What is GIS?

GIS stands for Geographic Information System. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines it as “a computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information.” However, if you are anything like how I was in college, that definition wouldn’t have answered my question. When I explain GIS to my friends or family, I describe it simply as a mapping software; it is a tool that helps users visualize where something is in the world.

Don’t just take my word for it. I spoke with a few of my colleagues who are experts in this field, and learned how they explain what GIS is and why it’s so crucial to the people who use it.

Why Is GIS Important?

Why do so many people use GIS? Like the previous question, there isn’t just one answer (my apologies). From a broad perspective, where things are in the world in reference to others, matters.

Take it from Jenna Nelson, the Training and Outreach Coordinator. She outlines GIS as “a system that allows us to bring together data across disciplines to make informed decisions. No single map is a complete picture of the Earth; we have to sift through layers of different types of information in order to determine solutions for various problems. GIS allows us to collect and analyze that information in an impactful way. To me, it is always about that end goal of solving a problem.”

As mentioned above, the base of this problem solving process is the relationships between objects, their location and distribution. This is also known as spatial analysis.

Accurate Spatial Analysis 

When I talked to Gus Cooke, a Senior Application Specialist, his perspective reinforced why accuracy in map creation is so valuable. He shared that “Geographic Information Systems are tools that can be used to visualize, analyze, and interpret any data that has a spatial component.” In other words, anything that has a location value such as coordinates. 

As an example, let’s use “Find My Friends” on your iPhone. If you are trying to find your friend in a crowd, it is important for the blue dots denoting your locations and the surrounding landmarks to be accurately positioned. If your friend’s location was in a conic projection, and yours a Mercator, it would be tough to find each other. With the difference in projection they would appear in different places. Fortunately, Apple Maps automatically shows buildings, rivers, and your friend in the same map and projection, so you won’t run into this issue.

This is just one example of how the accurate representation of location matters. Our customers use Global Mapper® to locate plugged oil wells, design landscaping projects, understand the geography of a mine, or the surprisingly complex task of drawing a property line. GIS provides the ability to visualize and analyze data within a geospatial context. Once you understand where something is, you can plan what to do next.

What can you do with GIS?

The meaning of these three letters can be explained in many ways. I suggest picking the definition that makes the most sense and running with it. The most important part about GIS isn’t what it stands for, but what you can do with it. Technical Content Writer, Amanda Lind, told me about how “GIS describes both ‘Geographic Information System’ and ‘Geographic Information Science’. It is the tool, and the power, to solve problems by breaking our world into data layers for spatial analysis.” 

A common example of GIS problem solving in action is property boundaries. These legal delineations define essentially all habitable land on Earth. Most towns in the United States provide this data publicly through a GIS or tax assessment website. These typically show established boundary lines and contain attributes for each plot, such as the owner, address, and acreage. I highly recommend searching “your town name GIS” to find and explore your local tax map. For example, take a look at the Tax Map of Hallowell, Maine here.

GIS Software for Your Industry

Global Mapper is the all-in-one GIS software; it enables users to execute a range of workflows, including creating thematic maps, contours, and drawing vector features. To learn more about geospatial software in action, explore our real-world use cases: 

• Viticulture (Winery) Suitability Analysis
• Identifying Utility Corridor Encroachment
• Earthwork Construction Planning
• Road Site Planning
• Modeling Dam Construction
• Golf Course Maintenance 
• Monitor Forest Change
• Watershed Analysis 
• Battlefield Simulation 
• Mine Rehabilitation Design

To learn more about how GIS can improve your workflow, take Global Mapper Pro for a test drive; try a free 14-day trial.