But, by far one of the most important benefits of a GIS is the access and availability of information. By sharing this information among departments and agencies its usefulness can be maximized for more cost effective government and better quality decision making. Governmental GIS Activities Maps and mapping are an integral part of many local government activities. In the City of West Palm Beach maps play a crucial role in such diverse areas as infrastructure management, concurrency planning, inventory control, environmental planning and management, development regulations, taxation, and response to emergencies. Because of the importance of mapping, City departments devote substantial resources to preparing, maintaining, duplicating and distributing maps.
Mapping appears to provide a unique opportunity for interdepartmental cooperation.
In the City area mapping involves a substantial transfer of information among and within the departments and various agencies, and much duplication of manual mapping. When this is coupled with the range of new applications the GIS offers, it is evident that a well conceived, interdepartmental GIS program can substantially improve both the efficiency and the effectiveness of the departments mapping and data acquisition activities. This conclusion has been reached by a growing number of municipalities and counties that already have implemented or are currently implementing a GIS system. A 1987 study was conducted by a group of firms and institutions from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland to examine implemented GIS systems in North America. These ratios were calculated from projects averaging a ten to fifteen year time frame regarding system payback.