ICA has a special role as a promoterof the development of Cartography and Geographic Information Science; ICA research and development aim to create theory and methods for cartography and GI handling. By applying these theories and methods to various applications, new practical tools can be created. Such topics are addressed at the main ICA work forums, its Commissions. A coherent direction for Commission activity, in the form of a definitive Research Agenda, has been developed over the past few years and is being published in full in the three ICA-recognised journals (The Cartographic Journal, CAGIS, andCartographica) during 2009.

Mind Maps
The scope of the Research Agenda is broad. All Commissions were consulted through a series of brainstorming exercises which resulted in ‘Mind Maps’, from which the main headings could be extracted. The main subjects addressed are 1) Geographic Information (GI); 2) Metadata and SDIs; 3) Geospatial Analysis and Modelling; 4) Usability, 5) Geovisualisation, Visual Analytics; 6) Map production; 7) Cartographic Theory; 8) History of Cartography and GI Science; 9) Education; and 10) Society.


Sub-topics
The agenda documents current research activity in each of these fields, suggests areas where more intensive or renewed effort is required, and discusses methods by which some of this research can be undertaken in ICA Commissions, through international collaboration with sister societies, and under suggested programmes of integrated research stimulated by this summary. Each field has an associated and extensive listing of sub-topics.


Responsibilities
It is intended that the research agenda be reflected upon by the ICA Commissions. One major responsibility of the elected Commission chairs is to develop a ‘Terms of Reference’ document explicitly listing the deliverables expected over the four-year period of the its existence (Commissions can be re-elected). Such deliverables should yield valid research results and a further duty of a Commission chair is to invite and manage a group of expert and interested individuals to achieve these. The work programme may be completed through focused research meetings and conferences, both during and around biennial International Cartographic Conferences or at other times, through ongoing intra-Commission communications, and through collaboration with sister societies. Alternatively, it is hoped that the agenda might be positively employed by individuals submitting proposals for funding to regional, national, and international organisations.


Benefits
In all cases, ICA expects the results of research to be widely disseminated for the benefit of itself, the wider cartographic community and society in general. The presentation of a Commission report is required at each quadrennial ICA General (delegate) Assembly, and opportunities exist for the presentation of research findings in the conference arena. Publication of research work in academic and scientific journals would also be expected, along with more informal communication through Commission websites.

The Research Agenda, as a public document, also shows the face of ICA to the rest of the scientific community. It is hoped that progress in geomatics will result from this initiative.