Esther Jacobson-Tepfer

James E. Meacham

Photography by Gary Tepfer

225 pages ISBN: 9781589482326
2009

Review by Jeff Thurston

A chronology of 15 years of research and documentation in northwest Mongolia, this book spans the 12,000 year history of the region and the cultural heritage of the people that live there. The location borders both the China  and Russian border areas and the book is the first of it's kind oriented toward archaeology and culture in the region. At 225 pages the book is filled with a wealth of information and images that few people have previously seen. One can quickly become immersed in the rugged beauty of the Mongolian landscape.

There are eleven chapters included and each covers a unique region of the vast landscape. These include regions such as the Potanin Glacier, Oigor Gol Basin, Tsagaan Gol Basin, Khovd Gol Basin and others. Dr. Esther Jacobson-Tepfer has been working in the Mongolian Altai for 15 years. She is assisted by her husband Gary Tepfer who provides the large number of images within book. James E. Meacham serves as the geographic information system (GIS) professional providing the maps that provide the precise views, context and sitings for the architectural sites, settlements, migratory routes and places of ceremony and worship.

The preface describes how the work began with the author explaining the first invitation in 1989 by Russian scientists. Initial interest lied with the standing stones strewn across the region and the many mounds of cultural significance. Later investigations would include art and artifacts before evolving to include infographics and finally mapping. A website and other materials would later be developed through a grant from the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities in 2007 with assistance from the University of Oregon.  

Individual regions are described along with accompanying maps. Viewsheds are also provided to help orient the pictures for readers understanding. The information is detailed and includeds mountain elevations, landscape forms and event soil characteristics. We learn the highest peaks are 4374 m above sea level with many of the mountains almost as high, lending to the breath taking views and distant views across barren lands in many cases.

Climatic information and graphs are also include in some examples. A large number of different animals traverse the landscape including sheep, camels, bears, goats, wolves, elk and a variety of birds. Landscape cover types are presented for deserts, savannah, highlands, tundra, glaciers and forests.

Maps from Harper's Gazette of 1855 are present as well as other historical mapping such as that gathered from the U.S. War and Navy Department of 1942. There is something exquisite in being able to see the routes of explorers over time as they weave their trails through GIS topographic maps. Then with the turn of a page the wrestler's of the Nadam festival in the upper Sagsay are portrayed or the magnificent depictions of elk from the Late Bronze Age embedded into bedrock are exposed.

We learn about the numbers of features inventoried by the authors through maps charting their locations and numbers including mounds, standing stones, Kirigsuur and Turkic monuments. Rock art including riders on horses, carts and drivers and hunters all detail and reflect certain points in history. Mounds rise on the landscape sometimes indicating burial sites and other times acting as locations for the spirits of specific mountains.

Several remarkable images of Standing Stones are presented within the book. Many of these can be seen from satellite images and those of the Tsagaan Asgat are presented through satellite imagery. The most prominent standing stones being the deer stones which resembled humans. Walking or viewing these standing stones on the landscape causes one to be reminded of people, for that is how they seem to appear. The largest of group of stones, located Tsagaan Asgat includes over eighty of these stones. Individually and collectively these stones serve to provide a description about the people and their relationships to each other geographically and through time.

The petroglyphic image of skier from the Early Iron Age in the Shar Nokhoityn Gol clearly shows skis and poles. The Turkic monuments of the Sogoo valley seem almost as if they were carved yesterday - features visible and readily identifiable. The glacier of the Tavan Bogd rises between gently sloped mountains into the sky, touching the clouds. Meanwhile, an image of a rider on a horse crossing the Rashaan Gol shows pristine grassland that seemingly has not ever been walked on before.

The relationship of these landscapes to people forms the basis for many of their movements across the lands, often in response to animal movements depending upon fresh water, grassland and topography. GIS is used to drape cultural locations upon aerial images in the Zoost Ereg region. These are easily seen to be determined in relation to topography and rock formations.

The authors suggest that these important cultural artifacts are slowly being impacted by human settlement. Roads, ditches and other convenient changes for economic purposes are slowly impacting the region. These events are raising the concern that preservation and conservation of many of these sites needs to be considered before they are more greatly impacted and or lost. This observation should be a call to outsiders and those within Mongolia to help to ensure these important places are preserved.

The reference material section of this book is filled with valuable information including large maps and tables of place names together with their descriptions. Several standing stones and mounds are identified and photographed, sometimes for the first time and will help to act as valuable records.

In summary ESRI Press through this book has provided a valuable and insightful documentation of the Mongolian landscape. The authors provide a thorough description of that country's landscape from both a cultural and archaeological perspective often presenting images, maps and written descriptions that simply are not available elsewhere.

I found myself attracted to the rugged beauty of Mongolia as presented in the many images and descriptions of this book. Beyond that are the many interesting stories the rocks, paintings and cultural events present with their individual reflections as told by the authors.

Archaeology and Landscape in the Mongolian Altai: An Atlas is a comprehensive story about the landscape, culture and archaeology of Mongolia. It contains unique maps, graphics and textual descriptions about the landscape of Mongolia and the people living upon it through time. It is also an educational treasure wherein GIS is used to neatly communicate the relationships between archaeology, landscape and culture. This added richness provides a more comprehensive and understandable perspective to appreciate the beauty and heritage that is Mongolia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thurston is co-founder and co-editor of V1 Magazine for Vector1 Media. He is based in Berlin.

Ian Williamson

Stig Enemark

Jude Wallace

Abbas Rajabifard

512 pages ISBN: 9781589480414
2009

Review by Jeff Thurston

Few would deny that land holds a special place in the hearts and minds of people around the world. It can be beautiful to look at, valuable to own and provides important economic benefits to individuals, communities and nations. Accordingly, the health and wealth of nations is often linked to the land administration structures in place. It is also near impossible to realise sustainability without land administration practices present, they form the basis for beginning to understand the relationship of people to land use.

Authors Ian Williamson, Stig Enemark, Jude Wallace and Abbas Rajabifard suggest from the beginning that land administration includes everything related to land. This includes the land, cadastral information, buildings, administrative policies and even marine environments. This viewpoint is holistic in scope, multi-disciplinary in practice and links to the social interactions of people to the land. As such the book is oriented toward land management as a process. The authors point out that land administration processes are common around the world, but may be implemented in a variety of ways.

Ten land administration principles are outlined. These are oriented toward legal processes and frameworks, people, rights, cadastre, dynamic change, processes, technology, spatial data infrastructure and determination of successes. There is a strong focus on the social nature of land administration within the book. The Millenium Development Goals as adopted by the United Nations are linked to land administration. The authors also discuss how basic services to citizens evolve through land use and management.

An interesting discussion surrounds the reform of land administration systems for those east European countries as the Berlin Wall fell and how those reforms would be re-engaged under a market economy. Indeed, living in east Berlin I know of many properties that are still attempting to resolve land ownership and use issues twenty years since the wall fell - many of which remain completely empty until claims become settled.

The history of land and how people experience their relationship to it is a fascinating topic that is also presented. As stated, "land has both physical and cognitive aspects." Indeed, a study of land through cultural perspectives is currently a highly popular topic across Europe. When we consider the Inuit and native populations in Australia and North America, for example, a unique perspective relating to these peoples identification to the land is present. History of land administration is presented for Australia, Germany, English, European and North America and readers will find this material interesting as it leads to a greater understanding of why and how these places administer and manage land today.

The discussion surround 'cubes of airspace' is interesting as it considers change over time for givens spaces and the rights and regulations that accompany those spaces. Those working in land reclamation will immediately recognise the nature of this topic due to experiences with environmental changes across different owners for particular impacted lands. The global nature of land administration originates from the 1987 Brundtland Commission better known for its 'Our Common Future' report wherein economy, people and environment were linked together interactively. Later Agenda 21 and UN-HABITAT-II contributed toward a more solidified direction that was later supported by the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG).

As we begin to think about land and its administration the processes underlying the connection rise to the surface as Williamson previously indicated. We are (and should be) interested in much more than cadastre alone. This aspect raises particularly interesting questions today as we begin to think of regional and global influences of resources, land use and the joint participation of communities of people across districts and properties. Just this past week at COP15 in Copenhagen we saw a debate between China and the U.S., both of whom are impacting everyones world with carbon emissions, yet, ownership of the processes seems to lie at their own disposal. How do we deal with such factors when the value and interests of non-owners and non-regulators are impacted so greatly? The processes of that grand Copenhagen debate clearly mean a lot to the sinking Maldive Islands and other low lying regions around the world.

Designing land administration to manage land and resources is a highly popular topic today. It is unfortunate that this book has not included the tools of geographic information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design (CAD) directly at the design / planning level, particularly since more professionals using these tools implement them for the creation of design and the communication of strategic guidance and strategic decision making. The more recent of emergence of digital cities whose underlying infrastructure will likely be managed using different techniques is a good example of the principle for a need to understand processes as spatial information is gathered across broad ownership rights and legislation.

The topic of 'design' is about to become a hot topic as viewed through geospatial tools, concepts and sustainability. This book contains a strong understanding of the processes leading to the engagement of land cadastre against land registry, and these arrangements are not the same for all countries. In one diagram the authors describe a 'butterfly' approach to understanding these connections, and place SDI squarely in the mapping agencies domain.

The authors ask, "why do land administration systems need SDI?" They explore the evolution of technology and indicate that GIS has made little difference to land administration design historically. This is ironic after leading the reader to the need for greater understanding of the social, environmental and economic triad underpinning sustainability, particularly since GIS is perhaps the only system that can effectively integrate measurement, cognitive information and physical data through time and space. Essentially then, land administration has been operating without proper tools to fully enable its purpose and vision as described within the book - something quite a few GIS professionals realised and who have been attempting to enter the surveyors domain with difficulty. The recent trends toward model based design are also likely to play a larger role.

Luckily the authors pinpoint the reality of the need to change and both GIS professionals and surveyors should pay attention. The book supports the idea of spatial data infrastructure to drive land administration forward. Land cadastre services are integral to the establishment of healthy SDI and administrative systems that meet the needs of people.

Intriguing and informative charts describe the numbers of land parcels within different countries and their status within cities. Readers might be interested to know that only Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, South Korea, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have 100 percent of their land base legally registered and surveyed. Land administration tools are presented and education needs as well.

One of the most difficult subjects to discuss today is land administration. Many people don't have an understanding of land administration in the truest sense as this book describes. And that is a shame and ought to change. It is almost the case today that we find people and organisations working on the pieces of the wider LAS puzzle, but having fewer opportunities to understand how they might fit together in support of sustainable systems. Part of the difficulty (naturally) has been that people live in specific places, and thus, under different land administration systems with different history.

This book opens the door to understanding the differences among people, regions and countries through the evolution of their land administration systems. It explains how the dots can be connected between places and how basic elements of land administration transcend places and are common among all people. Land Administration for Sustainable Development is a must read in my view. It is rich in land administration - sustainability information and knowledge. This book contains valuable information for establishing the land administrations leading toward a sustainable tomorrow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thurston is co-founder and co-editor of V1 Magazine for Vector1 Media. He is based in Berlin.

Today the discussion surrounding maps and cartography is growing. The Internet is allowing more people in different places to experience map use digitally through a wide variety of devices. This use is creating questions about maps, mapping and cartography. Editors Martin Dodge, Rob Kitchin and Chris Perkins have gathered togather a collection of contributors, each writing about the changing nature of maps, cartography and their use. The book 'Rethinking Maps - New frontiers in cartographic theory' is not only about mapping today, it describes where mapping might be in the future and provides insightful considerations for thinking about the many changes happening in the pursuit of cartography.

New frontiers in cartographic theory

Edited by

Martin Dodge

Rob Kitchin

Chris Perkins

246 pages ISBN: 9780415461528
2009

Review by Jeff Thurston

Mapping is evolving. All that we knew about mapping and cartography is changing. We are discovering what maps can tell us and why they are as useful now, if not moreso, than before. We are also learning more about what we don't know - the edges of the map and cartography world are seemingly boundless as new approaches to map creation and use continue to enter our awareness. Part of this continually changing phenomena is due to technology, but a significant portion is attributable to our thinking about maps and cartographic pursuit. This is tempered with new social interactions as maps become collaborative and increasingly shared.

The Internet has undoubtedly contributed toward the wider use of map products and cartographic services. But it has also aided in the changing nature of map use, communication and how people connect to maps. The contributors to this book are at the frontier in terms of thinking about maps and cartography. They represent a small but quickly growing group of individuals who realise all that we knew about mapping and cartography has changed. These changes are stirring our thoughts and causing us to think about maps in new ways, discover new options and to create new approaches for how we interact with maps, their associated tools and their purposes.

As the editors point out, many researchers from computer science and engineering fields are contemplating various aspects of automation in  map production and map consumption. This has further led toward issues relating to the context under which mapping occurs - production and or consumption. In addition, why mapping occurs in the first is also debated, with mention to not only accuracy but the truth. Indeed, theme of truth runs throughout the book as each contributor seems to aim at it and expresses a great need to map the truth.

Whereas much of our past cartographic efforts zero's in on map design with a strong orientation toward production, work like that of Waldo Tobler has previously opened the door to environmental factors and nature of geographic information science. This book outlines the historical impacts of many previous researchers work in the field of cartography and their individual contributions toward map making.

Yet, this work steps forward further and asks some important and thought provoking questions. Is a map about truth? What is the connection between maps and people and the rest of the world? What do we mean when we talk about the nature of maps? Is mapping a conduit for researchers messages and understanding of the planet? What do all those climate change maps cause us to believe? Isn't it more important to know what a map can do, rather than what it is?

The book raises these issues and causes the reader to question the purpose of mapping today, and to through that process to begin the journey toward re-inventing the map - or at least to rethink it.

Earlier work by Kitchin and Dodge saw maps as transitory and changing continually. They saw it is as a series of practices, which were run over and over again, changing and adapting with new information, techniques and possibilities each time. Can we ever really know what a map is given that they take on so many meanings and purposes?

Contributor Jeremy Crampton takes us inside the cartographic world of the choropleth map. He dissects where they came from, how they provide meaning and expresses the evolution of choropleth mapping from the times of Plato onward. Crampton provides readers with a glimpse into the relationships of race interpretation over geographic time and space. He postulates about how population identity comes about and where the origins of demographic identities emerge from and toward.

Leila Harris and Helen Hazen shed light on those aspects of mapping that link into nature and conservation. They delve into the proceesual aspects as compared to the representional portions of mapping. They look to the process and explain the relationship holistically. In their view, the less we think about map terms and divisions between users and map makers, for example, the better. The direct our attention to those elements of landscapes that are non-human and how we might better map them - and recognise their power in mapping. Who can argue that maps of whales, tall old trees and butterflies, for example, do not stir emotions and act as powerful communicators?

At this juncture the readers will start to wonder, are we mapping things because the tools and technologies are present and accessible? And, just because data is open or free, does that mean that information should have greater weight in the overall decision making process? Clearly maps must point to the truth, as previously mentioned. And, sometimes acquiring the information to tell the truth is not so obvious - or easy.

Georg Gartner speaks about Web mapping in general. He summarises the changing nature of the technologies used toward producing and consuming maps and cartographic services. As might be expected he leads the reader toward understanding mashups, APIs and Web mapping 2.0 strategies. Michael Goodchild on the other hand uses ESRI software development to describe the cyclical nature of mapping. He suggests that technological development gives rise to new forms of mapping where some succeed, others fail and the tools are used for purposes beyond their design. The tools then stretch (and become redesigned) as users adapt, learn and develop alternatives for other forms and types of representation. Indeed, many people emerging from the 1980's through the 1990's and to present can describe these kinds of cycles, although they are vague in description sometimes. How often have you been at a conference or presentation and heard someone say, "I remember we tried that" or "that is like this or that program." In effect they are supporting Goodchild's principle.

Amy D. Propen pries open the concept of mapping further, and at page 116 she uses the word 'rethink' in describing how we look at image draping and high resolution imagery in the context of mapping. Where does visualisation end and cartography begin? Many of the newer communities of map producers and users are merging from the exploitation of image derived data sources. They are both local and international in scope, and they do not necessarily begin at a topology level. Instead, they begin through social interaction, developing close collaborative bonds and share information among themselves, leading toward the creation and consumption of maps almost at the same time.

Tom Conley makes reference to the fact that mapping is steeped in cultural pursuits. He goes on to explain how cinema has relied upon map approaches through spaces to interact with audiences. He describes the work of Alfred Hitchcock, who utilised what he refers to as vector space to catch the attention of people. In fact, a picture of the map of Scotland from the Hitchcock thriller The 39 Steps is presented in the book. Similar connections to movies can be found in the contribution by Jim Craine and Stuart C. Aitken who present a map from the movie High Sierra that includes moving elements within a static map design. Their work describes the relationship of virtual spaces and they speak about re-imagining cartography.

Chris Perkins hits on a topic that we don't often speak about - playing with maps. In many ways cartographic professionals and GIS developers have relegated play to a lower level in the pursuit of map development, a situation which Perkins clearly shows is not the case. Through play people experience situations that they might not otherwise. Topics that are out of bounds can often be approached in play or gaming, experimentation and trial and error also take place within an environment of play.Does a map on a mobile device designed for younger people have any difference in usefulness as compared to a map on an adults device?

Perkins describes the development of map skill acquisition as a precursor to other development. Play enabling skills. How can we argue since we know today that games and play are even part of health and military strategies? He goes on to share other playful facts, such as the OpenStreetMap announcement that Easter Eggs were hidden within that map, poking fun at the common practice of more serious types who purposely include errors in maps for copyright purposes.

John Krygier and Denis Wood include a chapter that caught me by surprise. While smiling I made my way through the many cartoon pictures and text saying, "this is not Boylan Heights, North Carolina" in a number of images depicting lines and maps. "Are maps representations at all?" they ask. How should be consider statements like, "Once posted, the this is takes on thereness, a quality of being somewhere, as the there takes on thisness, a quality of being something." Are you smiling or scratching your head yet? The Jack O'lantern map shows several of the pumpkins in the dark for the neighbourhood in Boylan Heights. But only those people with 'means' carved pumpkins. Thise without 'means' relegated to darkness forever.

Where are the pin oaks in the U.S. located anyhow? That in reference to the numerous different maps included, each showing the pin oak range differently. Krygier and Wood had me smiling broadly by this time with their unique approach using cartoons, but asking some pertinent and interesting questions. I would suggest by the way, pin oaks are located - in the U.S - but more mapping is obviously needed. This is great reading - at least 5 pumpkins in rating - for it's creative approach with humour included.

The final chapter of the book is by the editors Dodge, Perkins and Kitchin. They indicate that the book is about the future, and should be viewed as spark to ignite the fires of a multi-mode approach for mapping. Rather than trying to rally everyone into the same future, they advocate a much wider blend of fun, experimentation, dichotomy of tools, and alternate perspectives. The editors speak about ethnography and cultural approaches and involvement in future map endeavour. They discuss memories and the rythym of map studies.

In summary, this book cuts a wide swath. It is not solely for cartographers or map makers. Rather, it is about the processes that motivate people to include maps into their daily lives, from the simplest forms to the more complex. The book brings to the forefront the idea that mapping is changing and that how we engage maps should be a consideration - continually.Rather than top-down hierachy's that push graphic content out into the wider world, Rethinking Maps picks us up and places us right in the middle of the process and hands us numerous ideas, thoughts and considerations to orient ourselves.

We do not know the future of mapping, although Dodge, Perkins and Kitchin might say that does not matter. The more important goal is to engage mapping from many angles and to consider our participation as links in the wider evolution of mapping. The map truth is always out there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thurston is editor of V1 Magazine and V1 Energy Magazine for Vector1 Media. He is based in Berlin.

Lars Brodersen has written a book that describes what geocomunucation means and what it involves. In his view, geocommunication is much different than cartography alone. It includes a wealth of information pertaining to a location and seeks to intimately involve the sender and user into a dialogue of understanding that involves technology, conceptual models and basic common sense factors. This book has particular value to geodata and geospatial information users today due to the fact that it supports integrative knowledge and the convergence of thought and technology toward better spatial understanding.

Geo-Communication and Information Design

(Translated from Danish by Nick Wrigley)


by

Lars Brodersen


Forlaget Tankegang a·s

617 pages; 2008

ISBN: 87-984113-5
EAN 9788798411369


Review by Jeff Thurston

The author quotes Søren Kierkegaard in “Synspunktet for min Forfatter- Virksomhed”. “If you wish truly to succeed in leading someone to a particular destination, you must first make sure that you find him where he is, and start there.” On that note Lars Brodersen begins a journey of discovery within this six hundred and seventeen page book on the topic of cartography and communication. A geocommunication specialist, he teaches on these topics at the Aalborg University in Denmark.

The book begins the first chapter entitled 'Requirements for reading' wherein Brodersen immediately draws the reader into understanding the nature of location and communication. The point is made that location alone is only part of the broader communication path and that culture, logistics and even health and terrain all contribute to a much wider communication experience - encapsulating location. He does not shy away from simply stating, "maps are the distribution channel par excellence for distributing information." So the next time someone says geographic information system to you, keep in mind what the information aspect.

Cartography is expressed in terms of accessibility, but 'great accessibility' is mentioned, and what that constitutes. The clarity of the message and trueness matters. Compare the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour versus the same statue in Las Vegas. Same statue, but a different message reaches the viewer when looking at - the image of this comparison is picture perfect.

As one reads this book the author is constantly providing a running dialogue and asking questions, causing the reader to think and interpret location as a dynamic of process and understanding. Brodersen points out that cartography has not, yet, made the shift to become geo-communication on terms that he is describing within this book. To achieve that, a wider appreciation and connection of location and geography to engineering, sciences and other disciplines would be needed.

The author questions whether or not cartographic products are produced by technology alone, and he suggests that more attention needs to be given to the users. Maps must be created for communication and the end-user. A graphic aptly describes the situation where technology has been moving toward higher levels of system integration with less focus on graphics. At the same time, a significant amount of activity has focused on registration and positioning.

However, the interest in producing better content has waned and become less important. In short, he asks, are we producing higher quality data that is being processed efficiently, but not necessarily more effectively? So - why don't we see more graphics research in the area of location based services? The author makes a good point.

The book includes a large number of maps and diagrams that are particularly useful and important for helping the reader to understand the context and messages the author is describing. They support the text well and are unique due to their communication oriented subjects.   The concept of a hypothesis is discussed and placed in the context of abstraction. As the discussion proceeds, questions arise as to the connection between geo-communication and the humanities. Clearly the human element takes front stage as Brodersen attempts to explain both how people communicate and the underlying complexity of the process as it relates to location association.

My interpretation is that he is attempting to convery what geo-communication could mean, and that description goes well beyond location to become ingrained in the processes of daily life. In Part One the book begins on the problem field and the idea of - firstness. The case of the Swedish Youth Hostel is presented. Using a website page, Brodersen indicates all the pieces of information that are present from location of roads to opening hours to directions of travel and so on. These collectively then lend the necessary pieces of information to allow a decision to be made immediately, they instill confidence.

A second example discusses the Danish Underground Cable Owners who depend upon using map related information to perform utility related tasks and otherwise management large networks of information.   The book shines in drawing the reader into a understanding that encompasses implicit knowledge as compared to craftsmanship and personal participation when creating cartographic products. The point is made that when key personnel are lost, then the value of the products decreases. As Brodersen states, "The advent of new technology in the subject has meant two things: the range of product types has changed, and the expertise needed has changed."

Three models are presented for defining geocommunication. These are "the provisional transmission model, the model of states and the rhetoric model. These three models and the agreement principle form a basis for a theory for geocommunication with appurtenant models (a transmission model and a geo- communication model), describing on a general level a systematic and controlled approach to a decision about content."

Readers will find that the author attempts to describe models for communication of geo knowledge along several lines of thinking and approaches. Several diagrams support this analysis. He also speaks about agreement as a basis for success, where the level of agreement from the sender of a geocommunication message to the reciever is an important aspect for gauging that success. "Cartography is an expressive discipline which creates maps. Geo- communication complies with or seeks to comply with the philosophical conditions..."

As the book proceeds to describe the conditions under which geocommunication arises, both technological and conceptual, the author explains the definition - "The concept geo-information can now be defined as a relevant number of messages linked to a place with which a user is confronted and from which a user derives a meaning. Messages can be letters, written words, legends on a map, entire maps, spoken words, other sounds, other types of signal and combinations of such things; information is a package of selected messages. Confrontation takes place based on a question asked by a user of an information source (a producer or web service, for instance)."

At this point readers will want to begin assessing how they interpret geocommunication today, since, in many instances, the use of other forms of information by geocommunication personnel does not often venture far from geodata or a mapping software.   Part Three is about concretisation or secondness. The reader will begin to realise about midway through the book that the author is attempting to tie the individual chapters together by explaining their linkages to each other as he writes. This has the effect of helping the readers to keep the big picture in mind, but at the same time it can become overwhelming to keep all of the information in mind at any given time because of the large amount of topics covered, explanations given and work described. It is almost as if the writer knows this and through this form of writing is trying to keep the reader engaged - by communication. Would we expect anything less from a communication specialist?

In a later chapter the discussion surrounds common sense and the attempt to understand what really goes on in people's minds. "For instance, a project dealing with transferring an entire map-registration system to a new and better database system which happens to be the first project to use a new database program, could be called ‘The miraculous database project’. There would then be a serious risk that this project would attract all kinds of minor tasks that might in principle benefit from the miraculous database software, but which have nothing at all to do with the purpose of the project in question."

Brodersen illustrates two maps from South America asking, "Two maps presenting information about commercial geography in South America. The world of reality is the same for both maps, and yet they look very different. What are the intentions behind these two very different presentations of the same reality?" He then describes the process that led up to their creation and how those who created the maps may have been thinking.   The reader will find this constant dialogue that the author provides as being informative because he outlines it clearly and each reader can grasp the message in a fundamental way to begin using the same procedures and lines of thinking in their own map making.

He talks about model of interaction, values of consciousness, domain modelling and information needed for answers. Readers will find these and other topics interesting as the purpose and goals of communication are more or less becoming clearer near the end of the book. As he turns toweard negotiability, a term used to explain the level of uncertainty, a model using different classes of beer is outlined.   This is where Brodersen succeeds in great ways. He takes complex academic thought and translates it into everyday issues that ordinary folks can understand and use. Not all scientists are as adept at this transformation and have similar capability. But would we expect anything less from a communication specialist, once again? He does not let us down.

The last chapters of this book delve into points, line and areas as the author attempts to explain communication through the technology, particularly geographic information systems (GIS). We learn about value charts for tourists and he indicates "Once a user has sensed and experienced information and started to decide and perhaps act, it is too late for the producer to try and improve the quality of use because the communication has been completed – the producer has lost his chance!" Action is finality. Brodersen wonders how we can control the geocommunication events and processes to final outcome.

In summary, this book should be required reading for students and staff involved in cartographic communication and information communication using graphics and location. Make no mistake, it is written at a academic level, but the author tailors the book to layman language and examples that are common and identifiable in most people's daily living. He has the unique gift of being an educator and geocommunication specialist at the same time and uses it well. By the time readers have completed this book their minds will be full of ideas about how to communicate better. But even more importantly, they will ask themselves, "what have I been doing all this time, when I could have been doing this, that and the other thing to become more effective" as Lars Brodersen has written about,

-------------------------------------------------------

The book's homepage: www.geokommunikation.dk

GIS For Decision Support and Public Policy Making


by

Christopher Thomas

Nancy Humenik- Sappington


ESRI Press

204 pages; 2009

ISBN: 978-1-58948-231-9


Review by Jeff Thurston

This book aims to help those involved in decision making for agencies involved in planning for these changes who are faced with competing interests for budgets where compromises and resource allocations depend upon approaches suitable to engage these issues and to empower agencies and people toward achieving suitable outcomes.

Twenty-seven examples are provided within the book. The authors include cases such as a natural disaster in Canada,  environmental vulnerability in Boston harbour, tracking code compliance issues in California and priortizing waterline repairs in Texas.

Jack Dangermond, president and founder of ESRI states in the Foreword, " the book can serve as a guide as you look for ways to
measure performance and accountability while improving efficiency, customer service , and resource allocation. This point is made clear early on as the opening pages of the book include a return-on-investment (ROI) matrix - a table showing a list chapter by chapter referenced to different return on investment topics.  This is a quick reference to get your bearings for the book on the issues that matter most.

This book correctly notes that people make their first (and usually most accurate) impressions of organisations in the first contacts. For this reason accurate data and presentation can be enhanced through using GIS. Let's face it, most politicans and higher level decision makers are drawn to quick and essential pieces of information. That is a primary point that this book aims to share and explains how GIS can make that happen. The book is organised around a series of examples by chapter. The topics are outlined, including organisation involved, location, contact person, project title, software used and the ROI.

I found myself reading this book as a series of techical exercises oriented toward step-by-step efficiencies rather than the wider topics of decision support and policy making the title indicates. While most applications using GIS will include a need to maintain flexibility and to alter course as projects demand, decision support is more often associated with strategic planning goals in support of policy making.

There are also mixed messages on ROI. For example, the City of Denver project says the project, "was able to commit large portions of time for project-management staff which fluctuated between three and six GIS people throughout the project." Later it indicates that the project was able to avoid hiring a Quality Control (QC) vendor, citing that as a cost saving assigned to ROI. In considering the two, I wonder how many people would see the saving and actually wonder if better costs could have be realised through out-sourcing?

A good example of GIS for use in immunization registry data is outlined for Salt Lake City, Utah. The technology was used in that state to identify where immunization efforts have been (and need to be) focused. Several maps provide readers with some ideas as to how they might go about using the technology for this purpose.

In the chapter 'Making Decisions On the Fly' a case involving Jacksonville, Florida begins to point toward the connection of GIS technology to management decision making, but once again remains focused on the technology aspects. It discusses an Auto Vehicle Locator example that, while interesting, does not connect to decision support or policy making. While it tells us about better risk management and resource allocation, I found myself wanting to know answers to questions like, "how does all this help my overall department mobility plan?" Or, "now that I know where all these cars are, what else can I do with that information?"

The authors do cover a wide cross-section of examples where GIS has been used in local and state governments. Indeed, almost all of the examples in this book have greater applicability for readers in the United States who are likely to identify with the cases and understand them more fully in the context they are written. This should not take away from the fact that other readers will find this book useful and be able to glean some new knowledge.

GIS For Decision Support and Public Policy Making could be a lead book for a Technical Series that provides existing government and non-government agencies serving the public with alternative ideas for positioning their already existing technologies toward new objectives. In this way new ROI may also be gained and changing economic or political circumstances could be realised.

But the wider issue that this book leads toward, is that people want to know, is not only what data is being collected, but why we would want to collect it to begin with? Many people want to know what we can do with GIS data but also why we would want to do it - and that directly links to the question, why we are making certain policies?

In summary, I see GIS For Decision Support and Public Policy Making as a collection of cases where GIS is being used. More discussion of the benefits, and why they are benefits, would have been helpful. The book does start to open doors and begin to ask some of these questions, but it needs to go beyond simply stating "saving resources" or "saving money" to explain the detail.

This book fits into a wider need that exists globally to discuss the strategic aims of a GIS - in any organisation. The nature of a GIS warrants deeper reflection and discussion on the linkage between policy-design-technology. In this role decision support is integral to the setting of policies, the generation of alternate ideas and investments and the monitoring of those policies. And, under these circumstances a GIS is flexible to adapt with strategic goals and reveal ROI continually.

For more information on this book.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thurston is editor at V1 Magazine and V1 Energy magazine.