Michael Goodchild just gave a talk at the GeoDesign Summit today about where GIS technology stands now, and what needs to be done in order to achieve the vision of GeoDesign. On the left hand side of the GeoDesign equation (the design and creativity side), we have the ability to sketch and record. On the right hand side (the analytical), we have the ability to evaluate, analyze, predict, modify and improve.

We have elements of GeoDesign in practice now with applications of GIS technology to problems:

Routing – bringing people and assets to locations

Location/Allocation – site optimization

Locating Linear Facilities – highways, pipelines, corridors, transmission

Land-use Models – predicting urban growth, control parameters, control conditions, public participation

These GeoDesign disciplines are not, however, connected to sketch and record, and are not aligned with the non-expert user. Goodchild suggests that what we need to do in order to get to the vision of GeoDesign is to map out use cases for geodesign, select a few ideas for prototyping, integrate new kinds of user interaction (sketch, new devices), and to learn from prototypes (study users). He cautions that we should not create new academic departments, but harness change agents and align disciplines through projects.

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