GIS cartography: visual decision support for spatio-temporal data handling

This paper describes a new joint Dutch research initiative ‘GIS-cartography’, combining the research efforts of the cartographers of Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology and the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC) in Enschede. The research initiative focuses on the quantification and visualization of data quality, which will be placed in the context of providing automated visual decision support in specific map use strategies. As these map use strategies can only be performed if the relevant cartographic images can be created, studies of both physical access to the data, user interfaces and the provision of sufficient support to allow the user to understand and to derive sensible conclusions from the data are included in the project. Before modules automatically visualizing data quality can be implemented, data documentation, standardization and integration have to be effected, therefore these issues are also covered.