Spatial technologies like GIS, CAD, and spatial DBMS have proved their applicability and usability in almost every sector of urban development. Urban Planning Systems, Public Participation Systems, and others have been continuously developed and improved contributing to better decision making, communicating ideas between different actors as well as receiving feedback concerning alternatives or implemented designs. 
The Urban Data Management Society (UDMS) aims at providing a forum to discuss urban planning processes, exchange ideas, share information on available technology and demonstrate and promote successful information systems in local government. The initial focus has been on urban applications, but considering the close link with regional and rural issues, these have increasingly been represented and have grown recently in importance. From an economic point of view land becomes scarce and therefore much more valuable.  
Urban and Regional  Data Management. UDMS Annual 2007 addresses the following themes:
– Geo-collaboration in Urban and Regional Environments
– Urban and Regional Computing
– GIS in Urban and Regional Data Management for Sustainable Development
 The book will be a useful source of information for urban data-related professionals, such as GIS engineers, geomatic professionals, photogrammetrists, land surveyors, mapping specialists, urban planners and researchers, as well as for postgraduate students and lecturers.