Hello,
I have to explain GIS to non-GIS people all the time. This may not be the angle you were thinking of, but I tend to initially explain it from a functionality standpoint. This is because people who have not been exposed to GIS (esp. people more familiar with CAD. UGGHH!) are just looking at GIS as maps. I try to explain that GIS is data. It's databases just like Access, Excel, .csv, SQL, whatever - that most are familiar with. The map document is just a lens to view the databases through. Sure, you can make pretty thematic maps, but it's based on whatever data you are presenting from your database. The data tables just happen to have a geographic component which allows it to be seen with the map document. Anyway, at a very basic level I stress the data.
Thank you,
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| Julie Lancelle
Professional Services Specialist
National Information Solutions Cooperative®
One Innovation Circle
Lake Saint Louis, MO 63367
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( phone: 866.999.6472
( direct: 636-755-2461 |
On Monday, October 17, 2016 3:23 PM, "Wagner, Leslie A" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
#yiv5513758343 #yiv5513758343 -- _filtered #yiv5513758343 {panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv5513758343 {font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv5513758343 {font-family:Amienne;panose-1:4 0 5 8 6 0 0 2 0 3;} _filtered #yiv5513758343 {}#yiv5513758343 #yiv5513758343 p.yiv5513758343MsoNormal, #yiv5513758343 li.yiv5513758343MsoNormal, #yiv5513758343 div.yiv5513758343MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;}#yiv5513758343 h1 {margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0in;font-size:24.0pt;color:#007AC2;font-weight:normal;}#yiv5513758343 a:link, #yiv5513758343 span.yiv5513758343MsoHyperlink {color:#0563C1;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv5513758343 a:visited, #yiv5513758343 span.yiv5513758343MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:#954F72;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv5513758343 p {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;}#yiv5513758343 span.yiv5513758343EmailStyle18 {color:#1F497D;}#yiv5513758343 span.yiv5513758343Heading1Char {color:#007AC2;}#yiv5513758343 .yiv5513758343MsoChpDefault {font-size:10.0pt;} _filtered #yiv5513758343 {margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}#yiv5513758343 div.yiv5513758343WordSection1 {}#yiv5513758343 This might not be sufficient and perhaps too simple, but this is what came to mind when I read your email: “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” Unless you are already using examples instead of a succinct definition, stretch “Where in the World…” to cover various things: population density (particular types of animals, insects, people) natural resources (gold, oil, precious gems, certain minerals) global dietary practices (meat, chicken, fish or rice, potatoes, pasta) Compare change over time with side by side examples. I know that GIS can be far fancier and complex, but “most” people should find such general themes easy to comprehend. As an archivist and historian who loves to work with maps in any form, I am looking forward to learning how to apply GIS to my family genealogy by mapping out where my various ancestors once lived and then create a visual cartographic progression as they moved across the American continent. I also want to map out their final resting places and actually travel to see their graves someday. Leslie Wagner Metadata Archivist Access & Discovery University of Texas at Arlington Libraries 817-272-6209 [log in to unmask] From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Quill, Theresa Marguerite
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2016 11:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Explaining GIS to non-GIS folks As GIS Day is approaching, what is your go-to definition of GIS that you use to explain to the general public? It seems that every year I struggle to find a succinct definition that will fit on a poster and make sense to most people.
Does anyone have a great example? Do you use GIScience or GISystems? -- Theresa Quill Social Sciences Librarian (GIS/Maps) Indiana University Bloomington [log in to unmask]
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