GIS book in Spanish

Dr. Roger Tomlinson's book Thinking About GIS: Geographic Information Systems Planning for Managers, considered a must-read for any organization planning to launch a geographic information system (GIS), is now available in Spanish.

Pensando en el SIG: Planificación del Sistema de Información Geográfica Dirigida a Gerentes, Tercera edición is the first Spanish language book published by ESRI Press.

In this volume, Tomlinson shares his time-tested methodology for planning a GIS that he honed during a long career as a GIS consultant. Widely recognized as the "father of GIS" for his pioneering work developing the Canada Geographic Information System in the early 1960s, Tomlinson also spent more than 30 years consulting on GIS projects for clients including government agencies in Canada, the United States, and Australia; the World Bank; and many private companies.

Tomlinson walks readers through his meticulous planning techniques, from the first step of defining the organization's purpose and what mission GIS can fulfill to the last step of developing a detailed strategy to launch the system. The other eight steps include one Tomlinson considers critical: describing the information products the GIS will need to produce. "What do you need to keep track of? What information do you need on your desk?" Tomlinson asks. "This is what must come out of the GIS."

Besides focusing the project on what the organization's employees truly need to do their job well, clearly defining the information products will help planners make better decisions later when they buy the GIS hardware and software, Tomlinson says.

The book also covers planning the technology system needed for a GIS. Chapter 10 includes the latest computer performance numbers and hardware pricing models as well as a new approach to calculating data handling loads and the network bandwidth and platform sizing required to support them.

ESRI president Jack Dangermond praises Tomlinson's rigorous planning method, saying the book helps clear the way for senior managers and GIS planners—whose areas of expertise often differ—to work together in identifying what's needed to accomplish their goals and develop a successful GIS.

Tomlinson is the principal of Tomlinson Associates Ltd, a firm of consulting geographers he established in 1977. He has advised an impressive list of clients, from the World Bank to the U.S. and Canadian Forest Services. He holds two bachelor's degrees; a master's degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada; and a Ph.D. from University College, London, England. He has also conducted successful GIS planning seminars worldwide.

Pensando en el SIG: Planificación del Sistema de Información Geográfica Dirigida a Gerentes, Tercera edición (ISBN: 9781589482296, 274 pages, $9.95) is available at online retailers worldwide, at www.esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit www.esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options or contact your local ESRI distributor. For a current distributor list, visit www.esri.com/distributors. Interested retailers can contact ESRI Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.