There are 9 essential GIS skills that users should have to effectively utilize GIS capabilities. These include data management skills to organize spatial data, classification skills to apply appropriate symbology to layers, geoprocessing skills to perform analysis tasks, skills in working with attribute tables, querying skills to extract necessary data from large datasets, skills in working with geodatabases to store and manage spatial data, programming skills to develop applications, presentation skills to communicate results, and publishing skills to share work over the internet.

1. 9 ESSENTIAL GIS SKILLS
BY
WANJOHI KIBUI
OMONDI STEVE

2. A GIS automates creating, analyzing, manipulating,
storing , querying and retrieval of spatial data for users.
However, there are various essential skills that a user
should have to utilize the capabilities of a GIS with ease
and produce quality products within the stipulated
period of time and cost.

3. GIS DATA MANAGEMENT
• Data management is important to ensure that all data being
used is put in an easily accessible location within the
application to save time of retrieval.
• A GIS offers various data management tools to work with
during analysis based on the data loaded in the application.
• The kind of projection used for data in a GIS is vital in
determining the actual location of features on the earth’s
surface.
• There are many projections available in GIS that can be used
depending on the analysis being carried out.

7. CLASSIFYING GIS DATA
• The appearance of layers in a GIS should ensure visual balance and
contrast to convey information to the map users effectively.
• GIS offer a wide variety of Symbology techniques to use for features
in a map such as Single , Categorized, Graduated depending on the
data being used.
• Labels are used to identify show the identity of features on a map.
Labelling is a key skill for every GIS user/professionals as the
labelling method depends on user specifications.

10. HANDLING GEOPROCESSING TASKS
• In the analysis stage in a GIS, there are basic tools for which are
very useful in carrying out processes based on user’s
specifications.
• There are basic tools that are located in an easily-accessible
place in a GIS. This helps in faster and easier access of the
tools.

12. WORKING WITH ATTRIBUTE TABLES
• Attributes in spatial analysis aids in better understanding of the
data that is being used in a GIS.
• The user ought to check on the attribute table to identify the
fields to be used in various analysis.
• The table gives a capability for a user to add or delete the
attributes as per the user needs.

14. GIS DATA QUERYING
• Data retrieval in any GIS analysis is vital as data must be filtered
amongst huge amounts of data.
• GIS offers a better and efficient way of data query and retrieval
from huge amounts of data using user defined queries and
expressions.
• Writing of these expressions is quite easy to ensure faster and
effective way of data retrieval.
• These queries can be done using Python scripts or inbuilt
querying functionalities.

15. WORKING WITH GIS DATABASES
• With the increase in chunks of gis data around us, we need us
skills to store these data in a more sorted and standardized
manner-this led to advent of geo-databases.
• A GIS guys has to be capable of developing, administering and
managing these data in geodatabases.

16. GIS PROGRAMMING SKILLS
• The recent proliferation of the utilization of gis in organizations
call for more gis applications to be made available for users
who have advanced skill in gis and for those with little or no
skills.
• The GIS guy has the divine task to develop simple gis
applications for various platforms to increase access and
utilization of gis technology.

18. GIS DATA PRESENTATION
• The aim of every GIS user is to produce great map outputs
signifying their work and meeting their goals of analysis.
• This is done by well presenting the data in the required formats
for the targeted group to view or use the maps.
• GIS offers better and efficient ways of presenting the outputs of
user’s analysis.

20. DATA PUBLISHING
• Modern technology has helped GIS professionals share their
work over the internet to a large number of users across the
globe. The internet provides a fast and effective platforms for
sharing data with users located at different places on the globe
thus saving cost of operation and also saving time for data
dissemination.
• Modern GIS provides the capabilities to publish user’s work
from their computers to the internet using various ways. One of
the ways of publishing data include the use of plugins.
• Example : QGIS Cloud plugin and Qgis2Leaf plugin