An early IBM programmer, George Fuechsel, coined the phrase, "garbage in, garbage out" (TechTarget, 2008) to explain that a computer is only capable of processing what it is given. In other words, computer models such as GIS cannot produce results superior to the data upon which they are based.

In this week's Assignment, you play the role of a manager of a newly incorporated municipality. You are asked to prepare a white paper addressing the purpose and uses of a GIS model.

Note that you should approach the assignment from a managerial rather than a technical perspective. You are being asked to provide advice about GIS, not develop a GIS model.

Reference
TechTarget Contributor. (2008). Definition: Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO). https://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/garbage-in-garbage-out

Read the scenario for Assignment.

You are the manager of a newly incorporated municipality of 50,000 citizens. Prior to incorporation, your area received minimum services from the county. One of the major drivers of the incorporation movement was a desire on the part of residents to receive more and better municipal services.

The new city council is a well-educated group of individuals dedicated to doing whatever is necessary to provide the residents with high-quality public services. A first step in the process if for the council members to educate themselves on some of the tools of modern municipal management. The council president has asked you to provide a series of 5-page white papers addressing several of the tools utilized in modern public management. The first white paper the council would like to see is on the topic of geographic information systems.

 

Assignment (APA 5 pages)

Write a white paper that addresses the following questions posed by the municipality in the scenario above:

1. 1. What is GIS? Explain its functions and purpose.
2. 2. What are some of the possible ways the municipality might use GIS?
3. 3. What types of data would the city need to collect in order to develop a GIS system? Why is collecting this data important?
4. 4. What are three examples of how other areas have used GIS successfully?
5. 5. Do the benefits of developing a municipal GIS justify the cost? Explain why or why not.

1.