ASSIGNMENT

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GEO - INFORMATICS
ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

THE HISTORY OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS

(GIS).

Within the last five decades, GIS has evolved from a concept to a science. The phenomenal
evolution of GIS from a rudimentary tool to a modern, powerful platform for understanding and
planning our world is marked by several key milestones.

1) JUST WHAT IS GIS?

Wikipedia states that GIS or a Geographic Information System is a system designed to capture,
store, manipulate, analyze, manage and present data. An easier way to think of it is, ‘everything
happens somewhere’, and GIS allows us to visualize the relationship between the 'what' and
'where'. By understanding this relationship of 'what' and 'where' we can solve complex problems,
make better decisions and even save lives.

2) THE BIRTH OF GIS:

The first example of linking the 'what' with 'where' takes us all the way back to 1854 and a cholera
outbreak. At the time, people believed that the disease was being spread through the air. But an
enterprising English Doctor, Dr Jon Snow wasn’t convinced. So, he decided to map the outbreak
locations, the roads and the property boundaries and the water pumps. And, when he did, he made
a startling discovery. A pattern emerged. This pattern proved that the disease was not in fact
airborne but was being communicated via water and even more specifically by one infected water
pump. John Snow’s cholera map was a major event connecting the what with the where.

Not only was this the beginning of spatial analysis, it also marked a whole new field of study:
Epidemiology, the study of the spread of disease. Snow’s work demonstrated that GIS is a
problem-solving tool. He put the what on a map to show the where and a made a life-saving
discovery.

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

Figure 2: Dr Jon Snow’s original map showing the outbreak of cholera against the location of the
water pumps

Figure 1: Dr Jon Snow’s original map with heat map analysis showing the
outbreak of cholera against the location of the water pumps

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

3) 1854 – 1960:

During the next hundred years or so, there was limited development in GIS. Mapping was paper
based and there was no computer mapping.

By the 1950s, maps were starting to be used in vehicle routing, development planning and
locating points of interest.

4) 1960 – 1975:

In the period between 1960 to 1975 three major technological advancements in new computer
technology led to the birth of modern GIS. Those were: the ability to output map graphics using
line printers; advances in data storage and the processing power of mainframe computers. We now
had the ability to record coordinates as data inputs and perform calculations on those coordinates.

Roger Tomlinson, widely acclaimed as the ‘Father of GIS’, during his time with the Canadian
Government in the 1960s, was responsible for the creation of the Canadian Geographic
Information System (CGIS). CGIS was unique in that it implemented a layering approach to map
handling.

The US Census Bureau was also an early adopter of the core principles of GIS. The Bureau began
to digitize Census boundaries, roads and urban areas.

The Ordnance Survey GB began to develop their topographic mapping. They used computers to
simplify the process of updating future map editions and in 1971, digital mapping was introduced
to OS large-scale map production.

5) 1975 – 1990:

This era saw the creation of GIS software. Jack Dangermond, co-founder of Esri Inc had studied
environmental science, landscape architecture and urban design. In his own words: “I had some
notion of applying computer mapping to my profession”. So, in 1967 he headed off to Harvard

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

where he worked in the Laboratory for Computer Graphics. In the mid-1970s, the Laboratory
developed the first vector GIS called ODYSSEY GIS.

By the late 1970s, the progress in computer memory and improved computer graphic capabilities
led to the creation of commercial GIS Software. One of the vendors, was Esri, which is now the
largest GIS software company in the world, recognized as a world leading expert in GIS, that has
played a key role in the history of GIS.

6) 1990 – 2010:

The adoption of GIS into the mainstream took off between 1990-2010. This was facilitated by a
number of IT advancements: computers were getting cheaper, faster and more powerful; there
were an increasing number of GIS software options and digitised mapping data was more readily
available. These advancements, together with the launch of new earth observation satellites and
the integration of remote sensing technology with GIS, saw more and more applications being
developed. GIS found its way into classrooms, to businesses and to governments across the world.

7) 2010 – 2018:

Due to the increased adoption of GIS over the previous twenty years, open source GIS was born.
GIS data has become more and more ubiquitous, for instance, Landsat satellite imagery is now
accessible to all. GIS is now online, in the cloud, and on your mobile.

8) TODAY:

Today, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis are being used by everyone
whether we realize or not. Have you noticed that location-based search facility in Google? Do you
use an app on your phone to get you from A to B? Do you track your parcel delivery or the taxi
you booked? All these examples use spatial information to get you the best answer or the most up
to date information.

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 ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

I. OTHER EXAMPLES INCLUDE:

Potential store locations - based on customer locations, customer spending power, route-
time analysis, competitor locations.
Predictive crime analysis - using GIS and spatial analysis resulted in 19 per cent reduction
in break ins.
Real time fleet tracking - reducing delivery costs by 10 per cent.
Europe’s busiest port - 370 vessels per day - helping Dutch infrastructure to rate #1 in the
world.
Air quality - better informed environmental and health policy for Europeans.

Rooted in the science of geography, modern GIS integrates many types of data. It analyses spatial
location and organizes layers of information into visualizations using maps and 3D scenes. With
this unique capability, GIS reveals deeper insights into data, such as patterns, relationships and
situations - helping users make smarter decisions.

Hundreds of thousands of organizations in virtually every field are using GIS to make maps that
communicate, perform analysis, share information and solve complex problems around the world.
This is changing the way the world works.

The Geographic Information System market is predicted to reach US$9billion by 2024* (*Report
by Global Market Insights 2024).

9) TACKLING THE BIG DATA CHALLENGE:

A number of years ago, the hype was around ‘big data’ and the challenge of how we were going
to be able to cope with reams of data. It could be argued that GIS has been dealing with ‘big data’
for years. Satellite imagery, orthophotography, largescale mapping and LIDAR point clouds all
create gigabytes of data. These days, combining GIS with geospatial cloud platforms and the
improvements in computing power are enabling businesses to analyze massive warehouses of
information. The results of this analysis often expose new data patterns and inspires innovative
ways to increase success through the understanding of location intelligence.

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

But rather than spitting out piles of stats, tables, charts and spreadsheets, the geospatial cloud
empowers people to plot complex analysis on easy-to-understand smart maps. These digital maps

Figure 3: GIS allows local government to make funding and allocation of labor decisions based on
real time data. Here are examples of homeless shelters and occupants in the Washington DC area

allow leaders, strategists and many levels of workers to visualize vital trends across lines of
business and take decisive action in mission critical projects.

GIS and the maps created for organizations become even more important when linked to the huge
data streams from the Internet of Things (IoT), allowing real time monitoring of trends. The
location intelligence derived from these streams of information when combined with AI and
predictive analytics can map out ways to drive productivity or adjust strategies to keep businesses
on track to succeed.

10) TRACKING THE MOVEMENTS OF LIFE:

Modern GIS allows people to create map visualizations that represent thousands of relationships
between hundreds of layers of data on demographics, sales, population growth, traits of customers,
likely customers, competitors, supply chains, delivery routes and countless other variables. The
results can be modelled in 3D to support the work of urban planners and facilities managers, who
can also benefit from data streaming from the IoT for real-time updates to their models and maps.

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

With open platforms to stimulate innovative applications, it’s hard to summaries the richness of
the tools and growing power of the geospatial cloud. But, its influence can be seen in the thousands
of leading businesses using it to analyze millions of layers of data and produce billions of
maps every day.

11) GEOSPATIAL CLOUD GROWS IN STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY

AND ACCESSIBILITY:

Increasingly, corporate leaders are realizing that intelligent maps provide an effective way to
monitor sales, review assets in the field, keep up to date on national and global social and economic
trends -reinforcing common goals across all departments.

The flexibility of tools, apps and data available in the geospatial cloud puts its power within
reach of everyone in an organization. Whether employees rely on company servers, desktop
computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones, whether they work in the corporate office or are mobile
and remote, they can all connect. Such widespread accessibility protects against information silos
and allows for wider sharing of knowledge across the organization.

12) UTILISING INSTANT TOOLS:

Drawing upon analytic models, predictive algorithms, apps and big data, detailed insights can
emerge through computerized analysis of layers of data on customers’ past buying history along
with their demographics by neighborhood and their interests by age, gender, education or
profession. It can also factor in larger trends like local economies, seasonal weather, time of day
and national or international political and social trends.

At the broader other end of the scale, smart maps receiving data from sensors on the IoT allow
company analysts see trends mapped out in real time. The visualized location intelligence can
show buying trends, population shifts or traffic patterns that affect deliveries, supply chains, asset
management and research and development, and take into account trends across hundreds of layers
of demographic, economic and political data.

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

13) SPAN OF INFLUENCE OF THE GEOSPATIAL CLOUD:

Though vital to the for-profit sector, the power of the geospatial cloud is not the sole province of
private business and industry.

Widely available free or low-cost spatial data and systems also help most national, state and local
governments’ map critical issues from health to crime to utility lines and even to eradicating land
mines. And it underpins the work of non-governmental organizations around the world - groups
helping to solve environmental issues, address social justice concerns and develop mission-
focused, crisis-response strategies for hurricanes, earthquakes or epidemics.

Figure 4: Tourist areas can assess the flow of visitors at key attractions and resources can be
applied to areas of greater need

For example, applications can take ongoing satellite imagery and current weather and temperature
data to build a Living Atlas - a real-time picture of the world that shows permanent land masses,
changing polar caps, epidemics, rising or falling wages and trends in local agriculture or regional
social culture.

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

Figure 5: Managing emergencies and acts of God. Here, regional data reflects the dispossessed
population and housing need and fulfilment following Hurricane Harvey

Location-based information can also shape many policy decisions and help people across the
political spectrum understand issues and options. The geospatial cloud offers scalable analysis
from a single building to a neighborhood to a town, state, nation, continent, or the entire globe.

14) GIS KEEPS EVOLVING AND ADDING DEPTH:

Broad in reach and deep in analytic power, the geospatial cloud can engage the minds and spirits
of millions around the world through a project like the Esri Living Atlas.

Applications also can be developed that engage people around the world in mission-driven
campaigns and social enterprise. Volunteers can work together to track worrisome trends and
businesses can use location-based data and predictive apps to understand what consumers will
want and need several years from now.

The geospatial cloud introduces a new scale of spatial intelligence and businesses and
organizations of every size and purpose are using it to break new ground and digitally transform
their enterprises.

15) GIS TODAY:

GIS gives people the ability to create their own digital map layers to help solve real-world
problems. GIS has also evolved into a means for data sharing and collaboration, inspiring a vision

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ASSIGNMENT # 1 GEO-IFORMATICS HISTORY OF GIS

that is now rapidly becoming a reality a continuous, overlapping, and interoperable GIS database
of the world, about virtually all subjects. Today, hundreds of thousands of organizations are
sharing their work and creating billions of maps every day to tell stories and reveal patterns, trends,
and relationships about everything.

“GIS is about uncovering meaning and insights

from within data. It is rapidly evolving and
providing a whole new framework and process for
understanding.”

Figure 6: Jack Dangermond (CEO, Esri)

16) THE FUTURE OF GIS:

With its movement to web and cloud computing, and integration with real-time information via
the Internet of Things, GIS has become a platform relevant to almost every human endeavor—a
nervous system of the planet. As our world faces problems from expanding population, loss of
nature, and pollution, GIS will play an increasingly important role in how we understand and
address these issues and provide a means for communicating solutions using the common language
of mapping.

THE END

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