Lab 1: Cloud GIS Basics

Introduction

The purpose of this lab was to practice using datasets and making story maps with ESRI's cloud-based GIS platform, ArcGIS Online. This application is particularly useful for simple spatial analyses and presenting easily accessible geographic information. With plenty of user-contributed data, the user can manipulate data available or upload their own data to the application.

Methods

Part I:

The first part of this lab was to explore and customize a web map with data from ESRI. Volcanoes, roads, and schools on Hawaii Island were used to analyze lava flow risk. This exercise was particularly useful in showing how a ArcGIS Online user can add, customize, and share a web mapping application through the platform.

Figure 1: Web Map interface.

Figure 2: Terrain layer detail.

Figures one and two show what the ArcGIS Online application looks like when using it. There are limited viewing and manipulation options for the user to experiment with in the platform. Legend organization, layer transparency, label options, visible scale range, and symbology are a few examples of activities that were carried out in the first part of this lab.

Part II:

In the second part of this lab, a story map was created using the ArcGIS Online platform. For this exercise, the user simply creates a new map, selects their basemap, and chooses a template- in this case, the "story map tour" template was used. From there, the user uploads pictures with their location information to their map. Either coordinates or an address can be used. For this exercise, photos from a UWEC department of geography & anthropology field trip to Texas were used.

Figure 3: Story Map Application.

Once the user is done uploading their pictures and information for their story map, the application can be shared either publicly or be made available to only members of a specific organization.

Discussion

This platform proved to be a fairly simplistic way to disseminate spatial information and/or create story maps. A benefit of this platform was the sheer amount of information available. If an ESRI user wanted to perform a simple analysis for a project, this Web GIS platform might be a great option for them- especially if they don't have extensive training in using other GIS platforms like ArcMap, QGIS, etc. The platform also almost guarantees an aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-understand result due to the limited abilities of the site. This of course becomes one of the downsides to this platform. If a user wanted to perform an in depth analysis or perform complex data manipulations like running slope analysis or surface volume tools, this platform would most likely not be the best option.

Overall, this platform is a convenient and easy way to perform simple analyses in an online solution.

Link to Story Map: http://uwec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=c5b3df545d50410496dc4c38dee8f3a2