General Description

Geographic Information System, acronym GIS, is a system designed to capture, manage, visualise, analyse, andinterpret spatial/geographical data and disseminate the results of those analyses in a form of specific information, so called geo-information. Geo-information is information about the world saved in a digital format. It includes not only the location and extent of specific objects or phenomena but it also includes more detailed characteristics (attributes) – type, diversity, continuity, intensity and other properties.

 

Effective use of GIS tools depends on the integration of a few components:

• Data – the most important component of GIS. The data can be stored in various formats (vector data, raster data, attribute data, etc.). Free and open access to geo-data is crucial to use GIS.

• Software/hardware – commercial or open source software installed on selected types of devices (PC, laptops, and mobile devices) or integrated with web browsers. Access to the Internet can be also needed sometimes (to use the resources available online through so called web services). Printers and plotters are needed if users want to share their maps. GPS devices can be helpful when collecting data during field work;

• People – users who work with GIS software and browse, analyse, create and disseminate data. The group of GIS users is nowadays really impressive. It includes specialists such as administrators, managers, GIS technicians and application experts who develop and manage software, geo-databases, etc. providing fast and easy access to data and software for other users.

• Approaches – procedures used to process the data and evaluate the quality of the final products (compare results of analyses). They include methodology and specific rules which describe how GIS is applied. Examples of these approaches are: guidelines, specification, standards, procedures, etc.