EXPERT SYSTEM SHELL, MULTIPURPOSE LAND INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR RURAL GOVERNMENTS

RURAL COMMUNITIES CURRENTLY EXPERIENCE PRESSURE FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES. LAND INFORMATION IS, HOWEVER, OFTEN DISTRIBUTED AMONG A VARIETY OF AGENCIES, DATA FORMATS AND SCALES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO INTEGRATE FOR LOCAL MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING WITHIN FISCAL AND TIME CONSTRAINTS. ALTHOUGH LAND AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM HAVE PROLIFERATED IN RECENT YEARS AND DIGITAL DATA SOURCES ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON, USE OF MUCH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY REMAINS BEYOND TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES OF MOST RURAL COMMUNITIES. STANDARD DATA SETS MAY BE MISUSED, RESULTING IN FAULTY DECISION AND MANAGEMENT PROCESSES. PHASE I PROPOSES TO EXPLORE THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF UTILIZING AN EXPERT SYSTEM SHELL TO MANAGE SOFTWARE FOR SPATIAL LAND DATA PROCESSING. INCLUDED IN THE PHASE I STUDY, WILL BE FIVE TASKS, (1) REVIEW DATA REQUIREMENTS AND DECISION PROCESSES FOR SIX COMMON INFORMATION PROCESSING TASKS, (2) SELECT COMPATIBLE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, (3) ASSESS DATA QUALITY, AND SET DATA STANDARDS, (4) PRODUCE EXPERIMENTAL GIS/EXPERT SYSTEM MODULES, AND (5) ASSESS OVERALL FEASIBILITY OF INTEGRATING GIS AND EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR THE SELECTED TASKS. THE GOAL OF THIS EFFORT IS TO FACILITATE SOUND LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS THROUGH PROVISION OF LOCAL, INTEGRATED, TIMELY, ACCURATE AND UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION SYSTEMS.