This engaging and practical guide is a much-needed new textbook that
illustrates the power of geographic information systems (GIS) and
spatial analysis. Today's planner has a wealth of data available to
them, much of which is increasingly linked to a specific location. From
football clubs to Twitter conversations, government spending to the
spread of diseases - data can be mapped. Once mapped, the data begins to
tell stories, patterns are revealed, and effective planning decisions
can be made. When used effectively, GIS allows students, planners,
residents and policymakers to solve wicked problems in the environment,
society and the economy.
Geospatial data is now more freely available than it ever has been, as
is much of the necessary software to analyse it. This contemporary text
offers a practical guide to spatial analysis and what it can show us. In
addition to explaining what GIS is and why it is such a powerful tool,
the authors cover such topics as geovisualization, mapping principles,
network analysis and decision making. Offering more than just
theoretical or technical principles and concepts, the book applies GIS
techniques to the real world, draws on global examples and provides
practical advice on mapping the built environment.
This accessible text is essential reading for undergraduate and
postgraduate students taking planning modules on GIS, data analysis and
mapping, as well as for all planners, urbanists and geographers with an
interest in how GIS can help us better understand the built environment
from a socio-economic perspective.
