Offering a detail-oriented guide to the strategic planning and implementation of GIS, Harmon (geography, Central Connecticut University) and Anderson (a project management consultant) discuss each step of the development process - from needs assessment to interacting with the system. Specific chapters focus on aspects like database schema, designing spatial data, attribute data, the uses of remotely sensed data, data development and conversion, and hardware and software selection. Case studies demonstrate how various strategies play out in practice.