Researching Frameworks for Evolving Spatial Data Infrastructures

Technology and infrastructure both play key roles in achieving the optimisation of spatial data to support decision-making, in the spatial data community. However, there are persistent challenges to integrating institutional and technical solutions to optimise the utilisation of available spatial data. Embracing and continuing to develop a flexible, methodological framework for the integration of decision-supporting technologies with infrastructure is fundamental to supporting effective incorporation of spatial data in decision-making. This paper reviews the nature of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) and Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS) and discusses issues pertinent to the optimisation of spatial data utilisation, access and management to support spatial decision-making environments. A research procedure is proposed to investigate the hypothesis that increasing the functionality of SDIs to support the use of spatial data for decision-making can be facilitated by developing methods for the integration of SDSS. The research procedure requires models be developed o