GEO-INFORMATION THEORY: WHY AND WHAT
Martien Molenaar ! and Richard Groot ?
' Wageningen Agricultural University, Dept of Landsurveying & Remote Sensing, The Netherlands
and Wageningen Agricultural University, Centre for Geographical Information Processing (CGI)
? Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, Geographical Services Division Canada Centre for Mapping
Commission number III Working Group I
ABSTRACT
Decision-makers depending on geo-information are often
confronted with too many data. The problem is then how to
extract relevant information on how to eliminate the relevant
data. The problem is then how to extract relevant
information and how to eliminate irrelevant data. Selection,
generalisation and aggregation of data in a given context
(decision framework) are the tools that need to be
understood by the user in order to have faith in the resulting
decisions. The paper argues that this is not possible without
a consistent theory on geo-information. This theory describes
the structural and semantic aspects of geo-information
including aspects of uncertainty. The theory gives a
framework for the development of methods and techniques
for data modelling, for data processing and for dealing with
uncertainty of geo-data.
KEY WORDS: Geo-information theory, Information
technology strategy, data modelling.
INTRODUCTION
After the Kyoto Congress of ISPRS in 1988 the President of
Commission III decided to establish a working group on geo-
information theory.
This decision was based on resolution No III-1, of this
congress stating in its recommendation that:
1. Studies be directed towards the theoretical aspects of
GIS, including data structure, knowledge representation
and mathematical modelling.
2. The spread of knowledge of this field is stimulated by
organizing courses and the production of lecturing
materials and tutorial papers in cooperation with
Commission VI.
The technical development of GIS happened in its first stages
without a clear theoretical frame work, and even to date we
observe that the existence of such a theory is hardly a pre-
requisite for a further technological progress. On the other
hand organisations dealing with geo-information seem to
have tremendous problems when they try to make efficient
use of the opportunities offered by this new technology. The
introduction of modern GIS tools in these organisations seem
to be not only a technical problem, it often effects the whole
organisation in different ways. The management will have to
make important policy decisions. A geo-information theory
will be useful to obtain a deeper understanding of GIS
technology and its possibilities. But such a theory will not
only be of importance for the management. On an
operational level it will be useful for experts as a framework
for the formulation geo-data models and processing models.
The following sections of this paper will elaborate on these
MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE
There is growing and compelling evidence that implementing
information technology (IT) of which geo-information
technology is a subset, without making deliberate organisa-
tional innovations often results in systems that fail to live up
to expectations. In establishing these expectations we tend to
focus on the technical output of the systems. It is clear that
this is only part of the picture. To be more precise it only is
one third of it. The expectations should be reflected in a well
articulated vision of the organisation which spells out what
the organisation wants to be. To work towards its
achievement three major strategies are needed which to be
successful must be aligned and in balance. These are: a
business strategy, a technology and an organisations strategy
(Walton, 1989). This can be shown in Walton’s Strategic
Triangle (fig.1).
Business Strategy
—
IT Organizational
Strategy —— i rermevece Strategy
Fig. 1 Walton's Strategic Trianle (Source: Walton 1989)
Simple representation
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