In today's society, it is very common for decisions that influence us all to be made by a combination of interested parties, all with their own agenda. In this instance, how can we be sure that the decision is the correct one, not just decided by the group with the most political influence or most money? Such groups have now become fundamental deci

In today's society, it is very common for decisions that influence us all to be made by a combination of interested parties, all with their own agenda. In this instance, how can we be sure that the decision is the correct one, not just decided by the group with the most political influence or most money? Such groups have now become fundamental decision-making units within and between organisations in most societies and are more often than not very complex structures. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Groupware can be used in several practical contexts to make sure that spatial decision problems are overcome in the most effective way. A fundamental aspect of a spatial decision problem is the matter of location. The complexity of spatial decision problems result from the multiplicity of stakeholders involved, their often conflicting interests, and the intangible variables of the decision environment. Examples of such problems include: where to locate a public facility, which brownfield redevelopment strategy to choose, which sites to select for environmental restoration, or which comprehensive land use plan to adopt. Good solutions to such problems -if they exist at all- are characterised by a certain minimum level of secretarial support; hence the decision-making process should involve experts, citizens, and interest groups alike. Such a collaborative approach to spatial decision-making needs methodology, tools, and application examples to inspire its adoption and more widespread use. This book sets out the key to the collaborative spatial decision-making approach: its theoretical basis, the requisite tools, and a number of application examples. GIS professionals and researchers should find this an invaluable guide to an emerging area of GIS

Using the varied case studies, this comprehensive resource looks beyond the mechanics of systems and screens to show how local governments can make geographic information systems true management tools. Case studies provide a framework of understanding of the unique capabilities of GIS. 50 maps.

This book is intended for the GIS Science and Decision Science communities. It is primarily targeted at postgraduate students and practitioners in GIS and urban, regional and environmental planning as well as applied decision analysis. It is also suitable for those studying and working with spatial decision support systems. The main objectives of this book are to effectivley integrate Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) into Geographic Information Science (GIScience), to provide a comprehensive account of theories, methods, technologies and tools for tackling spatial decision problems and to demonstrate how the GIS-MCDA approaches can be used in a wide range of planning and management situations.

Elected officials and department heads are increasingly relying on geographic information system (GIS) technology to make efficient and accurate decisions. This resource presents 27 case studies and eight exercises that demonstrate the positive impact of incorporating GIS methodology in daily operations of the public sector.

"This book provides a comprehensive treatment of collaborative GIS focusing on system design, group spatial planning and mapping; modeling, decision support, and visualization; and internet and wireless applications"--Provided by publisher.

"Making Spatial Decisions Using GIS, level 4 of the Our World GIS Education series, allows students to experience the GIS decision-making process in real-world settings. Designed for an upper-level high school or college curriculum, the five modules in this book invite students to perform sophisticated analyses in a variety of content areas. The projects in this book encourage students to make not only maps but also the type of spatial decisions that confront professionals in all walks of life. The five modules pose decisions that will have students examine location criteria, population patterns, chemical spills, storm-ravaged coastlines, and big-city crime." "Making Spatial Decisions Using GIS presumes prior GIS experience and offers step-by-step instruction along with guidelines for more independent study. This book contains all you need to complete GIS projects, including GIS software, data, and worksheets. Companion DVDs provide a wealth of instructional resources to supplement each book. Teachers new to GIS will benefit from detailed notes and suggestions for presenting the material." "The projects in this book are connected to a variety of subject areas, such as business, government, and public administration. By completing the projects, students improve their skills in critical thinking, communication, technology, and problem-solving as delineated by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills."--BOOK JACKET.

This unique text shows students and professionals how geographic information systems (GIS) can guide decision making about complex community and environmental problems. The authors’ step-by-step introduction to GIS-based decision analysis methods and techniques covers important urban and regional issues (land, transportation, and water resource management) and decision processes (planning, improvement programming, and implementation). Real-world case studies demonstrate how GIS-based decision support works in a variety of contexts, with a special focus on community and regional sustainability management. Ideal for course use, the book reinforces key concepts with end-of-chapter review questions; illustrations include 18 color plates.

First published in 1999, this volume consists of selected papers presented at the North American Meetings of the RSAI along with invited contributions from scholars active in the field of spatial multicriteria decision making and analysis. It is meant to present diverse lines of research in spatial multicriteria decision making and analysis under the multidisciplinary umbrella of Geographic Information Science. The first part explores selected theoretical and conceptual aspects of spatial multicriteria decision making and analysis not confined to any specific application domain. Part 2 consists of six chapters focusing on various forms of location decision and analysis problems. Finally, part 3 contains five chapters on various spatial decision problems whose systemic scope sets them apart from locational decision problems.

Environmental applications have long been a core use of GIS. However, the effectiveness of GIS-based methods depends on the decision-making frameworks and contexts within which they are employed. GIS for Environmental Decision-Making takes an interdisciplinary look at the capacities of GIS to integrate, analyze, and display data on which decisions