Considerations from the Development of a Local Spatial Data Infrastructure

The development of spatial data infrastructures is often the victim of an excessive focus on data and standards. In this paper we use the hermeneutics of Gadamer and Habermas to understand the problem of how spatial data infrastructures (SDI) can succeed, both in emergent and developed countries. We use Gadamer’s concept of phronesis to show how being an application-driven project is a key for success, and Habermas’ view of knowledge to show the importance of emancipatory knowledge (a form of knowledge that combines practical and technical knowledge) in the implementation of SDIs in transitional economies. A case study on a GIS project in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is presented. The project has been continuously evolving for fifteen years, even though it started with a focus on data and standards, and generated a strong and active spatial data infrastructure for the city. The reasons for success were manifold, but we highlight the application-driven nature of the project and the combination of multiple disciplines and multiple levels of expertise (ranging from practical to theoretical) in the team responsible for its design and implementation.