MalaysiaGIS.com

Source: Business Computing (page 24)

What Does GIS Mean?
GIS stands for "Geographic information System(s)". GIS started with maps, which represent the spatial distribution of a large area of the surface of the Earth, and are usually two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Topographic plans, street guides and building location maps are the most common maps to the general public. The integration of maps and database was the birth of GIS.

The standard definition of GIS is "an organised collection of computer hardware, software, geographic and personnel data". The purpose of GIS is to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyse and display all forms of data that is geographically referenced. In order to display data in a GIS, it needs to contain X and Y co-ordinates so that the software will know where to position the data on the map.

Input to the GIS may come from any number of sources and in different forms. Each database that contains objects and lines can be displayed as a layer.

Creating A GIS
A GIS can be created using spatial data from aerial photographs, maps of various scales, technical drawings, data from spreadsheets, databases and text materials.

Data kept in a GIS may cover such diverse sectors as forestry, oil/gas pipelines, transportation, communications, electrical and water supply systems.

GIS analysis is the process of identifying an issue to be addressed, modeling the issue, investigating results from the model with information derived from queries. The ability to create thematic maps and graphs makes GIS a valuable planning tool especially because a GIS can provide projections into the future. Some of the more common databases include detailed demographic data, traffic and property information.

Benefits Of GIS
There are currently many GIS software packages on the market which perform various tasks, from simple analysis to very complex predictions.

Some of the more familiar GIS packages used in the Asia-Pacific region include ArcInfo/ArcView, MapInfo, Geomedia, SICAD, Smallworld, Tekla and Microstation.

The more customised software packages incorporate specific features to assist in various fields of expertise. As a result, GIS is now used extensively in planning, architecture, engineering, facilities management and environmental disciplines.

In the environmental discipline for example, GIS is used to monitor soil erosion and manage forests. Specific scientific monitoring of changes in forest cover, animal sightings, terrain evaluation and monitoring of environmental damage can take place.

Maps integrated with baseline data will allow planning and monitoring of physical changes over time.

Another good use of a GIS is in cadastral mapping. This is a system used by land registration office and survey departments to enforce legal boundaries and title deeds. Since GIS is an analysis tool, it can be used to expedite the process of land registration and making planning revisions. Submission of development plans will in future be in the form of digital data. Records and updates on future developments can be retrieved in a central database. With these features, local governments will be able to keep trace of planning submissions, monitor changes to proposed developments and implement urban planning policies efficiently.

GIS offers managers at various levels the advantage of having integrated and co-ordinated planning data, as well as the ability to develop preventive and routine maintenance programmes. Also different departments are able to share information (i.e. utilities, pavement, building maintenance, engineering, etc.)

At the senior management level, GIS serves as an aid to policy planning. It assists in decision making at the strategic and operational levels during the planning and development phases of a new initiative or project.

Integrating Information
GIS is also very popular in the asset and inventory management sector, which requires the integration of information from various sources.

A GIS database can be queried to provide graphical information that can be used by the property and valuation sectors. Fluctuations in property prices can be recorded and monitored in a more systematic manner. Valuation executives are therefore able to have access to the latest data in different residential and commercial sectors.

An important GIS feature in the asset and inventory management sector is the ability to link the GIS to a remote database. This is called open database connectivity (ODBC). As changes occur to the remote database, they can be automatically reflected on maps or plans (e.g. Oracle, MS Access, Sybase, etc), enabling linkage to maps and plans.

At the national level, GIS plays an integral role in the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), which is one of the most ambitious projects Malaysia has ever undertaken. The MSC promises free movement of information, ideas, innovation and services. For the MSC to be successful, GIS will be a crucial tool to maintain plans, maps and databases, and at the same time allowing analysis and sound decision-making.

In Malaysia, the use of GIS began when several Government departments invested in a system to record statistical and demographic information and provide cadastral information on property lots. The State Governments of Selangor and Penang are currently leading the way in terms of GIS applications in this regard.

Consequently, most State Governments and municipal councils in Malaysia have invested in a GIS that not only address cadastral topics but also socio-economic statistics, transportation planning, environmental monitoring, emergency service planning and other local government services.

As for the commercial sector, consultants in Malaysia in the fields of transportation, town planning, civil engineering, geotechnics and the environment are currently investing in GIS. Many projects now require consultants to prepare reports and provide analysis using GIS.

As a result, GIS must not be viewed independent of computer-aided design (CAD), databases or modelling software, but should be integrated to form a comprehensive system.

In transportation planning and highway engineering, there is a huge number of plans, vehicle data and road features to be tracked and managed. Data collection can be tedious and time consuming.

GIS on the other hand tends to localise data collection. With hand-held devices, data collection can achieve a higher level of accuracy and significant savings in time and cost can be achieved. Repair and maintenance of roads and highways can be well co-ordinated. Future expansions and constructions of highways will definitely benefit from such accurate GIS data.

Developing GIS in Malaysia
However, the overall procedure for developing GIS in Malaysia requires considerable time, effort and money to complete.

The Asian economic crisis has also affected the introduction of new GIS applications into Malaysia. Unlike most micro-computer applications which can be used immediately after the purchase of hardware and software, GIS requires a large spatial database to be created, appropriate hardware and software purchased, applications developed, and all components installed, integrated and tested before it can be used.

But it may all be well worth it as the World Wide Web presents exciting opportunities for anyone with GIS data.

Today's Web-based mapping products are providing new levels of interaction and response. Geographic data can be purchased and shared from various Web sites that offer not only maps but also aerial and satellite photographs, property and valuation information, remote sensing data, three dimensional terrain and much more.

GIS on the Internet will allow the evaluation and dissemination of information for different users and types of applications. With wireless communications, we can be provided with the latest online information, be it traffic conditions or the location of other areas of interest. Users can publish maps for viewing and distribution across the Internet or an intranet.

But the task of capitalising on these new developments is so large and complex that substantial planning is required before any data, hardware and software be acquired.

Traditional maps are representations of the real world, a sampling of important elements printed on a sheet of paper with symbols to represent physical objects. Whereas with GIS, graphic display techniques make relationships between the maps and database visible, thus enhancing the ability to extract and analyse information.

As spatial data becomes an enterprise resource that adds value to many existing and future business processes, the requirement for better integration with relational database management systems (RDBMS) becomes crucial.

GIS users in the future will want a complete RDBMS to fit with their current GIS needs. GIS-related data will be loaded into the RDBMS with ease and all applications in various departments in an organisation will become integrated. Spatial analysis will then be truly deployed throughout organisations via the Internet or intranets.

Data and Digital Images
The development of satellite or aircraft that can produce data and digital images has proven to be very useful and cost-effective for many GIS projects. We will definitely find more data which are referenced by satellite images and remote sensing data. The coverage and quality of these data are improving rapidly.

Lastly, in the future we will surely find GIS and its applications being developed at remote sites so that users can log onto servers and carry out GIS analysis via the Internet.

More and more applications on the Internet will be developed to cater for specific and high-end GIS needs. With this in mind we will definitely see many more GIS users in the future.