Concepts, and Application of Integrated Planning and Decision Support Systems

Geo-information technology has offered appropriate technology for data collection, information extraction, data management, routine manipulation and visualization of processes that are taking place on the earth. However, it lacks well-developed, analytical capabilities to support decision-making processes. As we move from data-poor to data-rich environment, there is more and more need for filtering, processing, and integrating various data/information in such a way that they can be supportive to management decision. These tools and techniques are so called planning and decision support systems. This paper elaborates on a framework for planning and decision support systems, and its supporting tools. It further demonstrates the application of the framework in an actual site selection process for a special kind of park in Italy.