Spatial analysis
If you want to resolve
issues such as finding the best location for a new store or identifying
corridors for a new freeway, you can use a process known as spatial analysis.
Spatial analysis involves examining
the geographic patterns in your data and observing relationships between
features. The actual methods you use can be very simple—sometimes just by
making a map you're doing an analysis—or more complex, involving models
that mimic the real world by combining many data layers.
It is important to note
that spatial analysis does not always lead to one definitive answer; instead,
you may wind up with several alternative solutions.