By Shahabuddin Amerudin
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software plays a crucial role in capturing, storing, analyzing, and visualizing geospatial data. In order to ensure interoperability, data exchange, and consistent quality of GIS software products, various GIS software standards have been developed over the years. This article will provide an overview of GIS software standards, their importance, and some widely adopted standards in the GIS industry.
GIS Software Standards
GIS software standards are a set of rules, protocols, and specifications that define how GIS software should be designed, developed, and implemented. These standards ensure that GIS software products are interoperable, efficient, and meet the needs of end-users. GIS software standards cover various aspects of GIS software, including data formats, metadata, data exchange, spatial analysis, visualization, and web services.
Importance of GIS Software Standards
GIS software standards have several benefits for GIS professionals, organizations, and end-users. Some of the key benefits of GIS software standards include:
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Interoperability: GIS software standards ensure that GIS software products can communicate and exchange data seamlessly. This enables data sharing and collaboration between different GIS software products and organizations, regardless of the platform or technology used.
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Data Exchange: GIS software standards provide a common format for storing and exchanging geospatial data. This ensures that geospatial data can be easily shared and used by different GIS software products and applications.
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Quality Assurance: GIS software standards provide a set of guidelines and best practices for GIS software development and implementation. This ensures that GIS software products are efficient, reliable, and meet the needs of end-users.
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Innovation: GIS software standards encourage innovation and competition in the GIS industry by providing a level playing field for GIS software vendors. This leads to the development of better GIS software products that meet the evolving needs of the industry and end-users.
Widely Adopted GIS Software Standards
There are several GIS software standards that are widely adopted in the GIS industry. Here are some examples:
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OGC Standards: The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is a leading organization that develops and promotes open standards for geospatial data and services. Many GIS software vendors support OGC standards such as Web Map Service (WMS), Web Feature Service (WFS), and Keyhole Markup Language (KML).
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ISO Standards: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed several standards for geospatial data, including ISO 19115 for metadata and ISO 19139 for XML encoding. Many GIS software vendors support ISO standards, which ensure interoperability and data exchange between different GIS software products and applications.
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INSPIRE: The Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) is a European Union directive that aims to establish a common framework for sharing geospatial data across Europe. Many GIS software vendors support INSPIRE standards, which cover areas such as metadata, data exchange, and data visualization.
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Esri Shapefile: The Esri Shapefile format is a widely adopted standard for storing and exchanging geospatial vector data. Although it is a proprietary format developed by Esri, it is widely supported by many GIS software vendors.
Conclusion
GIS software standards play a crucial role in ensuring interoperability, data exchange, and quality assurance in the GIS industry. They provide a common language for GIS software vendors, end-users, and organizations, enabling them to communicate, collaborate, and innovate. While there are several GIS software standards available, GIS professionals should choose the standards that best suit their needs and ensure that their GIS software products comply with these standards.
Suggestion for Citation: Amerudin, S. (2023). An Overview of GIS software Standards. [Online] Available at: https://people.utm.my/shahabuddin/?p=6233 (Accessed: 2 April 2023).
