Collaborative GIS

Local and global problems such as land use and land cover change, poverty and deprivation, health and diseases, and global warming are all directly linked to the intricate biophysical and sociopolitical networks operating within geographic space. Resolving the complex issues embedded in these problems requires the involvement of multiple interest groups, reliable baseline geographic data, and relevant decision support technologies. A collaborative geographic information system (GIS) provides the integrated structure in which to embed the interest groups, geographic data, and relevant technologies for planning and decision outcomes.

Collaborative GIS is defined as a combination of interrelated theories, tools, and technologies focusing on, but not limited to, the structuring of human interactions in group spatial planning and decision processes. For planning tasks, the collaborative GIS facilitates the ...