Geographic Information Systems (Pre-Pay Discount 10%)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an exciting set of technology tools used in almost every field imaginable. Knowledge of GIS and experience with spatial analysis will enhance your resume and allow you to analyze and manage your data more effectively than ever before. Gain an overview of GIS in this hands-on workshop. Learn about terms and concepts, available systems, data sources and design and policy decisions that must be addressed prior to implementation of a GIS project. By combining lectures and hands-on experience working with ArcGIS, this course will provide you with a basic working knowledge of GIS and a concrete sense of the planning and design work involved in using GIS.

Review industry-standard and emerging data design technologies for today's natural resource and land use planning. Learn to identify poor data design characteristics, convert logical data definitions and relationships to physical data design, prepare a plan for efficient data loading and manage quality assurance. Analyze real-world examples, including green site selection, government service delivery and sustainability projects. Discuss tabular, spatial, document, image and other types of data formats, as well as new challenges in integrating data of different sources, qualities, scales and complexities. Examine prevailing application development methodologies, such as:

• Interpreting and documenting business requirements
• Modeling data relationships
• Database language options
• Data population
• Database administration

Participants will propose, design and populate a database of their choice using spatial and other forms of data.

This course is intended for professionals who desire to include GIS as a tool in land use and resource planning efforts, and will also be beneficial to anyone with a strong desire to incorporate GIS database design and maintenance technology in a systematic and comprehensive manner. The course is directed at those who have a working knowledge of ArcGIS; it is highly recommended that students have experience using ArcGIS or take Introduction to Geographic Information Systems prior to undertaking this course.

Increase your understanding of available tools in ArcGIS for many types of spatial analyses, and understand how to choose the appropriate set of tools for different situations. Gain experience with a variety of geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS, discover better work routines and learn how to improve your workflow using ModelBuilder. Review important topics such as projections and editing, and explore many overlooked but useful tools that make life easier and save time and effort, including many advanced editing tools and map topology. You will also learn how to create map books using data-driven pages and ModelBuilder effectively for streamlining analyses and creating an easily modifiable interface for spatial analysis steps that are repeated many times.