Investigating the Impact of GIS on Urban and Regional Planning

Geographic information systems and related computer information technologies are commonly used in planning and management in the present era. An important part of the theoretical and methodological support of GIS is rooted in the "quantitative and qualitative" revolution of geography. It is not surprising, then, that GIS is often accused of being inherently dependent on "rationalism" and "positivism," so it is not beneficial to use it in planning approaches broader than the merely rational model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of GIS on urban and regional planning and it was attempted to examine the following: development of geographic database for analyses related to planning, alignment of ground-spatial technologies with urban models, building planning support systems, facilitating discourse and participation in the planning process, and evaluating planning activities and the impact of technology on them. While scientific advancements in the development of planning support tools have been significant, there has been no considerable effort to provide scientific guidance on strategic information management, establish the information support and decision-making tools, and transfer technology to the planning stage. This shortcoming in the dissemination of planning tools limits the application of science in decision and policy making, a process that is essential for the development of countries aiming at strong economy and healthy communities and environment. This research attempts to study the effects of GIS on urban and regional planning.