Forty Years of Vision:URISA in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s

Dr. Barry WellarDr. Barry WellarDepartment of GeographyDepartment of Geography

University of OttawaUniversity of Ottawaand and

URISA President, 1977 URISA President, 1977 –– 19781978

Slides for a Panel Session, URISA 2002 Slides for a Panel Session, URISA 2002 Annual Conference and Exposition, Annual Conference and Exposition, October 26October 26--30, Chicago, Illinios30, Chicago, Illinios

France

URISAU.S.

Far East

Russia Spain

U.K.

Hungary

Canada

Europe

Middle East

OECD

GDRMexico

Australia

Africa

SouthAmer.

Neth.

Denmark

Sweden

U.N.

Figure1. Building a Global IS/GIS/LIS/… Network

Figure 2. Expanding IS/GIS/LIS/… Association Linkages

GIS/LIS

AAG

ACSM ASPRS

AM/FM

ASCE

GFOA ICMANGA

AURISA

AGI

IAAO

AUTO-CARTO

DFD

AWWA

MFOA

APATRB

NSGIC

APWA

UDMS

SORSA

BURISA

NWCAMA

URISA

Air Pollution MonitoringAssessingAuditAuto-CADBuilding PermitsCitizen AccessCommunity Development Decision SupportDevelopment MonitoringEcologicEconomic DevelopmentEmergency ResponseEngineeringEnvironmental AssessmentEnvironmental MonitoringFacilities Management

FinancialFireFiscalGeographicHousingInfrastructureLandLicensingManagementMappingMunicipalPermittingPlanningPolicePropertyPublic Notification

Public PropertyPublic WorksReal EstateRegional DevelopmentResource ManagementSolid WasteStorm WaterSustainable DevelopmentTaxTransportationUrbanUtilitiesWater/WastewaterWatershed PlanningWetland ProtectionZoning

Figure 3. Elaborating the “IS Family ”

Figure 4. The “G” In, Of, and About GIS

ContiguityContinent(al)Coordinate/pointCoreDensityDiffusionDimensionDisperse(ion)DistanceDistributionEdgeElevationEntityExtrusionFlow(s)FunctionGeocodeGeodeticGeofactor

AccessibilityAdjacencyAgglomerateAggregateAmalgamateArcArea/polygonAssociationAttributeBorderBoundaryBufferCentralityCircleClose(ness)ClumpClusterConcentrateConnect

GeomaticGeometricGeopoliticalGeoreferenceGlobe(al)GridHinterlandHomeInteractionIntrusionLayerLineLinkLocal(ization)LocationMapMigrationMovementNation(al)

Near(ness)NeighbourNetworkNodeObjectOrientationParcelPathPatternPeripheryPerimeterPlacePointPole(ar)Polygon(al)PositionProximityRegionRelation

RouteScaleShapeSiteSituationSpaceSphereSpreadStripStructureSurfaceSystemTopographyTopologyUrbanVectorWhereYonderZone

Figure 5. Making Connections

Information, Society Information, Society andand ScienceScienceElecteds, Staff Electeds, Staff and and CitizensCitizensGovernment, Business Government, Business andand AcademeAcademeArts, Sciences, Humanities Arts, Sciences, Humanities andand Technologies Technologies Scope, Scale Scope, Scale andand FunctionalityFunctionalityStandards, Standards Standards, Standards andand Standards Standards Complexity, Utility Complexity, Utility andand ReliabilityReliabilitySecurity, Efficiency Security, Efficiency andand DemocracyDemocracyData, Information Data, Information andand KnowledgeKnowledgeInputs, Throughputs Inputs, Throughputs andand OutputsOutputsThinking, Knowing Thinking, Knowing andand ActingActingQualitative, Quantitative Qualitative, Quantitative andand Visualization Visualization ProceduresProceduresText, Numerics Text, Numerics andand GraphicsGraphicsExhortation Exhortation andand DemonstrationDemonstrationHigherHigher--order Analysis order Analysis andand SynthesisSynthesisCuriosityCuriosity--driven driven andand ClientClient--driven Researchdriven Research

Figure 6. Contributions to Information Industry Associations, Organizations and Corporations

Programs Programs andand ExhibitsExhibitsWorkshops Workshops andand WorkbooksWorkbooksIdeas Ideas andand ActionsActionsHuman Resources Human Resources andand TechnologyTechnologyExpert Advice Expert Advice andand HandsHands--on Involvementon InvolvementTesting Testing andand CalibratingCalibratingSupporting Supporting and and PromotingPromotingEducation Education andand TrainingTrainingCriticism Criticism andand EncouragementEncouragement

Figure 7. Contributions to Society/Science

LeadingLeading--edge Publicationsedge PublicationsLeadingLeading--edge Conference Programsedge Conference ProgramsStateState--ofof--thethe--Field Reviews and ForecastsField Reviews and ForecastsRealityReality→→DataData→→InformationInformation→→Knowledge TransformsKnowledge TransformsIS/GIS/LIS Means of RIS/GIS/LIS Means of R→→DD→→II→→K TransformsK TransformsSystems Integration Systems Integration IS/GIS/LIS/MIS/RIS/TIS/IS/GIS/LIS/MIS/RIS/TIS/…… Innovation and AdoptionInnovation and AdoptionRealReal--World Applications of IS/GIS/LIS/MIS/RIS/TIS/World Applications of IS/GIS/LIS/MIS/RIS/TIS/……Decision Support SystemsDecision Support SystemsInformation as an InvestmentInformation as an InvestmentDemocratization of Data/Information Through Democratization of Data/Information Through IS/GIS/LIS/PPIS/IS/GIS/LIS/PPIS/……Mapping CauseMapping Cause--Effect Connections Through GISEffect Connections Through GISPerformance Measurement MethodologyPerformance Measurement MethodologyBetter GovernanceBetter Governance

Figure 8. Advancing Research Frontiers

• Beyond Same Old Same Old to New and Different• Beyond Data to Information and Knowledge• Beyond Analysis to Synthesis• Beyond Cataloguing to Hypothesizing and Theorizing• Beyond Indicators to Indexes• Beyond Description to Explanation and Prediction• Beyond Events to Processes• Beyond Incidents to Patterns• Beyond Concepts to Operations• Beyond Exploratory to Confirmatory• Beyond “One-offs” to Generalizations

(If the research boat ain’t rockin’ it ain’t movin’.)

Figure 9. Specifying Enterprise Principles for IS/GIS/LIS

• Management, Planning, Operations, IT and Research Are Interdependent IS Functions

• Robust Performance Measurement of IT Systems and Services is Based on Outputs

• Human Resources, Software, Hardware and Peripherals Are Interrelated IS Components

• Technological Constraints Are Temporary, and Institutional and Organizational Capacity-Building Needs Are Eternal

Figure A. Indicative List of What Management Wants to Do or Expects To Be Able To Do

As a Result of GIS Investments*

Divine the futureDivine the futurePropose new policiesPropose new policiesCreate new strategiesCreate new strategiesDiscover new processesDiscover new processesIncrease productivityIncrease productivityIncrease market shareIncrease market shareIncrease revenuesIncrease revenuesImprove products/servicesImprove products/services

*This list is derived from government manuals, journal and proceedings articles, trade magazines, company reports and the business sections of newspapers. As the alert reader will notice, some of the entries represent competing outcomes or even polar opposites. Those entries are included to reflect the reality that management - both public and private - often employ several agendas when specifying outcomes, and the means and consequences of achieving them.Source: Wellar, B. “Assessing GIS Benefits: The Methodology Dimension”, GIS/LIS Proceedings, 1997

Figure B. Indicative List of What Management Wants to Do or Expects To Be Able To Do

As a Result of GIS Investments*Increase salesIncrease salesMinimize liabilityMinimize liabilityMinimize vulnerabilityMinimize vulnerabilityMinimize conflictsMinimize conflictsBuild capacityBuild capacityIncrease valueIncrease value--addedaddedIncrease volunteerismIncrease volunteerismImprove service deliveryImprove service deliveryImprove quality of lifeImprove quality of life

*This list is derived from government manuals, journal and proceedings articles, trade magazines, company reports and the business sections of newspapers. As the alert reader will notice, some of the entries represent competing outcomes or even polar opposites. Those entries are included to reflect the reality that management - both public and private - often employ several agendas when specifying outcomes, and the means and consequences of achieving them.Source: Wellar, B. “Assessing GIS Benefits: The Methodology Dimension”, GIS/LIS Proceedings, 1997

Figure C. Indicative List of What ManagementWants to Do or Expects To Be Able To Do

As a Result of GIS Investments*

Ensure equitable distribution of costs/benefitsEnsure equitable distribution of costs/benefitsCut/cover/recover costsCut/cover/recover costsDiversify holdings/offeringsDiversify holdings/offeringsSupport centralization/decentralizationSupport centralization/decentralizationSupport concentration/deconcentrationSupport concentration/deconcentration

*This list is derived from government manuals, journal and proceedings articles, trade magazines, company reports and the business sections of newspapers. As the alert reader will notice, some of the entries represent competing outcomes or even polar opposites. Those entries are included to reflect the reality that management - both public and private - often empoly several agendas when specifying outcomes, and the means and consequences of achieving them.Source: Wellar, B. “Assessing GIS Benefits: The Methodology Dimension”, GIS/LIS Proceedings, 1997

Figure D. Indicative List of What Management Wants to Do or Expects To Be Able To Do

As a Result of GIS Investments*Support intensification/sprawlSupport intensification/sprawlExpand market opportunitiesExpand market opportunitiesEnhance networking/integrationEnhance networking/integrationImprove access/participationImprove access/participationPlease voters/shareholdersPlease voters/shareholdersProtect/sustain environmentProtect/sustain environmentSupport downloading/offSupport downloading/off--loadingloadingProtect privacy/security of filesProtect privacy/security of files

*This list is derived from government manuals, journal and proceedings articles, trade magazines, company reports and the business sections of newspapers. As the alert reader will notice, some of the entries represent competing outcomes or even polar opposites. Those entries are included to reflect the reality that management - both public and private - often empoly several agendas when specifying outcomes, and the means and consequences of achieving them.Source: Wellar, B. “Assessing GIS Benefits: The Methodology Dimension”, GIS/LIS Proceedings, 1997

Figure E. Indicative List of What ManagementWants to Do or Expects To Be Able To Do

As a Result of GIS Investments*

Increase capability to engage in new/different Increase capability to engage in new/different informational activitiesinformational activitiesQuantify/visualize cumulative spatial impactsQuantify/visualize cumulative spatial impactsProvide realProvide real--time monitoring of spatial time monitoring of spatial patterns/changepatterns/changeExplain changes in input/output relationshipsExplain changes in input/output relationshipsProduce robust syntheses of forces and implications Produce robust syntheses of forces and implications of spatial changeof spatial changeJustify decisionJustify decision--making processes, choices and making processes, choices and outcomesoutcomes

*This list is derived from government manuals, journal and proceedings articles, trade magazines, company reports and the business sections of newspapers. As the alert reader will notice, some of the entries represent competing outcomes or even polar opposites. Those entries are included to reflect the reality that management - both public and private - often empoly several agendas when specifying outcomes, and the means and consequences of achieving them.Source: Wellar, B. “Assessing GIS Benefits: The Methodology Dimension”, GIS/LIS Proceedings, 1997