Barbara Parmenter

1
Barbara Parmenter

• The University of Texas at Austin
• School of Architecture
• Department of Urban Planning
• Developed and teach the GIS program for urban and
  regional planning
• Other experience
• 10 years as a GIS project management consultant
  on major electric, gas, and water utility
  projects in North America
• E-mail bparmenter_at_mail.utexas.edu

2
Please introduce yourself

• Your name
• Where you work
• Your professional field
• Have you used GIS before?
• During breaks and meals, please tell me more
  about your work and what you need from this
  course

3
GIS Definitions

• A map connected to a database
• A computerized data base management system for
  capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and
  display of spatial data
• Key concept well-designed system of data and
  tools

4
GIS requires understanding basic principles in

• Mapping and cartography
• Database design
• If you emphasize only mapping or database design,
  you will your GIS will not be as good as it can
  be.

5
Concepts are most importantSoftware can be
learned more easily

• What remains constant
• Spatial analysis concepts are relatively stable
• All GIS software programs support basic analysis
  concepts
• What changes frequently
• Tools, user interfaces, inclusion of additional
  capabilities (e.g., 3D, spatial statistics)
• Data formats
• Focus students on concepts not software training

6
GIS strengths

• Good database management system for spatial
  information
• More efficient updates
• Easy and effective display
• Able to integrate data from many different
  sources (but)

7
GIS Weaknesses

• Cost and difficulty of database creation
• Higher accuracy, higher costs
• Integration of data from diverse sources can
  result in poor overall accuracy if not well
  managed
• Representation of dynamic data flows,
  dispersion, people, time
• Representation of fuzzy data