Info

Turning the Corner: Evolution of the I-Sites On-Line GIS Interface

I-Sites is an interactive on-line database and Geographic Information System (GIS) for archaeological research in Iowa, developed by the GIS department at the University of Iowa-Office of the State Archaeologist in collaboration with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, the GIS facility at Iowa State University, and University of Missouri's Center for Agricultural, Resource and Environmental Systems. I-Sites was introduced to the professional community as well as the public in May of 2003. The goal of I-Sites is to make archaeological data available to all those who need or have an interest in the data in formats that are accessible with no software other than a Web browser. I-Sites disseminates information about Iowa archaeology to the public and professionals, and is among the most widely used applications of its type in North America. I will discuss its development from initial planning to the present on-line resource. Changes for the future will respond to user feedback and reflect the needs of archaeologists as well as developers and government agencies. Over the past two years, changes and additions have been made to the interface to reflect the requests of users and the needs of professional archaeologists. In the future, I-Sites will offer more tiered access options and continued improvements to aid conservation and management efforts across the state for developers and government agencies. After two years of use, our feedback has given I-Sites renewed goals and different directions to focus on in the further development of this on-line interface.