An Analytical Framework for GIS Modeling, Berry and Metha, 2009

The U.S. Department of Labor has identified Geotechnology as one of three mega technologies for the 21 century noting that it will forever change how we will conceptualize, utilize and visualize spatial information. Of the spatial triad comprising Geotechnology (GPS, GIS and RS), the spatial analysis and modeling capabilities of Geographic Information Systems provides the greatest untapped potential, but these analytical procedures are least understood. This paper develops a conceptual framework for understanding and relating various grid-based map analysis and modeling procedures, approaches and applications. Discussion topics include; 1) the nature of discrete versus continuous mapped data; 2) spatial analysis procedures for reclassifying and overlaying map layers; 3) establishing distance/connectivity and depicting neighborhoods; 4) spatial statistics procedures for surface modeling and spatial data mining; 5) procedures for communicating model logic/commands; and, 6) the impact of spatial reasoning/dialog on the future of Geotechnology.