A User-Oriented Perspective of Error-sensitive GIS Development

The current lack of error-sensitive functionality found in commercial GIS is at odds with the research focus error-sensitive GIS development has enjoyed over recent years. In an attempt to address this undesirable situation, this paper explores the development of error handling capabilities within GIS from the perspective of GIS users. Increasingly, GIS users need to fulfil a variety of different roles, from database designers and data capture personnel through to decision makers, each of which may require an awareness of data quality issues. The user-oriented approach taken here contrasts with the predominately developer-oriented perspective in the literature. The paper concludes that from a user's perspective it is possible to identify a number of simple reformulations of current research that would help bring about the desired increase in availability and use of error-sensitive functionality within commercial GIS technology and applications.