International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 4 (2002) 11–22 Future directions for SDI development Abbas Rajabifard * , Mary-EllenF. Feeney, Ian P. Williamson 1 Department of Geomatics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia Accepted 22 January 2002 Abstract Understanding the role of spatial data infrastructure (SDI) in the society is important to acceptance of the concept and its alignment with spatial industry objectives. Much has been done to describe and understand the components and operation of different aspects of SDIs and their integration into the spatial data community. However, what is often miss-understood is that the role SDI plays is by necessity greater than the sum of individual components of SDI and stakeholder groups. SDI is fundamentally about facilitation and coordination of the exchange and sharing of spatial data between stakeholders in the spatial data community. To this end, the authors propose that the roles of SDI have been pursued through two different approaches: product- and process-based. Both approaches have value, but contribute to the evolution, uptake and utilization of the SDI concept in different ways. They provide different frameworks for dealing with SDI mandates for the objectives of spatial data access and sharing. This paper reviews the nature and concept of SDI, including the components, which have helped to build the current understanding about the importance of an infrastructure to support the interactions of the spatial data community. Several examples of how SDIs have been described are offered to aid understanding of their complexity. The need for descriptions to represent the discrepancies between the role and deliverables of an SDI, and thus, contribute to a simpler, but dynamic, understanding of the complexity of the SDI concept, are postulated. The transition between the understanding of SDIs from product-based to process-based approaches is investigated, with a review of the positions taken by current SDI initiatives throughout the world. A model of how these approaches provide a framework to meet the mandates of the relevant jurisdictions is proposed, and factors contributing to the success of such positions in the future are discussed. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Spatial data infrastructure (SDI); SDI development; SDI hierarchy; Product-based model; Process-based model 1. Introduction There has been a significant evolution in the ap- proach taken to implement and support spatial data frameworks over the last decade, especially in devel- oped countries. There is increasing recognition that the * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: abbas@sunrise.sli.unimelb.edu.au (A. Rajabifard), mef@sunrise.sli.unimelb.edu.au (M.-E.F. Feeney), ianpw@unimelb.edu.au (I.P. Williamson). URL: http://www.geom.unimelb.edu.au/research/SDI research/ 1 Tel.: +61-3-8344-4431; fax: +61-3-9347-4128. benefits being returned to communities by investing in spatial information systems include development of a spatial information marketplace, economic develop- ment, social stability, reduced resource disputes, im- proved environmental management, and improvement of the land administration system (UNRCC-Americas, 2001; Bathurst Declaration, 1999; UNRCC-AP, 1997). This has resulted in a worldwide impetus for com- munities to begin thinking more strategically about their spatial information needs, and the resources needed to deliver these to wider audiences. These communities usually use different ways of enhancing 0303-2434/02/$ – see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0303-2434(02)00002-8