Alice Wilson, City GIS Coordinator

A GIS is a computer system capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced information that is, data identified according to location. You can also define a GIS as including the procedures, operating personnel, and spatial data that go into the system. It reduces redundancy, creates a mode to share and manage data, and geographically relates a ton of maps and paper to one constant system. Thinking about a GIS, you might simply describe it for its ability to carry out spatial operations, i.e. linking data to physical objects in the real world using location as a common key.

The power of a GIS comes from the ability to relate different information in a spatial context and to reach a conclusion about this relationship. Most of the information we have about our world contains a location reference, placing that information at some point on the globe.