What are the most effective techniques for site suitability analysis?

2 Weighting and scoring

One of the most effective techniques for site suitability analysis is weighting and scoring. This technique allows you to assign different weights and scores to your criteria and constraints, based on their importance or preference. For example, if you are looking for a suitable site for a new park, you might assign higher weights to criteria such as land use, population density, and accessibility, and lower weights to criteria such as slope, soil, and vegetation. You can also assign scores to different values or ranges of your criteria and constraints, based on how well they meet your requirements. For example, if you are looking for a suitable site for a new park, you might assign higher scores to land use values such as vacant or agricultural, and lower scores to land use values such as residential or industrial. You can use GIS software or online platforms to perform weighting and scoring, and to generate suitability maps and layers that show the weighted scores of potential sites.

3 Multi-criteria evaluation

Another effective technique for site suitability analysis is multi-criteria evaluation. This technique allows you to combine multiple criteria and constraints into a single suitability index, using mathematical models or methods. For example, if you are looking for a suitable site for a new park, you might use a multi-criteria evaluation method such as weighted linear combination, analytic hierarchy process, or fuzzy logic, to integrate your weighted and scored criteria and constraints into a single suitability index that ranges from 0 to 1. You can use GIS software or online platforms to perform multi-criteria evaluation, and to generate suitability maps and layers that show the suitability index of potential sites.

4 Overlay analysis

A third effective technique for site suitability analysis is overlay analysis. This technique allows you to overlay multiple criteria and constraints layers, and to perform spatial operations or calculations on them. For example, if you are looking for a suitable site for a new park, you might use an overlay analysis method such as intersection, union, or difference, to identify the areas that meet all or some of your criteria and constraints, or to exclude the areas that do not meet them. You can use GIS software or online platforms to perform overlay analysis, and to generate suitability maps and layers that show the results of the spatial operations or calculations.

5 Site selection and ranking

The final step of site suitability analysis is site selection and ranking. This step involves choosing the best or most suitable sites from the suitability maps and layers, and ranking them according to their suitability scores or indices. For example, if you are looking for a suitable site for a new park, you might use a site selection and ranking method such as thresholding, clustering, or optimization, to select the sites that have the highest suitability scores or indices, or that meet your specific goals or objectives. You can use GIS software or online platforms to perform site selection and ranking, and to generate maps and tables that show the selected and ranked sites.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?