Developing an urban information system for local governments

Basic services provided in urban areas are continually undergoing a process of change and improvement. Administrative functions also complicate the ability to make prompt and accurate decisions. It is especially important for local governments, which provide technical services in urban areas, to have fast and reliable access to updated map bases and other spatial information. The urban information system (UIS) is a spatial-based information system organising and managing all types of graphic and non-graphic spatial information needed by local governments. In this study, a prototypical interface software for a UIS is designed and developed to share and dynamically update data, thereby increasing the efficiency of location-based services provided by medium-sized municipalities. The result is a software-based UIS that is cost-effective, requires no additional hardware, is flexible, user-friendly and highly adaptable. This prototype application, called DEVKBS V.1.0, is based on ArcView 3.x GIS and is written in ArcView’s Avenue language and Visual Basic 6.0. Given the willingness of local authorities to test participatory models, the present paper presents an original implementation of information and communication technologies to support public participation. The system is currently being tested in selected municipalities to understand requirements, problems, data quality and software–hardware components.