Abstract

GIS: The New Business Lens for Strategic Planning
Track: Commercial Business
Authors: Matt Felton

For centuries, maps have been used for navigating people and vehicles from one place to another. Today, maps are being used as an analytical tool to help decision makers navigate businesses forward in a meaningful direction. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology adds the "where" factor to traditional databases and translates this data into living, interactive maps. For most people, maps are a tremendously clear and concise way to absorb and understand a lot of information very quickly. The added dimension of "location" helps decision makers better understand the interrelationship of large collections of data, and the ability to transform an assortment of seemingly disparate data into dynamic and easy-to-read maps offers a clear business advantage over more traditional methods of analyzing data. When statistics are translated onto a map and combined with tables, charts, and graphics, they offer insight into new possibilities and offer a meaningful, new way to communicate.