Assessing costs and benefits of geographical information systems: methodological and implementation issues

Abstract This paper is intended as a contribution to the development of methodologies for assessing the purchase of geographical information systems (GIS). The approach adopted places particular emphasis on the measurement of benefits, using as the key element the careful description and measurement of information products by users and potential users of the products. This approach is then applied to the City of Ottawa, where estimates are made of both costs and benefits for the period 1990–2000. The estimates of benefits are seen as conservative and do not include external benefits, although the same approach could be applied to these. Discounting the estimates to 1991 shows that a GIS would be an attractive investment.