There are basically three stages of surveying viz:

1. Planning: This is also known as taking a general view or reconnaissance. At this stage, an overall picture of what is obtained before any type of survey work is undertaken, with purpose of the survey has to be decided. Similarly, the accuracy to which measurement are determined in order to overcome obstacles, solve field problems and avoid errors are set out. Survey cost is also determined at this stage. There are two types of reconnaissance survey viz, office and filed reconnaissance.

2. Field Work (Measurement of Observations): There are two forms of measurement required in any type of engineering survey. They are:

(a) Linear Measurement: This is the measurement of distances between points on the earth’s surface. They may be horizontal or vertical.

(b) Angular Measurement: Angular measurement involves the measurement of the angles between reference directions or survey lines in a horizontal or vertical plane. These forms of measurements are used in the basic methods of surveying.

3. Presentation: Survey measurements presentations are done in the form of maps, plans, mathematical, graphs, diagrams, geometric and stereoscopic terrain models, etc., which are recorded in a suitable manner on the drawings by scale representation by the use of conventional signs and by the tabulations of notes with the measured and calculated data.

The drawings may be constructed manually by the application of traditional drafting methods or may  be compiled from numerical data stored in the central memory of an electronic computer on a magnetic tape, or in some other peripheral storage unit and plotted by a computer-controlled automatic flat-bed plotter.

These days, maps are conveniently drawn through the process of GIS (Geographic Information System).