Author: wbsiegenthaler

Chapter 7 offered a fascinating dive into the world of 3D web scenes, highlighting the growing potential of immersive mapping technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), and the metaverse. These tools bring geographic data to life, offering new ways to interact with and interpret spatial information. A key distinction in this chapter was between photorealistic scenes—which use textured imagery to closely mimic the real world—and cartographic scenes, which take traditional 2D mapping approaches and elevate them into 3D environments.

One aspect that really stood out was the use of indoor GIS. It was surprising to see how detailed and precise indoor spatial representations can be, and it got me thinking—why not use this to map campus buildings in detail? A full 3D indoor-outdoor campus map could help students and faculty navigate from classroom to classroom with ease, especially in larger or more complex academic buildings.

The hands-on tutorials in the chapter walked through how to explore and construct 3D web scenes. Navigating these scenes, managing scene layers, and symbolizing data using 3D styles made it clear just how much detail can be integrated. For example, features like buildings, vehicles, and even aerial objects like helicopters can be precisely placed and edited in a 3D space. Tools that adjust time-based lighting and shadows added a dynamic element that made the scenes feel more realistic.

Performance on mobile devices did come to mind—how do we maintain detail and smooth navigation without overloading devices? That’s definitely a practical concern when thinking about real-world applications.

Application Ideas

These tools open the door to a wide range of practical uses. One idea is to create a thematic web scene showcasing population density across cities in Ohio. By visualizing density in 3D, users could quickly identify where people are most concentrated and how urban development varies across the state.

Another idea involves using zoning and parcel data from Delaware County to build a land use web scene. By extruding parcels and applying color-coded zoning categories, planners and residents alike could better understand spatial development patterns and ownership.

Additionally, building off earlier coursework in GEOG 291, a useful project could be a Crime Density and Services Map. This would plot recent crime incidents and overlay them with essential public services like police stations, hospitals, and schools. The goal would be to explore whether high-crime areas are underserved and use buffer zones or density tools to highlight spatial relationships.

Finally, for something closer to home, creating a detailed 3D web scene of the Ohio Wesleyan University campus could be both fun and functional. With realistic features—cars in parking lots, directional signs, and buildings labeled by department—it could serve as an interactive campus directory and virtual tour tool for prospective students.

Overall, Chapter 7 showed how 3D GIS isn’t just about flashy visuals; it’s about creating meaningful, data-rich environments that enhance our understanding of the world around us.

Week 4 Reflection

Chapter 6 focused on the concept of spatiotemporal data, which is data linked to both time and location. This concept is important in real time GIS applications, and the chapter did a good job of showing how it applies in real world settings. Examples like emergency response, environmental monitoring, and traffic tracking helped me understand how these systems operate beyond just theory.

One part of the chapter that stood out to me was the discussion of the Internet of Things. While I’ve heard about IoT before, this was the first time I saw how it connects directly to GIS. It made more sense seeing how real time data is collected and processed through tools like GeoEvent Server and ArcGIS Velocity. These systems help automate and interpret incoming data from sensors, which opens up a lot of possibilities for live monitoring and decision-making.

Another highlight for me was learning about ArcGIS Dashboards. These tools seem especially useful for communicating complex spatial data in a more visual and accessible format. I also appreciated the deeper dive into time enabled layers and how they can animate changes over time. I had seen some of this in earlier coursework, but this chapter helped tie it all together more clearly.

Chapter 4 brought attention to how GIS is becoming more mobile and accessible on different devices. It was interesting to learn that not only smartphones and tablets, but even wearables, are being considered as platforms for Web GIS. I hadn’t really thought about how many ways GIS is being integrated into everyday technology.

Application Ideas

For a potential project, I’d be interested in creating a dashboard that maps the relationship between land development and nearby waterways or wetlands in Delaware County. With access to zoning, parcel, and hydrology data, the tool could help highlight where development activity may impact sensitive environmental areas. Features like zoning filters and time sliders could make this a useful planning tool.

Another application idea would be a real time air quality monitoring system. Using live sensor data, the dashboard could display current pollution levels across a region, identify hotspots, and show alerts when air quality becomes unsafe. I think this would be especially helpful for public health and education systems, particularly during events like wildfire smoke or pollution spikes.

Lastly, I think it would be valuable to build a community reporting tool for severe weather impacts. Residents could submit reports about things like flooding or blocked roads, along with severity ratings. This information could then be mapped and shared with local officials to support quicker, more informed responses.

Chapter 3 dives into ArcGIS Experience Builder, and I found it to be a really flexible and user friendly tool. It stood out because it supports both 2D and 3D maps and gives you the freedom to organize and design how you want your content to appear. Pages act as the main structure, and widgets tools you can place on the page let you customize interactions. There are different types of widgets, and each one can perform specific actions, including message based interactions that connect with other parts of the app. What made it all easier to understand were the tutorials. They walked me through the steps in a way that made everything feel approachable, even without a strong GIS background. It’s a great example of how the platform isn’t just for professionals it’s accessible to anyone who’s interested.

Chapter 4 shifts the focus to Mobile GIS, which is becoming increasingly important as more people use smartphones rather than computers or tablets. Mobile GIS makes it possible to access, collect, and work with spatial data from anywhere, thanks to wireless internet and the speed of mobile devices. While it’s not always easy to work on a smaller screen, especially with large datasets or complex features, mobile apps like QuickCapture and ArcGIS Indoors really open up new ways to engage with GIS in real time. I liked how the chapter made clear when it makes more sense to use mobile GIS versus WebGIS. It helped me understand that while mobile is great for on the go work, certain tasks still benefit from the broader screen and functionality of a web-based setup.

After working through the “Explore your surroundings in AR” tutorial, I started thinking about how cool it would be to create something similar for downtown Delaware. I’d love to develop an app that lets people learn about historical landmarks and local attractions just by pointing their phone camera at them. It would be a fun and educational way to explore the city, using augmented reality to make the experience interactive and engaging.

Since I took GEOG 291, I’ve already completed the Delaware Data Inventory. It was interesting to revisit some of those layers now that I have a better understanding of how they can be used in different GIS applications. Layers like Zip Code, School District, Parcel, and Building Outlines offered a strong foundation, while more specialized layers like E911 Data, PLSS, and Annexation added deeper historical and emergency context. The Recorded Document layer was one I found especially interesting it was cool to zoom in on OWU and see university housing data pop up. Another standout was the Dedicated ROW layer, which shows which roads are designated for public access. Even the more complex or less familiar layers, like Subdivision or Farm Lot, offered a glimpse into how much information is available to work with if you take the time to explore and interpret it.

When comparing Experience Builder with Web AppBuilder, both tools are solid for creating web apps, but they differ in style and flexibility. Experience Builder feels more modern and creative, with its drag and drop interface and mobile friendly design. It’s perfect for mixing maps, dashboards, and charts all in one place. Web AppBuilder is a little more straightforward, using pre made templates and a library of widgets to help get basic apps up and running quickly ideal for quick projects or for folks who are just starting out.

For my own application idea, I want to use the Delaware data from GEOG 291 to build a web app in Experience Builder that highlights flood risk zones across the county. The goal is to let users explore which areas are most vulnerable, compare that with demographic data, and link to local emergency planning resources. With customizable widgets, I can make it easy for users to filter by flood zone severity or population characteristics. I think this kind of tool would be valuable for both public awareness and local planning. I’m also interested in using Survey123 and Field Maps for future applications tied to public health or environmental data, since mobile GIS makes real time data collection and access in the field so much easier.

Chapter 1
Chapter 1 introduced the fundamentals of Web GIS and emphasized how it’s becoming a powerful tool across different industries like government, business, research, and education. What really stood out was how flexible and far-reaching this technology is especially when it comes to hosting and sharing data. Whether the data is hosted in the cloud through ArcGIS Online or managed directly by users, Web GIS makes it possible to connect all the essential parts: data, layers, web maps, scenes, tools, and apps. Seeing how these elements come together to create interactive and shareable maps helped make sense of the whole system.

The tutorials were especially helpful in reinforcing the concepts. I learned how to create new items, add them to folders, attach images to popups, and publish maps for public viewing. The process felt pretty intuitive, especially after some experience with ArcGIS Desktop. Still, Web GIS offers a new level of accessibilitym it’s built for broader use and makes sharing data and visualizations much easier.

Chapter 2
Chapter 2 went deeper into layer types and introduced smart mapping, which is a feature that really simplifies the process of styling maps to highlight patterns in the data. It was useful to see how smart mapping uses defaults and data driven logic to help users make clean, meaningful visualizations without needing a background in cartography. The table outlining different mapping styles was a good reference and gave me a better idea of how to choose the right map type depending on the project.

I also learned about ArcGIS Arcade, a scripting tool that’s used to customize how data is displayed in popups even when certain attributes aren’t already available. It reminded me of using formulas in Excel, just adapted for GIS. Popups themselves were covered in more detail too, showing how they can be personalized to help map users understand what they’re looking at more quickly.

Another part of the chapter that stood out was Story Maps. These allow users to combine text, media, and interactive maps into one cohesive narrative, making them a great way to communicate information to people who might not be GIS experts. The tutorials walked through how to create story maps using different types of blocks like swipe comparisons and timelines, which added even more creativity and clarity to the presentation.

Applications Based on Chapters 1 & 2
The ideas from these chapters sparked several potential applications. For example, a dot density map could be used to show all the pet stores in the area that sell cat toys. A heat map could display the concentration of cat owners based on licensing data or survey responses. Another application could be a web map highlighting popular landmarks or attractions in Delaware County, which would be helpful for tourism or education purposes. I also thought about using a feature layer to show currently unused agricultural land in the county, which could help with land use planning or sustainability efforts. A more advanced idea would be to create a flood resilience planning app, using local data to show how future infrastructure projects might be impacted by flood risk. This could be really valuable for both residents and local officials as they make decisions about development.

Hi, my name is Will Siegenthaler. I’m from Chicago and currently majoring in Economics at Ohio Wesleyan University. I’m a member of the men’s lacrosse team and also work as an economics tutor on campus. Tutoring has been a great way for me to strengthen my own understanding of economic concepts while helping other students succeed.

I recently started exploring ArcGIS Online through my OWU account. I was impressed by the amount of resources available, especially in the Training section where there are plenty of free courses for students. I also spent some time looking through the ArcGIS Blog, which features real-world examples of how GIS is being used across different industries. It helped me start thinking about how these tools might connect to fields like economics and sports analytics.

After reading “Get Started: What Is ArcGIS Online,” I realized how much more this platform offers beyond just creating maps. Features like the Living Atlas give users access to a wide range of datasets, and the platform encourages collaboration, which is great for team projects or research work.

I also completed the ArcGIS Online Basics course, which introduced me to how data layers work and how geographic information can be visualized in meaningful ways. One of the tools that stood out to me was the Web AppBuilder—it allows you to build interactive web apps without needing any coding experience. That’s a huge plus for someone like me, who’s more focused on data analysis than programming.

ArcGIS Online plays an important role in the public health world by helping professionals better understand and respond to community health needs. With the ability to visualize data geographically, organizations can track where services are lacking, streamline operations, and prepare more effectively for unexpected health events. The insights gained through spatial analysis lead to smarter planning and stronger outcomes when it comes to improving access to care and overall well-being.

When I first started exploring ArcGIS Online, I found a heat map from a study focused on plant behavior. The map pulled together data from March through May of 2014 and tracked plant activity during those months. This kind of visualization could be especially helpful in monitoring how flowering patterns shift when temperatures fluctuate, offering potential connections to allergy seasons or agricultural impacts both of which tie into public health planning in different ways.

Overall, tools like ArcGIS Online give health professionals and researchers a powerful way to turn data into action, leading to more targeted, effective, and sustainable health strategies.