[1] It is designed to assist the spatial planner with guidance in making land use decisions.
This entails use of a database management system (DBMS), which holds and handles the geographical data; a library of potential models that can be used to forecast the possible outcomes of decisions; and an interface to aid the users interaction with the computer system and to assist in analysis of outcomes.
Although various techniques are available to simulate land use dynamics, two types are particularly suitable for SDSS.
[3] An SDSS typically uses a variety of spatial and nonspatial information, like data on land use, transportation, water management, demographics, agriculture, climate, epidemiology, resource management or employment.
By using two or more known points in history the models can be calibrated and then projections into the future can be made to analyze different spatial policy options.