One special characteristic of spatial data is that they can be shared to be used for many purposes other than the one for which they were initially produced. To facilitate their efficient sharing and reuse, they need to be properly managed in the form of a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). This study
argues that developing a successful SDI must be seen as a socio-technical, rather than a purely technical exercise. It urges that SDI practitioners need to understand the significance of human and societal issues as much as technical issues, all of which contribute to the successful implementation of SDI.