The Trials and Tribulations of ArcMap.

maps:




The Final GIS produced map:

So that was fun.

ArcMap is a powerful tool that allows users to generate and alter GIS data into visual representations. It can import and export various forms of data and tables and show graphically how they affect people and the landscape. Our lab focused on a proposed airport expansion and how the noise from the expansion would affect the neighboring communities. The goal was to show schools that may be within the suggested noise contour, land use within the contour, and the population densities of the surrounding areas.

The obvious pros of ArcMap lie with the versatility and power of the application. ArcMap can create any statistical or topographic GIS data into a visual map. This allows users to form 2D maps that show more than just geographic features. The information can also be layered easily and different sets of data can be shown on the same basic map, as in our example. The application then allows GIS analysis to be more efficient and comprehensive compared to a topographic map coupled with data tables. What makes these maps possible is that there is a tool or function for anything you want to create. In this tutorial you can calculate population density from a table and illustrate it with a gradient. You can create new roads, landmarks, and geographic features. You can also hide or add layers to a map, enabling you to show different information with a click of the mouse. There are tons of options to customize graphics and features too. You can change almost anything from text, to color, to layout.

The pitfalls of ArcMap all revolve around the interface of the application. The layout is fairly straightforward and simple, but the tools are not particularly intuitive. Some simple things were just annoying like the zoom in/zoom out tool. I kept messing up the format and layout of the maps by clicking zoom rather than selecting the area i wanted to zoom. This made me waste lots of time rearranging things. Also, at one point I lost all my data for Map 3. I don't know how. Don't ask. I swear it wasn't my fault (read: it definitely was my fault, but ArcMap is crazy hard to follow sometimes). Nothing seemed to be easy. Even following the tutorial I had to back track and read the instructions several times before making sure what I was doing was correct.

Ultimately, the power or ArcMap far outweighs any cons of the application. With more experience, I'm sure I would be able to navigate morequickly and efficiently through the various tools and windows. Right now since both the application and the whole concept of GIS are new to me, nothing seems all too easy. Also, the map and the accompanying data are foreign to me. Were this a data set I had collect myself or were more familiar with, I'm sure the manipulation would have gone much smoother. The maps I created took very little time considering my level of expertise, yet they are able to show clearly the effects of the airport expansion. if this were real, it would be easy to show a city council how the noise may affect their schools and community. Simple fliers could also be made and distributed to people within the noise contour in an effort to stop the expansion. This shows both the versatility of GIS and how it can help people and transform where we live.