Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/347

Filters

2000 2
2
Reset filters

Settings
Statistics
Citations
Author: FEENEY, MARY-ELLEN × Author: Williamson, Ian × End date: 2000 × Start date: 2000 ×

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Researching frameworks for evolving Spatial Data Infrastructure
    Feeney, M-E. F. ; Williamson, I. P. ( 2000)
    Technology and infrastructure both play key roles in achieving the optimisation of spatial data to support decision-making, in the spatial data community. Many institutional and technical initiatives have arisen in response to the increase in quantity and improving quality of spatial data to help users to structure the influx. However, there are persistent challenges to integrating institutional and technical solutions to optimise the utilisation of available spatial data. Embracing and continuing to develop a flexible, methodological, framework for the integration of decision-supporting technologies with infrastructure is fundamental to supporting effective incorporation of spatial data in decision-making. This paper reviews the nature of current developments of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) and Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS) and discusses issues pertinent to the optimisation of spatial data utilisation, access and management to support spatial decision making environments. A research procedure is proposed to investigate the hypothesis that increasing the functionality of SDIs to support the use of spatial data for decision making can be facilitated by developing methods for the integration of SDSS. Literal and meta-level models are developed of the data flows between SDSS, SDIs and decision makers from data gathered via a case study methodology. The research will provide the means for designing a methodological framework that will enable integration of SDSS by SDIs to enhance facilitation of the capacity for spatial data utilisation in decision-making.
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Future applications of GIS: depth vs breadth: the case of the Land Use Profiler
    Feeney, M-E. F. ; Escobar, F. J. ; Williamson, I. P. ( 2000)
    As society becomes increasingly spatially enabled, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) will evolve, and geographical information will be embedded in most information applications and services that society uses. This trend presents many opportunities and challenges. It means GIS technologies will facilitate 'more' by becoming' less'. As the general use of GIS increases, the visible appearance of GIS decreases, as it becomes an integrated part of organisational and societal information systems. The trend is for GIS to move from a multi-use tool for project and departmental systems, to specific product systems for multiple users, multiple applications and multiple purposes. These new systems are not all technically GIS, but are systems with embedded geographic knowledge, and the data and tools to capitalise upon the capabilities and to facilitate distribution. The Land Use Profiler (LUP) system is an easy to use spatial analysis tool developed by the Department of Infrastructure in Victoria. It constitutes an illustration of these trends in GIS. Developed to locate areas of land best suited to particular land-use purposes, the LUP is a tool being piloted to facilitate preliminary investment decisions. The LUP adopts user-friendly interfaces, easy-to-assemble query structures and GIS embedding to facilitate broad-spectrum inquiries across a number of datasets using a 'what-if-analysis'. The use and implementation of such a tool raises interesting issues about the transparency of spatial information processing. It reinforces the developmental trends of GIS and provides an indication where these trends may lead.