Digitizing: a time factor analysis for polygon map layers

Abstract

Abstract. From data perspective, GIS can be regarded of having four subsystems namely data input, data storage and management, data manipulation and analysis and data output. Focussing on data input, manual digitizing has become the commonest practice but there is no standard way of quantitatively estimating the consumed time. This paper reports the results of an experiment done using a regression technique for this purpose. In this technique, a linear model relating digitizing time and total polygon perimeter contained in a map is used. An analysis is done to test the model and to investigate the extent of its validity.