BACKGROUND AND TRAINING OF GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION USERS: A CASE STUDY 
Ute J. Dymon 
Assistant Professor of Geography 
Department of Geography 
Kent State University 
Kent, OH 44242-0001 
USA 
COMMISSION VI 
ABSTRACT: 
Increasing professional use of Geographic Information 
Systems (GIS) appears to require the aid of highly trained 
technicians for the initial implementation and sustained 
operation of the systems. How such systems are used and the 
kind of background and professional training required of the 
users are the focuses of this study. 
A survey of two-hundred GIS users in Massachusetts, U.S.A. 
indicates that the majority do not possess formal training in 
GIS but developed the necessary skills "on the job". In 
addition, two groups of users are identified based on the 
length of their experience with GIS: the computer science 
experts and the planner/managers. While the majority of 
users are satisfied with their mastery of their respective 
systems, many users indicated that they needed between three 
to six months to become proficient in operating a GIS. 
KEY WORDS: GIS User, Training, Utilization, Experts, Skill 
Development. 
INTRODUCTION 
In recent years there has been an increase in professional use 
of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) throughout the 
United States. Many planning agencies on the state, regional 
and local level are using GIS in their daily operations 
(French and Wiggins, 1990). According to Troppen (1991), 
this growth will continue and the rate may be increasing 
throughout the world. Past studies indicate that the real surge 
of GIS applications is still to come and that many 
professionals are not yet aware of what GIS can do for them 
(Rhind and Mounsey 1989, Masser 1988, Chorley 1988). 
Currently, many Geographical Information Systems are 
complex and not user-friendly. They appear to require the aid 
of highly trained technicians for their initial implementation 
and sustained operation. These technicians, however, may not 
be able to synthesize the broader context of a given problem 
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because of their specialized training. This raises the question 
of whether or not there is a discrepancy between professional 
training and technical know-how when it comes to GIS users. 
The focus of this study is to identify what kind of 
background and professional training GIS users have and 
how they actually use the systems. In order to investigate this 
problem a survey questionnaire was developed. 
METHODOLOGY 
The survey questionnaire was prepared and mailed to nearly 
200 GIS users in Massachusetts. Most users were members 
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