Published 4. 3. 2026

The Importance of Data Visualization in Urban Planning

A study by Oldřich Bittner and Jaroslav Burian from the Department of Geoinformatics at the Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, together with their colleagues, has been published in the International Journal of Geo-Information. The article demonstrates the crucial role that data visualization plays in planning urban development.

The authors compared seven different 3D methods for visualizing land suitability for housing using the city of Jihlava as a case study. They then evaluated which type of visualization was the clearest and most supportive for practical decision-making. The method based on horizontal color layers proved to be the most effective, while some more complex 3D models were found to be less intuitive.

The research shows that effective planning requires not only high-quality data but also clear and accessible data presentation. The findings may help urban planners and local governments make more informed decisions about the future development of cities.

The study is available at the following link.

Full citation:

Bittner, O., Zejdlik, J., Burian, J., & Vozenilek, V. (2025). Exploring Unconventional 3D Geovisualization Methods for Land Suitability Assessment: A Case Study of Jihlava City. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 14(7), 269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi14070269