Leveraging citizen science to advance interactive spatial decision support technology:A swot analysis

Over three decades, the Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) concept has evolved significantly exploiting information technology to assist decision maker in a variety of fields of research, development, and practice. With the communicative turn in planning, which emphasizes public participation in all levels of planning and decision making, these technologies have further matured to support participatory planning by means of supporting diverse stakeholders in the decision making process. However, for multiple reasons, SDSS are still in the domain of expert, largely failing to incorporate general citizens in its use and applications. On the same note, citizen science as a method of inquiry is gaining much attention in recent years to engage general citizens in the scientific research, thereby also empowering them to participate in the decisions of the issues affecting them. As such, it seems likely that citizen science shows great promise for advancing SDSS for achieving broad citizen engagement in planning and decision-making. This paper discusses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) of integrating citizen science with SDSS by analyzing existing literature on SDSS and citizen science. In particular, we explore the integration of aspects of citizen science in Interactive Planning Support System (PSS), as one form of SDSS to support wider citizen engagement.</p

A Web-based graphical user interface for evidence-based decision making for health care allocations in rural areas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The creation of successful health policy and location of resources increasingly relies on evidence-based decision-making. The development of intuitive, accessible tools to analyse, display and disseminate spatial data potentially provides the basis for sound policy and resource allocation decisions. As health services are rationalized, the development of tools such graphical user interfaces (GUIs) is especially valuable at they assist decision makers in allocating resources such that the maximum number of people are served. GIS can used to develop GUIs that enable spatial decision making.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have created a Web-based GUI (wGUI) to assist health policy makers and administrators in the Canadian province of British Columbia make well-informed decisions about the location and allocation of time-sensitive service capacities in rural regions of the province. This tool integrates datasets for existing hospitals and services, regional populations and road networks to allow users to ascertain the percentage of population in any given service catchment who are served by a specific health service, or baskets of linked services. The wGUI allows policy makers to map trauma and obstetric services against rural populations within pre-specified travel distances, illustrating service capacity by region.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The wGUI can be used by health policy makers and administrators with little or no formal GIS training to visualize multiple health resource allocation scenarios. The GUI is poised to become a critical decision-making tool especially as evidence is increasingly required for distribution of health services.</p

Levee Flood Hazard Scenario Analysis Application

The development of a GIS Application based on ArcGIS version 9.2 was determined to fulfill the requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for calculating the impacts of different flood hazard scenarios using the flood hazard data available to them with other publicly available data such as census data. The application was designed and implemented to be used by non-geographic information system professionals to use the tools and perform the necessary analyses required to formulate the needed results. The implemented application is made up of a file geodatabase to store the data, a toolset to help define the flood hazard polygons for a specific flood scenario, and models to perform routine analyses of the scenarios to determine some of the impacts on a community. Impacts such as population impacted, housing units impacted, and miles of levee in an area were implemented using models in ArcMap. This application will show the potential power of the geospatial flood hazard data that FEMA is producing as part of their Map Modernization efforts and showcase its use in a geographic information system

Improving Clean Water Conservation in Western Ethiopia Using ArcGIS Server

A Web map application was developed to disseminate information on the locations of freshwater springs and their status in Western Ethiopia. Ethiopia suffers an insufficient clean water supply. Only one-third of the rural population has access to safe drinking water. Various organizations have been involved in protecting water springs, but these efforts were not well coordinated due to the lack of spatial information about the locations of springs and their status in the area of intervention. The Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF) is one of the organizations that have been committing its efforts and funds to protect springs in Western Ethiopia. THAF identified the need to improve communication by virtue of a Web-based interactive mapping in order to help coordinate interventions and attract more funds from various donors by providing better information shared over the Web. A Web GIS application proves to be an effective tool for ensuring water security for Ethiopia in the coming years

Evaluating the potential of internet GIS technology for managing and sharing diverse spatial information: A case study of the National Trust for Scotland

Emerging Internet GIS technology offers an attractive solution to some data interoperability problems by incorporating existing Internet framework standards, providing familiar web browsers as user interfaces and enabling access to data anywhere at anytime. This study investigates the capability of Internet GIS technology for managing and sharing data using the specific example of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) as an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation uniquely responsible for the protection and conservation of both the cultural and natural heritage of Scotland. This research first looks at the organisation and evaluates their perceived requirements through semi-structured interviews conducted at selected NTS properties and regional and central offices. The second stage demonstrates how these requirements can be addressed using Internet GIS technology, through the creation of three demonstration systems using two software packages, ArcIMS and ASPMap. Arc IMS was selected as an example of a commercial GIS software product and ASPMap as an example of a bespoke system. NTS staff then evaluated these demonstration systems through questionnaires and during a face-to-face feedback and evaluation session. The specific case study is used to broach common sets of issues such as data access and interoperability, which are shared throughout many research sectors and are becoming more important with the fast developing nature of the Internet. The importance of interoperability and the benefits of adhering to metadata guidelines and open standards are discussed in conjunction with internal and external data sharing. Recent advancements in web service technology and their potential for inter- organisational data exchange are also discussed. If pitched practically to address user's needs, an Internet GIS would be invaluable for a spatially oriented organisation like NTS. Results indicated that users required basic GIS functionality and favoured a bespoke approach, both for financial and practical reasons

multicritério para tomada de decisão e sistema de informação geográfica para seleção de locais

Com o aumento da complexidade dos problemas de seleção de locais, algumas ferramentas como a Métodos De Tomada De Decisão Multicritério e a Sistemas de Informações Geográficas passaram a ser um recurso para a estruturação, avaliação e priorização de alternativas viáveis. O tema tem sido aplicado nas mais diversas áreas e, devido a sua ampla gama de aplicações, vê-se a necessidade de mapear as atuais publicações, catalogando as áreas de atuação, métodos mais usados, países e áreas mais pesquisadas. Esse mapeamento, por meio da Revisão Sistemática de Literatura, identificou as áreas mais promissoras e de maior tendência, auxiliando estudos futuros. Das análises realizadas constatou-se o número de publicações a respeito do tema entre 1994 e 2018; os principais autores e artigos; periódicos e nacionalidade dos autores; as principais áreas de aplicação do tema, divididas em grupos, assim como seus principais subgrupos; softwares mais utilizados; e por fim, principais tendências para trabalhos futuros. Dentre as conclusões apresentadas, destaca-se: Os periódicos e autores que mais publicam tem como foco as áreas de Locais de Tratamento e Disposição de Resíduos, Centrais de Distribuição e Geração de Energia, Locais para agricultura, e Instalações Urbanas e de Infraestrutura; a tendência no aumento do número de publicações ocorre globalmente; a tendência do desenvolvimento do tema para os próximos anos será focada em atividades que tem impacto econômico, ecológico, ambiental e social, com aprimoramento e extensão dos modelos já existentes na literatura. A revisão bibliográfica culminou em uma proposta para a utilização integrada do GIS e do MCDA composta por 10 etapas, visando a simplificação e a padronização as metodologias existentes

Teoria ator-rede para definição do processo de geração de bases digitais de referência por meio do mapeamento colaborativo em assentamentos precários

Orientadora: Profa. Dra. Silvana Philippi CamboimDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Geodésicas. Defesa : Curitiba, 26/02/2018Inclui referências: p.127-139Resumo: Os assentamentos precários são espaços de informalidade, precariedade e vulnerabilidade social. Tais características resultam em carência de informação geográfica sobre estes espaços, um fator ainda mais crítico considerando-se a importância destes dados para a tomada de decisões vitais para a população local. Os processos de contra-mapeamento, como o Public Participation Geographic Information System (PPGIS) e Participatory Geographical Information Systems (PGIS) podem ser promotores da produção de mapas nos assentamentos precários. Além disso, atualmente os processos de mapeamento colaborativo, com a capacidade de interatividade da web 2.0, introduziu a informação geográfica voluntária (VGI), bem como as aplicações ligadas a tal conceito, ao universo do contra-mapeamento. Ao analisar as componentes que devem ser descritas para a entendimento, planejamento e execução de um processo de contra-mapeamento é possível fazer uso da Teoria Ator-Redes. Com a aplicação de tal teoria definiu-se componentes como as "pessoas", por meio dos "mediadores" e dos "cidadãos" da comunidade, bem como os "ambientes", "dispositivos" e "ferramentas" como atuantes do processo. Outras componentes são as "atividades" e as "informações" como traduções. A partir de um contexto de pesquisa que considerou a atuação de organização social, a TETO, na Região Metropolitana de Curitiba, e do uso da plataforma de mapeamento colaborativo OpenStreetMap, realizou-se a análise das componentes citadas. A metodologia aplicada foi a pesquisa-ação, da qual foram executadas as etapas exploratória, principal, de ação e de avaliação. A análise resultou em um conjunto de quadros e diagramas de ator-rede na etapa exploratória. Além disso, foram desenvolvidos cenários combinando os diagramas com viabilidade de execução na etapa principal, bem como proposto o modelo de trabalho com os cenários. Por fim, foram executados e avaliados os cenários e modelo de trabalho nas etapas de ação e de avaliação. Assim, o trabalho resultou em um modelo de trabalho que pode ser executado e ampliado em outras atividades de mapeamento colaborativo de assentamentos precários. Ressalta-se alguns pontos na conclusão do trabalho: o perfil educacional distinto entre os "mediadores" e "cidadãos" da comunidade para o uso dos "dispositivos" e "ferramentas"; o uso massivo de smartphones no espaço dos assentamentos precários; e a necessidade atrelar um objetivo ou projeto como motivador para o mapeamento. Além disso, é necessário a reaplicação das etapas da pesquisa-ação a fim de: entender o uso das "ferramentas" do OpenStreetMap pelos "mediadores" e "cidadãos" da comunidade; e entender as questões semânticas neste "ambiente". Para trabalhos futuros é fundamental avaliar a usabilidade das ferramentas de mapeamento colaborativo para facilitar a incorporação nos processos. Palavras-Chaves: Mapeamento colaborativo; Contra-mapeamento; Assentamentos precários; Teoria Ator-redes.Abstract: Slums are spaces of informality, precariousness, and social vulnerability. Such characteristics result in a lack of geographic information on these spaces, an even more critical factor considering the importance of these data for making vital decisions for the local population. Counter-mapping processes, such as Public Participation Geographic Information System (PPGIS) and Participatory Geographical Information Systems (PGIS) can be promoters of map production in precarious settlements. In addition, currently the collaborative mapping processes, with the interactivity capacity of web 2.0, introduced the voluntary geographic information (VGI), as well as the applications linked to this concept, to the universe of counter-mapping. When analyzing the components that should be described for the understanding, planning and execution of a counter-mapping process, it is possible to make use of the Actor-Networks Theory. When analyzing the components that should be described for the understanding, planning and execution of a counter-mapping process, it is possible to make use of the Actor-Networks Theory.,With the application of this theory, we defined components such as "people", through the "mediators" and the "citizens", as well as the "environments", "devices" and "tools" as actant. Other components are "activities" and "information" as translations. Based on a research context that considered the operation of the social organization TETO, in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, and the use of the platform of collaborative mapping OpenStreetMap, the analysis of the mentioned components was carried out.. The applied methodology was the action research, from which the exploratory, main steps of action and evaluation were performed. The analysis resulted in a set of frameworks and actor-networks diagrams of the actors and the translations between them in the exploratory stage. In addition, scenarios were developed combining the diagrams with the feasibility of execution in the main step, as well as the proposed working model with the scenarios. Finally, the scenarios and working model were executed and evaluated in the stages of action and evaluation. Thus, the work resulted in a working model that can be executed and extended in other activities of collaborative mapping of slums. Some points in the conclusion of the work are highlighted: the distinct educational profile between "mediators" and "citizens" for the use of "devices" and "tools"; the substantial use of smartphones in the area of slums; and the need to link an objective or project as a motivator for mapping. In addition, it is necessary to reapply the steps of the action research in order to: understand the use of OpenStreetMap "tools" by "mediators" and "citizens"; and understand the semantic issues in this "environment". For future work, it is fundamental to evaluate the usability of the collaborative mapping tools to facilitate incorporation into the processes. Keywords: Collaborative Mapping; Counter-mapping; Slums; Actor-network theor

A Spatio-Temporal Model for the Evaluation of Education Quality in Peru

The role of information and communication technologies in the development of modern societies has continuously increased over the past several decades. In particular, recent unprecedented growth in use of the Internet in many developing countries has been accompanied by greater information access and use. Along with this increased use, there have been significant advances in the development of technologies that can support the management and decision-making functions of decentralized government. However, the amount of data available to administrators and planners is increasing at a faster rate than their ability to use these resources effectively. A key issue in this context is the storage and retrieval of spatial and temporal data. With static data, a planner or analyst is limited to studying cross-sectional snapshots and has little capability to understand trends or assess the impacts of policies. Education, which is a vital part of the human experience and one of the most important aspects of development, is a spatio-temporal process that demands the capacities to store and analyze spatial distributions and temporal sequences simultaneously. Local planners must not only be able to identify problem areas, but also know if a problem is recent or on-going. They must also be able to identify factors which are causing problems for remediation and, most importantly, to assess the impact of remedial interventions. Internet-based tools that allow for fast and easy on-line exploration of spatio-temporal data will better equip planners for doing all of the above. This thesis presents a spatio-temporal on-line data model using the concept or paradigm of space-time. The thesis demonstrates how such a model can be of use in the development of customized software that addresses the evaluation of early childhood education quality in Peru