope with change. As a result the evaluation indicates that if GIS are to be effectively implemented much greater consideration must be given to the impact of organizational issues.     

Depicting urban boundaries from a mobility network of spatial interactions: a case study of Great Britain with geo-located Twitter data

Existing urban boundaries are usually defined by government agencies for administrative, economic, and political purposes. However, it is not clear whether the boundaries truly reflect human interactions with urban space in intra- and interregional activities. Defining urban boundaries that consider socioeconomic relationships and citizen commute patterns is important for many aspects of urban and regional planning. In this paper, we describe a method to delineate urban boundaries based upon human interactions with physical space inferred from social media. Specifically, we depicted the urban boundaries of Great Britain using a mobility network of Twitter user spatial interactions, which was inferred from over 69 million geo-located tweets. We define the non-administrative anthropographic boundaries in a hierarchical fashion based on different physical movement ranges of users derived from the collective mobility patterns of Twitter users in Great Britain. The results of strongly connected urban regions in the form of communities in the network space yield geographically cohesive, nonoverlapping urban areas, which provide a clear delineation of the non-administrative anthropographic urban boundaries of Great Britain. The method was applied to both national (Great Britain) and municipal scales (the London metropolis). While our results corresponded well with the administrative boundaries, many unexpected and interesting boundaries were identified. Importantly, as the depicted urban boundaries exhibited a strong instance of spatial proximity, we employed a gravity model to understand the distance decay effects in shaping the delineated urban boundaries. The model explains how geographical distances found in the mobility patterns affect the interaction intensity among different non-administrative anthropographic urban areas, which provides new insights into human spatial interactions with urban space.     

Design of environmental decision support system and its application to water quality management

EDSS is a comprehensive software system for water quality management in tidal river networks in general and for the Pearl River Delta in particular. Its purpose is to provide a practical tool that could assist government agencies in decision making for the efficient management of water resources in terms of both quantity and quality. By combining the capabilities of geographical information system (GIS), database management system (DBMS), model base management system (MBMS) and expert system, the aim is to improve the quality of decision making in what is becoming an increasingly complex area. This paper first outlines the basic concepts and philosophy adopted in developing EDSS, the system architecture, design features, implementation techniques and facilities provided. Thereafter, the core part of the system — the hydrodynamic and water quality models are described briefly. The final contribution in this paper describes the application of EDSS to the Pearl River Delta, which has the most complicated tidal river network patterns as well as the fastest economic development in the world. Examples are given of the real-world problems that can be addressed using the system, including cross-boundary water pollution analysis, regional drinking water take-up site selection, screening of important polluters, environmental impact assessment, and water quality zoning and planning. It is illustrated that EDSS can provide efficient and scientific analytical tools for planning and decision-making purposes in the information era.     

Improvement of GIS graphics for analysis and decision-making

Abstract

Current geographical information systems (GIS) include functions to create cartographic output interactively or automatically. However, none of the systems presently incorporates mechanisms to ensure correct application of graphic functions. Many of today's users of GIS are not trained in the design and production of graphics and may create maps that confuse or mislead map users. Poorly-designed maps may obliterate the patterns in displayed information.

This article investigates ways to improve the quality of GIS graphical displays and increase their effectiveness for decision-making. Alternatives are presented for improving map design in GIS, ranging from non-technical efforts to enhancement of software functionality. Suggestions propose augmenting users' abilities to create maps in an automated environment, using an approach termed amplified intelligence: key decisions default explicitly to users, whose knowledge is amplified by a range of high-level tools to carry out map design operations automatically.     

Design of environmental decision support system and its application to water quality management

1 IntroductionEnvironmental decision support systems could be divided into two categories by their organizational form and system functions. One is regional environmental analytical system based on commercial GIS and assisted by environmental models, such as BASINS developed by the American NEPA using ARC/VIEW as its user platform and including QUAL2E and NPSM as its prediction tools. The other is environmental information and prediction system based on mathematical models, such as…     

Digital Data-Centric Geography: Implications for Geography's Frontier

The debate regarding geographic information systems (GIS) as tool, toolbox, or science still lingers in geography departments and among geographers. Analysis of geographic information is a vital component of decision making among business, governments, researchers, and academics. GIS users, geographers and nongeographers alike, use and benefit from problem-solving methods in numerous fields and contexts, making the use of GIS and the core competencies associated with using GIS a topic of intense debate. Complicating this ongoing discussion is the rise of data-centric approaches to research in geography that further expand the capabilities of spatial analysis and add to the expected knowledge of a GIS user and analyst. Building on a panel discussion at the 2016 American Association of Geographers (AAG) annual meeting, as well as informal dialogues on Twitter and other social media platforms that navigate this issue in academics and industry, this article explores how skills in research computing and programming operate in geography and GIS, especially given the rise of data-centric approaches to research in these realms. Some topics, like the costs and benefits of open and closed source software, are familiar from previous discussions in geography and GIS. Others, though, like the reward structures and recognition for computing skills or programming ability, have not been widely considered given the current landscape.     

Waterpoint management system in central district with ArcView GIS

1StudyAreaCentralDistrictisthelargestdialectinBotSWana.Itcoversanareaof146531kin',whichisroughlyonequarterofBotswana.ThedistrictborderstheRepublicofSouthcocainthesouthandeast,andZimbabweinthenorth-east.ItalsobordersNorthEastDistricttotheeast.ThenorthernboundalofthedistrictissharedfaiththeChobeDistrictandNgdrilandDistrict.Inthet"estandthesouth-u'estaledistrictbordersNgndland.Ghanzi.KwenengandKgahengDistrictS.ThedistlictisdiyridedintofiveadlnjnistrahvesubdistrictsfBobirwa.Serowemalapy…     

基于Web Geocoding的三维GIS快速定位方法研究

三维GIS技术已经逐渐发展成熟,其对客观世界的表达能给人以更真实的感受,然而三维GIS软件所需数据是海量的。由于遥感技术的发展,纹理数据的获取和处理已经变得容易和快速,而对于矢量数据的采集、存储是一个非常艰巨的工作,如何在短期内获取海量、精确的矢量地理信息数据,减少数据采集的费用和时间成了一大难题。通过基于网络的地理编码来查询获取矢量点状地理信息,将地理信息存储到本地数据库,并且将数据应用到系统中进行快速定位显示,实现地理位置的实时定位和查询,为各种专题三维GIS软件开发提供服务和扩展功能。     

A ‘demonstrator’ for the National Geosciences Data Index

Abstract

A survey of users of geosciences data in Great Britain, carried out as part of the Databank Pilot Study jointly supported by the Department of the Environment and the British Geological Survey, indicated a priority requirement for a central geosciences data index. The consultations suggested that the system should contain information about the sources, accessibility and nature of data held in both centralized and widely-distributed collections. To illustrate to users how such a system would appear in its final implementation, and in order to refine the system's specification, the British Geological Survey developed, on an Intergraph Interpro 32 Workstation, a working demonstration of a ‘user-friendly’, interactive graphical index, capable of satisfying the requirements of a wide range of users of geosciences data. This paper describes the development of the ‘demonstrator’, its structure, content and implementation, and the benefits of adopting such an approach.     

Fuzzy information representation and processing in conventional GIS software: database design and application

Currently used methods for representing geographical information are inadequate because they do not tolerate imprecision. This leads to information loss and inaccuracy in analysis. Such expressive inadequacy is largely due to the underlying membership concept of classical set theory. To improve information processing in GIS research and application, an alternative membership concept is required. In this paper, we explore the inadequacy imposed upon geographical information representation by classical set theory and address the problems of information loss. A fuzzy relational data model is defined which is more representative for geographical information. A GIS database for agricultural land resource management is created by using the data model and a new technique for assessing land suitability is developed. The fuzzy representation largely facilitates data analysis in this GIS. The methods are tested with data from North Java, Indonesia using a vector-based GIS software package, Arc Info, and the analysis results are presented.     

Learning to do geography? University students posing questions in GIS laboratory exercises

In many higher education curricula, pre-structured step-by-step laboratory exercises in introductory courses in geographical information systems (GIS) are an important part of the training of future geographers. The reasons for this approach to teaching GIS are manifold, such as large numbers of students, off-the-shelf desktop software that is often complex, technical challenges, and scarce faculty resources. Often the reasons are well agreed upon by members of a university faculty and among the students. Research in other fields has shown that the use of a controlled manual for laboratory work often provides low learning potentials. However, not much empirical research has dealt with this issue within a GIS learning environment. Inspired by research on the value of student-generated questions within science education, the authors take a closer look at the type of student-generated questions and their relation to students' self-image of their learning approach in two pre-structured GIS laboratory settings at two Danish universities. They conclude that the vast majority of student-generated questions are of a basic information type and independent of the students' self-image of their learning approach. Further, it is found that wonderment questions, i.e. questions that are reflective in nature and show students the process towards acquiring extended geographical knowledge and software proficiency, are rarely asked.     

Free and open source GIS in South America: political inroads and local advocacy

ABSTRACT

Geographical information systems (GIS) practitioners worldwide enjoy a growing array of free and open source software (FOSS) options. This software has expanded the accessibility of GIS in economically developing countries while fostering local technical expertise. This article reviews FOSS GIS uptake and advocacy in South America, especially how it relates to a climate of political friendliness toward FOSS in the region. The use or absence of FOSS GIS is assessed in public-facing web maps in South America, first at the national government level, and then at the provincial level using Argentina as a country of study. Local technical support groups and software development initiatives surrounding FOSS GIS in South America are then summarized. Finally, three case studies are presented of notable efforts to build FOSS GIS technical communities at the local level: the FOSSGIS Brasil online magazine, the Geoinquietos Argentina professional network, and the FOSS.4GIS.GOV conference in Brazil. A study of the leaders, dynamics, and practices of these groups can inform others in similar circumstances around the world who are trying to promote FOSS GIS adoption, development, skills, and services.     

Geographical data handling and GIS in China

Abstract

Abstract Chinese governments have long paid a great deal of attention to the collection of geodata, and existing sources have been further enhanced by technological advances, notably in remote sensing. Progress has also been made with automated cartography. An expert working group has been examining GIS and it is recognized that a system combining both national and regional components is most appropriate for China. Three basic functions are envisaged for such GIS: comprehensive regional analysis, prediction of change and the sharing of data. Such systems must serve the needs of users and, in order to demonstrate potential applications, regional experiments are being undertaken, including examples of urban information systems, river basin information systems and specialized systems (e.g. for tourist and forest resources). In the next few years, the emphasis will be on research and on technological preparation for the adoption of GIS, including the use of an experimental set of geographical grid cells. Chinese scholars are also involved in international collaboration in the study of global problems and propose a cooperative programme for a global geographical information system.     

The application of spatial data processing to land use conflict resolution in the lal lal water catchment of the Ballarat growth corridor: a case study from chapter one of the Buninyong planning scheme

Land use conflict within the Lal Lal Water Catchment is between landowners, the Shire, the Water Board and those directing regional pressures for development. It is exacerbated by inconsistency in building permit appraisal outcomes. The deliberations involved would clearly have benefited from access to spatial data sets through use of a Geographical Information System (GIS) during applications appraisal, in that inconsistencies are most obvious when mapped in relation to the criteria applied. GIS methodologies would ensure that information of a high standard was produced. Three strategic points are identified for the implementation of GIS: at the planning scheme formulation stage; the permit application stage; and the formal conflict resolution stage. Reference to GIS at the first two stages presupposes the existence of a local government area (LGA) spatial data base and a GIS/LIS that can output overlay maps. Application of GIS at the third stage is somewhat ‘after the event’. This study suggests that without such a regional review of the spatial patterns of permit appraisal criteria (including overland flow modelling) each appeal or negotiation is likely to yield an outcome that is inconsistent in relation to other cases. An LGA planning office maintaining a GIS with all layers relating to these criteria will have assembled its spatial data according to the requirements of its planning scheme and will make most use of it in a GIS at the permit appraisal stage.