The GIS database design is one of the most important steps in developing any GIS system. This is where you set the stage for all future development and lay the ground work for your overall architecture. As geographic information system (GIS) technology has stepped into the mainstream of information technology (IT) the design and architecture for the spatial data is much more in harmony with the traditional attribute and tabular designs. At Headwaters Resources our GIS database design process will take you through a series of steps to examine what information needs to be integrated to or tied to your map and spatial data, how will the spatial data be combined with the tabular data and how can the overall process of data capture, maintenance and update be enhanced so that your spatial data and tabular data are better synchronized. The components of the Headwaters Resources GIS Database Design Process include:    Integration of multiple database systems    Streamlining of data sets to avoid duplication of data    Standardization of data elements    Metadata capture and update    Education and technology transfer ESRI and the ESRI globe logo are  registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions.