Geographic Information System (GIS) Interview Questions & Answers

Question 1. While Using Arc Catalog, Do You Rely On The Default Templates Or Usually Go For A Customized One?

Answer :

Well, it depends on the project really. Some of the default templates are really good and safe to use. I make the choice based on the project caliber.

Question 2. Which Applications Of The Arc Gis Desktop Are You Familiar With?

Answer :

I am familiar with Arc Map, Arc catalog and Arc toolbox.

Question 3. Differentiate Between Gis Commands And Tools?

Answer :

Commands do not require interaction with the map, they just rely on surface. Tools on the other hand require interaction with the map canvas.

Question 4. What Are The Top 5 Skills A Gis Technician Must Have?

Answer :

Skills in spatial data handling, algorithms, data conversion, model building and database programming.

Question 5. What Is The Difference Between Geo-coding And Geo-referencing?

Answer :

Geo-coding is when you associate a place name or an address with map coordinates. Geo-referencing is the process of associating plain digital images taken from a satellite or a plane with map coordinates so that they can be overlaid on street maps.

Question 6. Name The Two Data Structures That Have The Capacity To Hold Spatial Data.

Answer :

The two data structures that can hold spatial data include raster and vector.

Question 7. What Is The Basic Work Of A Gis Technician?

Answer :

A GIS technician works closely with end users to identify GIS data requirements and handle technical issues. It is also the job of a GIS technician to manage data maintenance and manipulation and handle extraction activities along with ensuring preparation, planning and updating a variety of maps and drawings to be part of a GIS database.

Question 8. Define Remote Sensing?

Answer :

Remote sensing refers to detection and classification of objects on or in earth without physical contact, generally attained through aerial sensors.

Question 9. What Are The Key Factors In Determining The Period For Record Retention?

Answer :

Nature of data, government rules and policies regarding data retention and data privacy factors.

Question 10. Do You Know Which Software Does Dc Gis Use?

Answer :

The District GIS software standards consist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI) products and Google Inc. geospatial services and software. The ESRI standard includes the ArcGIS line of desktop and server software product lines. The Google standard includes the Google Earth Enterprise line of server side products and Google Maps for mash­up type applications. Other geospatial software packages and vendors can be accommodated if necessary to meet specific business requirements.

Question 11. What Is A Geographic Information System?

Answer :

GIS is a system of computer software, hardware, data, procedures and personnel combined to help, manipulate, analyze, and present information that is tied to a geographic location.

Question 12. What Is Gis Data Mining?

Answer :

GIS or spatial data mining is the application of data mining methods to spatial data. Data mining, which is the partially automated search for hidden patterns in large databases, offers great potential benefits for applied GIS­based decision making. Typical applications including environmental monitoring. A characteristic of such applications is that spatial correlation between data measurements require the use of specialized algorithms for more efficient data analysis.

Question 13. What Is Spatial Etl?

Answer :

Spatial ETL tools provide the data processing functionality of traditional Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) software, but with a primary focus on the ability to manage spatial data. They provide GIS users with the ability to translate data between different standards and proprietary formats, whilst geometrically transforming the data en route.

Question 14. What Is Geostatistics?

Answer :

Geostatistics is a branch of statistics that deals with field data, spatial data with a continuous index. It provides methods to model spatial correlation, and predict values at arbitrary locations (interpolation).

Question 15. What Is Hydrological Modeling?

Answer :

GIS hydrological models can provide a spatial element that other hydrological models lack, with the analysis of variables such as slope, aspect and watershed or catchment area.

Question 16. What Is Gis Technologies?

Answer :

Modern GIS technologies use digital information, for which various digitized data creation methods are used. The most common method of data creation is digitization, where a hard copy map or survey plan is transferred into a digital medium through the use of a CAD program, and geo­referencing capabilities.

Question 17. Which Of The Following Are Important Characteristics Of A Sdss?

Answer :

• They are easy to use.
• They incorporate spatially explicit models.
• They are designed to make full use of available data.

Question 18. Which Of The Following Are Examples Of Non­-cartographic Output?

Answer :

• Charts
• Tables 
• Dynamically linked graphs

Question 19. What Is A Linked Display?

Answer :

A set of graphs and maps where items are linked in separate displays.

Question 20. What Does The Abbreviation Vrml Stand For?

Answer :

Virtual Reality Modelling Language

Question 21. What Is Chart Junk?

Answer :

chart junk : Unnecessary detail around maps and diagrams

Question 22. Do You Know The Role Of Gps In Gis?

Answer :

Competent decisions can only be rendered by reliable data and though GIS is an amazing data management tool, using it with GPS helps in validating the data analysis and results.

Question 23. What Is Remote Sensing?

Answer :

Remote sensing refers to detection and classification of objects on or in earth  without physical contact, generally attained through aerial sensors.

Question 24. What Are Gis Tools?

Answer :

GIS tools on the other hand require interaction with the map canvas.

Question 25. What Are Gis Commands?

Answer :

Commands do not require interaction with the map, they just rely on surface.

Question 26. What Is Geo­-referencing?

Answer :

Geo­referencing is the process of associating plain digital images taken from a satellite or a plane with map coordinates so that they can be overlaid on street maps.

Question 27. What Is Geo­-coding?

Answer :

Geo­coding is when you associate a place name or an address with map coordinates.

Question 28. Discuss Briefly Data “information” As One Component Of Gis

Answer :

There are two basic types of map information in a GIS: Spatial and Aspatial (DESCRIPITIVE-attribute)

• Spatial refers to geographic features that are represented as raster (pixel) or vector (POINTS, LINES, and POLYGONS)
•  Aspatial or Descriptive refers to TABULAR DATA which records characteristics of the geographic features

Question 29. What Is The Difference Between Gis And Lis

Answer :

Land Information System (LIS) is typical to GIS, but related primarily to large scale and parcel-based system such as Automated Mapping and Facilities Management (AM/FM)

Question 30. What Is The Difference Between Automated Cartography, Cad, And Gis

Answer :

GIS - Adds the analytical capabilities (graphic+ attribute) while automated cartography and CAD lack (graphic only)

Question 31. Discuss Briefly The History Of Gis Between 1960 To 2000

Answer :

• 1963:  Computing comes of age (Establishment of the Urban and Regional Information System Association URISA and  the first GIS Conference in Ottowa, Canada in 1963).   
• 1964: Canada GIS-Roger Tomlinson “Father of GIS”   
• 1964: Harvard Lab for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis   
•  1970s GIS software evolves rapidly (more GIS companies appeared e.g. Intergraph, ESRI, Governmental departments introduced GIS e.g. The US Bureau of the Census)   
• 1980s GIS software advances significantly (more budget and human resources allocated for GIS, by the end of 1980s more than 4000 GIS/CAD software are introduced)   
• Digital data becomes available (TIGER, World Data Bank, DIME)   
• 1990s (integration of Raster and Vector based systems, Multi-media GIS, software become more user friendly)   
• 2000:   Web-based GIS

Question 32. List Four Of The Advantages Of Gis:

Answer :

• Time minimization                               
• Accuracy improvement  
• Data can be managed efficiently
• High cost/benefit ratio

Question 33. List The Main Components Of Gis

Answer :

• People
• Data
• Hardware
• Software
• Methods

Question 34. Discuss Briefly The Impact Of The Internet On Gis

Answer :

• Exchange and Sharing of ideas via- electronic mail (e-mail) and online lists.
• Online forum (video conferencing).
• Data transfer (File Transfer Protocol- FTP).
• Browsing (web sites).

Question 35. Discuss Briefly The Gis Functions

Answer :

• Data acquisition (spatial and non-spatial).
• Data processing (data management).
• Data analysis (Spatial & statistical analysis).
• Data storage  (Store  data more efficiently).
• Data output   (Maps,  graphs, tables, reports).