Geographic Information Systems Demystified

Geographic information systems (GIS) is emerging as one of the most intriguing and promising high-tech fields, and this easy-to-understand resource examines and explains all of the critical GIS concepts in a clear manner that is easily understood, regardless of your technical background. While other GIS-learning sources are software-product biased, this unique volume offers an unbiased approach to the fundamentals of learning GIS, helping you become functional and knowledgeable in this burgeoning area. The book explains how to use GIS to its fullest capacity on a variety of engineering and technical projects. Moreover, you learn how to implement GIS in your business to manage information, integrate geographical data, analyze marketing trends, use demographics to positively impact your bottom line, and increase your project management capabilities. The book also addresses several common misconceptions about GIS, such as it only relates to GPS or that it is simply a “map maker.” Additionally, this unique resource presents an original, comprehensive and innovative treatment of spatial coordinate systems, a topic rarely covered in GIS literature.