GIS-
Transparent and objective methods used in acquiring and integrating information which could be achieved by observing, investigating, measuring, mapping, storing, managing, processing and analyzing, using computerized tools that will aid decision making to yield better and visible results that can be applied in solving real life(geographical reality) problems.

There is the system( geographic information system) the science (geographic information science) and the technology (geographic information technology).
Geographic information system is a computerized tool that process and stores geographic information
Geographic Information science are methodologies for discovering new knowledge such as observation, studying,recording etc
Geographic information technology are technologies for collecting and dealing with geographic information.
Therefore these three are interconnected and are employed for effective solutions.


It is not just the system(computerized tool that stores, manages, analyses, models and process geographic information(GI)) that is very important even though much attention is given to it. In GIS, how to take decisions is paramount when exercising ones GIS skills.
For instance-

Where do i locate a hospital?
How do i route School buses, commercial vehicles?
Where do i start up a business?

Everything happens somewhere, that makes location very important in GIS. How you choose your location depends on what you are doing and the people you are dealing with bearing in mind that there must be a plan left for future occurances. The operational( day to day transactions or routine in an organization) tactical( short-medium term plan) and strategic (long term plan) fundamentals to decisions if properly integrated, the where and how cases in GIS can be properly managed.


There is, most times a misconception between the word geographic and spatial.
Geographic simply refers to the earth surface or near the earth surface while spatial refers to any space.(Longley et al 2011) Everything around man happens within a geographic space, however how ever spatial is mostly preferred since it covers anything withing a space.
Lets imagine an empty space , filled with different objects, such as different cars, houses, people living under different conditions, different goods and services etc The heterogeneity nature of the earth makes investigation and analysis in GIS difficult but unfortunately the earth isn't homogeneous. Finding the differences and similarities between theses objects produces a lot of information even though too much information in GIS is very vital and good but may be a problem but not having enough information is a major problem. When we measure everything available during GIS investigations, depending on the area of interest eg the census of people living in a particular district, the type or nature of roads and the number of cars per households in that district etc. can aid in managing events and prepare for future disasters.
There are questions one will ask, like the number of people living on a street in that district, the number of cars per house holds bearing in mind the uncertainties(information that are not properly represented ie we might not have the right number of cars since people get visitors that come with their own cars, some people might decide to visit the district for other reasons, the district might be a short route to other places etc) knowing the size of roads, bottle necks( the road that takes the largest traffic), noting down places where road intersects etc having these information and more will enable the GIS analyst or professional to think of the what if scenarios in different formats.
Having carried out detailed survey of the district, one acquires data which are most times information in digital format. With theses detailed information, the knowledge of GIS leaves you with so many questions (the what if scenarios) which starts as an imagination and may not be 'properly' brought into reality for effective solutions, if we do not employ the use of geographic information system.

Geographic information 'system' is a computerized based system or tool that stores and processes geographic information. It also aids in the effective,improvement and efficiency of handling GI. It can process, analyse , store, measure,etc With the GIS system, using a software such as the ESRI ArcGIS, the prototype of the real world or ones imagination can be put into a digital format, and modeled.

With modeling, value is added to data and proper predictions and management of emergencies can be made in this case.These GI systems saves time and cost and yield effective solution to problems. At the end, you can see the solutions in digital format before applying it to the real world.

The question is; must we wait for a problem before we find solutions? even though some geographical problems are inevitable. The Nigerian government should have a right framework of networks that collects data in all ramifications and stores them into a robust database which is well structured, managed and updated, and can be used by law enforcement agencies, health care, transport, housing, education,and so on. Having a central agency established by the federal government that acquires and manages spatial data with different access levels to people such as the U.S Geospatial -one -stop which is an initiative to improve the coordination of government at local, state and federal levels. This also should contain a central e-library, that catalogs information.At this developing stage of Nigeria the central development and coordination of GIS is very important .

Also with the GI system,one can represent an information as a map,you can imagine the level of information one can get from a map. You don't need to have a scientific knowledge to understand a message from a map which is depends on the user and purpose of map, all information on maps are simplified using a map legend.
GIS can be used for making maps or GIS analysis. Even though most people prefer GIS for making maps (cartography).

GIS-
Transparent and objective methods used in acquiring and integrating information which could be achieved by observing, investigating, measuring, mapping, storing, managing, processing and analyzing, using computerized tools that will aid decision making to yield better and visible results that can be applied in solving real life(geographical reality) problems.

There is the system( geographic information system) the science (geographic information science) and the technology (geographic information technology).
Geographic information system is a computerized tool that process and stores geographic information
Geographic Information science are methodologies for discovering new knowledge such as observation, studying,recording etc
Geographic information technology are technologies for collecting and dealing with geographic information.
Therefore these three are interconnected and are employed for effective solutions.


It is not just the system(computerized tool that stores, manages, analyses, models and process geographic information(GI)) that is very important even though much attention is given to it. In GIS, how to take decisions is paramount when exercising ones GIS skills.
For instance-

Where do i locate a hospital?
How do i route School buses, commercial vehicles?
Where do i start up a business?

Everything happens somewhere, that makes location very important in GIS. How you choose your location depends on what you are doing and the people you are dealing with bearing in mind that there must be a plan left for future occurances. The operational( day to day transactions or routine in an organization) tactical( short-medium term plan) and strategic (long term plan) fundamentals to decisions if properly integrated, the where and how cases in GIS can be properly managed.


There is, most times a misconception between the word geographic and spatial.
Geographic simply refers to the earth surface or near the earth surface while spatial refers to any space.(Longley et al 2011) Everything around man happens within a geographic space, however how ever spatial is mostly preferred since it covers anything withing a space.
Lets imagine an empty space , filled with different objects, such as different cars, houses, people living under different conditions, different goods and services etc The heterogeneity nature of the earth makes investigation and analysis in GIS difficult but unfortunately the earth isn't homogeneous. Finding the differences and similarities between theses objects produces a lot of information even though too much information in GIS is very vital and good but may be a problem but not having enough information is a major problem. When we measure everything available during GIS investigations, depending on the area of interest eg the census of people living in a particular district, the type or nature of roads and the number of cars per households in that district etc. can aid in managing events and prepare for future disasters.
There are questions one will ask, like the number of people living on a street in that district, the number of cars per house holds bearing in mind the uncertainties(information that are not properly represented ie we might not have the right number of cars since people get visitors that come with their own cars, some people might decide to visit the district for other reasons, the district might be a short route to other places etc) knowing the size of roads, bottle necks( the road that takes the largest traffic), noting down places where road intersects etc having these information and more will enable the GIS analyst or professional to think of the what if scenarios in different formats.
Having carried out detailed survey of the district, one acquires data which are most times information in digital format. With theses detailed information, the knowledge of GIS leaves you with so many questions (the what if scenarios) which starts as an imagination and may not be 'properly' brought into reality for effective solutions, if we do not employ the use of geographic information system.

Geographic information 'system' is a computerized based system or tool that stores and processes geographic information. It also aids in the effective,improvement and efficiency of handling GI. It can process, analyse , store, measure,etc With the GIS system, using a software such as the ESRI ArcGIS, the prototype of the real world or ones imagination can be put into a digital format, and modeled.

With modeling, value is added to data and proper predictions and management of emergencies can be made in this case.These GI systems saves time and cost and yield effective solution to problems. At the end, you can see the solutions in digital format before applying it to the real world.

The question is; must we wait for a problem before we find solutions? even though some geographical problems are inevitable. The Nigerian government should have a right framework of networks that collects data in all ramifications and stores them into a robust database which is well structured, managed and updated, and can be used by law enforcement agencies, health care, transport, housing, education,and so on. Having a central agency established by the federal government that acquires and manages spatial data with different access levels to people such as the U.S Geospatial -one -stop which is an initiative to improve the coordination of government at local, state and federal levels. This also should contain a central e-library, that catalogs information.At this developing stage of Nigeria the central development and coordination of GIS is very important .

Also with the GI system,one can represent an information as a map,you can imagine the level of information one can get from a map. You don't need to have a scientific knowledge to understand a message from a map which is depends on the user and purpose of map, all information on maps are simplified using a map legend.
GIS can be used for making maps or GIS analysis. Even though most people prefer GIS for making maps (cartography).