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Current trends in GIS and future visions of GIS, to which metadata is either directly or indirectly related, have been categorized into three general groups:
The general trend of GIS development seems to indicate that it will continue to become:
Metadata can be considered one of three essential components of GIS database: spatial data (coordinate locations, topological relationships), attribute data (descriptions of features), and metadata. In the past, the first two components have received the most attention in terms of database development and analytical capability. But in order for GIS software to become easier to use, more intuitive, provide more analytical capability, and become more embedded within other technologies (from report generation to computer-aided drafting), GIS software must pay more attention to the third component, metadata. Just as links must exist between spatial and attribute data in order for a GIS database to be fully functional, links such as metadata must exist between different databases to make GIS a more user-friendly and integrated technology. The power of GIS lies in its ability to integrate different databases for analytical purposes. Metadata provides the means to determine whether two or more databases are appropriate for integration (determining fitness-for-use). In a larger sense, metadata will become critical in order for GIS and related systems, such as decision support systems, to be able to integrate data into different analytical procedures and models. One vision of the future indicates that the GIS analytical environment will advance to the point where one might actually go to the GIS itself to learn how best to approach a problem and find a solution (ArcNews 1999/2000). In order for such a system to provide an actual solution, versus just a theoretical one, metadata must be available for both the available data and models, in a standardized format that the system can interpret. Metadata is an essential key to the interoperability of different databases, models, and other tools, which will in turn provide better integration for better decision making.
A related trend that can be considered a part of usability is the change of focus of GIS consulting from providing/manipulating data to helping organizations better manage their own data creation/management enterprises. GIS is predicted to become more integrated within other IT systems and more commonly used within enterprise-wide operations. Systems will be vertically integrated and linked to work flow so that data is automatically maintained. Success in these endeavors will require the regular creation and use of metadata (see the topic on GIS implementation for more details).
Spatial decision support systems, using geographic information and analysis procedures to assist in decision making and strategic planning, are a rapidly evolving area that continues to expand and change as networking, analysis, and artificial intelligence techniques evolve within their own disciplines. See the topic on decision making for how metadata relates within this context.
There are two general trends in this age of information that relate directly to GIS:
More information and better access are not complete however without better organization. The demand for information in useable formats will result in more documented, standardized data models and databases that provide metadata. This is especially critical in order to achieve open, multipurpose, multi-participant systems that will hopefully reduce data duplication and foster more cooperation and networking between agencies and organizations.
The University Consortium for Geographic Information Science has Research priorities white papers on topics on Distributed Computing and Future of the Spatial Information Infrastructure.
Vector and raster continue to be the two dominant forms of representation of the real world in s spatial database (see the topic on data models for more details). However, there are other less well known data models and newly emerging data models that have been or are being developed to better handle dynamic databases, 3-dimensional or volumetric databases, very large and/or distributed databases, fuzzy datasets, and complicated network-relationship databases (e.g. road or utility networks). There is also the recognition that new or improved data models and structures are needed to better handle issues of fuzziness and imprecision in datasets, to create and store feature-level metadata about the properties of individual features, boundaries, or locations within the database.
As data models and database structures become more complex and varied, to better represent the wide diversity of geographic phenomena in our world, metadata will become critical for recognizing, understanding and assessing the range of available data. Currently, standardized metadata has not been designed to describe any data models other than very basic vector and raster structures. Not only does standardized metadata provide the means for recognizing the format and structure of a database for users other than the data creator, it will increasingly provide the means for interoperability of data between different platforms, systems and software packages.
The University Consortium for Geographic Information Science has Research priorities white papers on Extensions to Geographic Representation and Uncertainty in Spatial Data and GIS-based Analysis.
The Future of GIS from "Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems" by Keith Clarke
ArcNews 1999/2000 article: GIS Pioneers discuss GIS in the next millennium: ten different viewpoints, including GIS in Science, GIS in Local and Regional Government, Future of GIS Education, GIS consulting, and others.
Michael Goodchild's article on Directions in GIS, from the Third International Conference/Workshop on Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling, Santa Fe 1996.