GIS relies on and promotes finding information and knowing what to do with it Effective users are able to identify appropriate types and sources of information needed to solve a problem. Effective users integrate information from multiple sources and of multiple types. Effective users recognize that appropriate use of any given data includes understanding the nature and quality of the data. Effective users can identify factors which affect the quality of data and know how to match data and task appropriately. GIS relies on and promotes spatial awareness Effective users see patterns in actual landscapes and symbolic representations.
Effective users ask iterative questions to describe and explain spatial patterns.
Effective users explore patterns identifiable across a range of data sources and different types of representations. Effective users integrate data at multiple scales and identify patterns and processes at and across a range from macro to micro. Integrating additional technologies such as Global Positioning Systems Using GIS effectively requires knowing how to make the GIS software perform particular tasks. Effective users learn, over time, how to make the software do what they want. Effective users take advantage of different levels of software capacity.