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GIS is an integrated system of computer hardware, software, and trained personnel linking topographic, demographic, utility, facility, image and other resource data that is geographically referenced.
Now that we have that technical definition out of the way let's get to a definition that makes sense to your average non-geek nonprofit staff person! GIS is not just a piece of software, it is a term that describes an entire field of science. I have to say that as a professional GIS guy. For the rest of this site we will be using the term GIS to describe it in the way you already thought of- just a piece of software ;-) A GIS is both a tool and a system- it is a program that you apply to a specific task and a system that helps you to create, manage, analyze and visualize data. Unfortunately it's not as easy to jump into using GIS as it is to say learn Microsoft Word or how to use Gmail.To effectively use GIS in your organization you do need to consider the five elements of a Geographic Information System:
- Data
- Users
- Software
- Hardware
- Methods
Data in this context refers to any set of records, lists of clients, areas of natural habitat, transport systems or regions you may work in. About 90% of the data you have in your paper files or electronic files has what is called a spatial element- that is a locational element, either a street address, zipcode, country, region or political boundary associated with it. A GIS provides a method to turn those tables and lists into powerful spatial data that can be easily mapped and analyzed in ways you never imagined. Data can be spatial (address, zipcode) or aspatial (name, birthdate) and comes in either vector (represented as a point, line or area) or raster (cell/pixel based data such as satellite images or normal photographs and drawings).
Users refers to the operators of this system- data may be the most important component (Garbage in- Garbage out!) but none of this happens without a user who can tell the system what he or she wants to examine or model.
Software is obvious- GIS software includes desktop applications, web mapping systems, spatial databases and server based GIS.
Hardware is the computing platform you work with, Mac, IBM or Unix.
Methods refer to the techniques, models, classifications and mathematical/statistical/theoretical reasons that guide how we use these tools and how we display/analyze information.
A GIS can help you to:
- understand your clients/constituents/funders better
- see patterns in your members affiliations and demographics
- understand your community through the use of census demographics
- model your survey data
- examine barriers to service
- visualize huge datasets
- summarize raw data into more consumable views
- find services and gaps in your service
As you begin your exploration into the use of GIS in the nonprofit world please take some time to get familiar with the other sections in GIS101- they will help you navigate your way around differrent programs and help you to communicate with other folks in this field when you ask for help or for data from a GIS professional or government agency.
Layers- How to view many different features and datasets at once- the true power of GIS
Projections - How we take data that exists on a 3-dimensional globe and make it look right on a flat screen
Coordinate Systems - The underlying numbers that define how the world fits together- in a GIS of course
Geocoding - How to turn your data into a map
Implementation Planning - Tips on how to begin using GIS in your organization/advocacy group, how to look for help, what to buy and how to budget
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