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Chapter 3: This chapter explores the ArcGIS Experience Builder that facilitates the process of creating projects, templates or map features. Using this tool can be very helpful when it comes to providing data triggers, like 2D or 3D maps or layouts. I also learned that each web app is called a web experience when made from using the Experience Builder. One can customize this and can format it so it  works with other devices. In addition to these web experiences, one can create various forms of widgets and pages to organize their data. I believe this is a helpful tool and I really like that one can personalize it (to an extent) the way they want. Although I would like to know why there are so many editions of the experience builder? Would it not be possible to just put all the features in one edition? 

Application: An application idea I have related to chapter 3 is to use it to create a map displaying floods in Ohio. I would use the Experience builder to create a web experience, and it would include a basic widget to display a map of Ohio floods. Additionally, I think a message action for the widget would be appropriate for this study. That way, the map can be up to date when there is a severe flood in Ohio. Perhaps I would just focus on a city like Toledo since it is near a body of water, and it could also facilitate adding data of one city instead of an entire state. 

Chapter 4: This chapter focuses on using GIS on a mobile device such as smartphones. Some of the advantages of using mobile GIS is that it is more portable, more accessible, and can have more accurate data. However, there is a limited amount of time and digital space available in order to work on mobile applications. The chapter mentions that it is important to adjust the GIS features in order for it to function on the mobile device. One of the ways one can do this is by using feature templates in order to get data. An important aspect of working with GIS on the phone must be to allow permission for some people to add, edit, or delete data. Other topics I learned in this chapter was that GIS can work  indoors or outdoors, and surveys are created using Survey123 Connect. I was surprised to learn about this topic because smartphones are small compared to a PC, so working on a project must be challenging. I wonder what would have been of GIS if we still continued to use PCs instead of mobile devices. Would it have been the same, better or worse? 

Application: An application idea that I have related to Chapter 4 is to create a survey asking college students if they study 15 hours a week. I could use a large university such as OSU to gather more information and get a large range of answers. I would use the Survey123 Connect to help me set up and create the survey. If possible I would also like to follow up with a second question asking where they study the most on the college campus. I have yet to choose which application idea I would like to pursue for Week’s 6 assignment, because  I like them all!

Chapter 1 walks us through the basic concepts and important terms to know for ArcGIS Online which includes the history of the development of GIS in the 1960s by Roger Tomlison and later evolved into a web version in the 2000s for better accessibility. The beginning of this chapter discusses  the different ways in which WebGIS is used and is growing in different organizations including government, business, and even personal daily life. Tutorial 1introduced us to the basics of how to create attatchment such as adding a photo, as well as how to create a web map and add symbols and change symbol styles, and configure popups for such symbols.

Chapter 2 begun by walking us through how to create feature layers which included us using data from the 2019 and 2020 census data and using arrows to represent the populations in cities across the United States have either grown or decreased. We also created popups to show the growth and median household incomes of those same cities and learned how to add images and charts to those popups. In Chapter 2, we also learned how to create stories using ArcGIS StoryMaps to show all of the maps that we’ve made. Using ArcGIS StoryMaps, we were able to create map actions which provide a more interactive experience with looking at cities of our choosing.

The first tutorial for this week within chapter 3 was all about using ArcGIS Experience Builder to create an interactive page of Historic National Disasters using data, maps, and information. I found this tutorial to be the most interesting so far because I could use my creativity to create my own page. The first section of this tutorial discussed how to add widgets and insert maps that displayed these natural disasters. The next part was about configuring the map actions, which I found to be one of the more challenging steps because I had trouble with inputting the correct values. Step 3 was also quite challenging because of all the different texts you needed to enter in order to complete this section properly. Steps 4 and 5 were both about configuring the widgets, which were straightforward and simple, but consumed a lot of time with all the steps involved. The final step of chapter 3’s tutorial was about navigating and finalizing the page to finish the Historic Natural Disasters interactive page. A real world application of this may be if an environmentalist needs to create an interactive page to demonstrate effects of certain practices that a business is utilizing. Using Experience builder you could create a page that shows maps, images, data, and descriptions with a simple format that is easy to understand. 

Chapter Four’s tutorial was a little less engaging than chapter 3 but was a little easier for me to complete. I began by creating a survey that allowed me to collect data that I would need for the next steps. Step 3 was the easiest step that involved creating a feature layer using the data and labeling it injury type. I then configured a web map then collected data using the ArcGIS fields mobile app. Using Quick capture, I created a project, that I then compiled and prepared my data. Finally, I utilized AR and viewed a map of the data layer that I created. A situation where this could be used is if a city wants to create a mapping of public transportation routes and what people prefer to take and compile the data into one project. In the tutorial I created a survey in order to collect my data, if the city were to do this and collect the data of what the citizens recommend as well as basic data and compile it into quick capture then they would be able to map out this data. Because quick capture can recognize things like street signs and and roads, this would be perfect for giving users the ability to see which public transportation lines are closest to them.

From the first four chapters of this book, the idea that I will be creating for the Week 6 submission is using ArcGIS Experience Builder and my example of an environmentalist creating a page to promote sustainable practices by compiling data and maps. I chose this example over my other 3 because I connect the most with these ideas and goals, and I believe that I will apply more personal effort to create this app.

 

Chapter 3

One of my key takeaways from Chapter three is that applications can be changed and customized without needing to understand coding extensively. This makes GIS accessible to anyone who understands geographic data and has a limited working knowledge of programming. Combining maps with charts and lists all under one application is really a good idea. Applications can also be made interactive so that data can be explored instead of just viewing a map that can’t be changed,. What I don’t understand is how these customizations are possible without coding things. 

 

Chapter 4

Web AppBuilding gives a way to create GIS applications that are interactive through the tools and widgets. This is useful because it allows you to add functions based on what information you are hoping to communicate. How do  you determine what application builder is best for each project? 

The biggest takeaway from the reading is that Web GIS allows interactive ways to view data and that helps people understand it better. The applications allow for combinations of map, charts, and tables so that it doesn’t seem overwhelming to look at data. I think this makes GIS more accessible to other people as well. This allows for going beyond presenting a map with an expectation of understanding and allows the opportunity to click around and explore on their own to fully grasp the information. 

A cool application would be to track hellbender sightings and their movements through Ohio riverways. GPS locations from recorded hellbender observations would display and how those locations change over time. An interactive map would show sightings, which a chart shows observation dates, the tracking number of the individual hellbenders, and how far they moved. Then the data could be filtered based on individual hellbender, river location, or data. This could work similar to how people “adopt” a shark or sea turtle. This would help bring in money for restoration of the hellbender population, but also help monitor hellbender behavior, populations, and environmental conditions that cause movement. 

Chapter 5

In this chapter, I learned about the components and techniques used in ArcGIS Enterprise. ArcGIS Enterprise is similar to ArcGIS Online, but Enterprise allows you to work on a private server while Online does not. Notable software components of ArcGIS Enterprise include portal, server, adaptor, and data source. These components perform functions together to run Enterprise such as managing content, creating accessible geographic information, providing security, and storing configured data. The chapter then shifted to giving an overview of the different map layers such as raster tiles, vector tiles, map image layers, and feature tiles. While I remembered the function of these layers from GEOG 291, it served as a useful refresher. Additionally, I appreciated the inclusion of the table recommending which layer to use when you have certain types of data. The tutorial of this chapter involved working with both ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro. I learned how to add a portal connection, publish a vector and raster layer from ArcGIS Pro to ArcGIS Online, and got further acquainted with StoryMaps. I thought this tutorial was useful because it connected web GIS to desktop, which some people don’t have access to.

Application Idea: The assignment for this chapter just requires us to publish a raster layer and vector layer and compare the layers side by side. I would choose to make the layers with data from the previous tornado pathways in Kentucky. It also tells us to have a brief description of the differences between raster and vector tile layers. Raster tile layers are most appropriate for basemaps or maps with data that do not change a lot over time. They can provide advanced placement, symbology, imagery, and elevation data. Vector tile layers contain the geometries. The size of a vector tile is usually smaller than that of a raster tile because they are generated based on data density and resolution preference. The map style of a vector tile layer can be customized without having to regenerate tiles.

Chapter 6

This chapter introduces the concept of spatiotemporal data. Spatiotemporal data examines the where and when events occur and includes observations of objects and events that move or change through time. This type of data can be categorized into four groups: moving, discrete, stationary, and change. Seeing that all spatiotemporal data happens through time, the value of time is very important. Depending on the data at hand, time can be either measured at a point or a duration. The other part of spatiotemporal data is the physical objects themselves you are measuring. The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical objects embedded with sensors and network connectivity that enable objects to collect and exchange data. The chapter also included a variety of graphs and charts in this section, which were very helpful in explaining the concepts. Lastly, I was introduced to a variety of apps associated with spatiotemporal data such as ArcGIS Velocity, ArcGIS Dashboards, and ArcGIS Mission. For the tutorial, the first exercise had me work with various features of Dashboards. While I didn’t run into any problems since I was already familiar with the app, I did find the script section a bit challenging. The second exercise allowed me to create a time-enabled feature layer, which I really enjoyed the presentation of.

Application Idea: For this chapter, I would create a map showing how the percentage of land used in the United States has changed over time. To do this, I would symbolize the land used for agriculture with a unique color and create a time-enabled feature layer to show the change over decades. I could also create a dashboard from this data with the time scale map as the central focus, a chart displaying the percent change in land used for agriculture, and a list showing the states with the greatest percent change.

Chapter 3:

Chapter 3 provides an overview of ArcGIS Experience Builder. Readers learn the basics of the platform and its features. These include creating HTML and JavaScript apps, 2D and 3D web apps, widgets, flexible layouts, action triggers, and adaptable frameworks. All this is contained within a minimum of 1 page containing one or more windows. These pages can use basic or layout widgets for data or message actions.

This chapter’s tutorial guides the user to create a web experience. It requires the user to create a 2D and 3D web experience. It covers configuring map message actions, dynamic content, and various widgets (table, filter, and chart). Including creating and navigating within multiple pages.

Application: I would create an application to display changes in vegetation and population (with 2 maps). The 2D map would show areas that have significantly lost vegetation using a gradient map. A 3D map would show areas where populations are growing. Map mirroring would be used along with later pages containing specific data of the area chosen.

Chapter 4:

Chapter 4 discusses the use of Mobile GIS, which has been becoming more popular due to the rising use of smartphones. Being utilized for smart devices, mobile operating systems, wireless communication, and positioning technologies. Mobile GIS offers users many benefits, including portability, location awareness, easy data collection, real-time information, large user volume, and versatile communication. This makes it a good choice for indoor and field operations, where ArcGIS offers various applications for these tasks.

In this chapter’s tutorial, readers learn how to use operational applications. Survey123 is one of them, allowing users to design smart surveys, capture field data, store survey results, and collect data. FieldMaps improves data capture, while QuickCapture is designed to capture field observations much faster. The last application in the tutorial is AuGeo, using augmented reality to visualize data.

Application: I would create an application to visualize sightings of the invasive spotted lantern fly. The survey would include the following: date, time, and location. I would add a description box so users can describe what they saw, including adding a photo of the scene. A map would be created from this data to show recent sightings of this specific insect.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 focuses on making interactive web apps with the ArcGIS Experience Builder, was a revelation. You can now put multiple maps, charts, photos and other kinds of information into one app without coding. Coming from primarily working with Python and R where I’ve always done separate graphics and data analysis work, it was eye-opening to see all this stuff consolidated. Also, widgets, which are all the various components you use to interact with an app, such as maps, tables, filters, and charts, were discussed, which was nice. Plus, the ability of all these widgets to talk to one another was very interesting to see. In other words, if a user picks a location on the map, another area of the app will automatically update to reflect that choice. This strikes me as very powerful and useful for users who want to explore the data without needing to know anything about it. Also, adding 2D maps and 3D scenes together, something I’d never thought of before, seemed like a good idea for showing geographic info in multiple ways. Now, I’m not sure how flexible the Experience Builder is compared to other tools like Python’s Dash or Streamlit, which do pretty much the same kind of interactive dashboard making. Has anyone else had experience with both.. using both Experience Builder and either Dash or Streamlit? And if so, are there any situations or things you can do with Experience Builder that you can’t do with the others? Especially when it comes to doing geographic type stuff.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4, about Mobile GIS. So this is where you can capture and edit the actual data using your smartphone or tablet, not just view it on your computer. I had known that smartphones could use GPS and other geolocation technologies for general applications, but never thought about using them to input data in the field. They gave examples of some applications, such as ArcGIS Survey123, Field Maps, and QuickCapture. Survey123 reminded me of Google Forms, but with the additional capability of capturing geolocation. When I read about the conditional visibility feature of questions based on answers to previous questions, I thought it was a very useful tool. For instance, in the example given, if you picked “recyclables” as the incident type, then you would be asked what types of recyclables it was. It doesn’t seem like a very difficult feature, but could make a significant difference in ease of use of a survey. Field Maps allows you to create points and lines on a map and attach a photo to them. When reading about it, I realized that GPS data can vary significantly indoors versus outdoors. I began to wonder just how accurate geolocation data really is. QuickCapture struck me as different, focusing on simple data capture in as few clicks as possible. The main difference between this chapter and the others is that Mobile GIS goes from viewing data to creating data. My only concern is how they deal with inaccuracies in GPS data or the submission of false information from so many users.

Application Idea

One possible application would be to expand on my idea from Chapters 1 and 2, which was comparing household income and housing prices across the United States. I think Experience Builder could make this project more interactive by allowing users to explore different regions and compare the data through maps and charts at the same time. For example, users could select a state or county on the map and see its median household income, median home value, and maybe a simple ratio between the two. I would use data from the U.S. Census Bureau and possibly analyze it in Python or R before uploading it to ArcGIS Online. I could also use Survey123 to collect people’s opinions about housing affordability in their own areas. It would be interesting to compare the actual economic data with how people feel about housing costs where they live. I think combining these tools could make the project more useful than just presenting a map or a set of graphs, especially for people who are not familiar with data analysis.

Chapter 3

Working from basic Web AppBuilder to ArcGIS Experience Builder is basically like upgrading from a basic PowerPoint layout to a completely custom website designer. Instead of getting stuck in a premade template where you can only change a few colors, Experience Builder gives you total control. You can drag and drop map tools, images, text, and buttons wherever you want, and even build multi-page web apps without needing to write a single line of code. What makes it so useful is how it turns simple map data into an interactive visual dashboard. You can display 2D maps, 3D views, photos, and text side by side. It also lets different parts of the screen talk to each other. For example, if someone clicks a building on the map, a list next to it instantly updates to show details about that specific spot. 

Chapter 4 

Goes into Mobile GIS, which basically takes map data out of the computer lab and puts it right onto your smartphone or tablet. The biggest takeaway is realizing just how much we interact with location data every day without thinking about it—from food delivery apps tracking drivers to weather apps pinpointing storms. Instead of just viewing static maps on a desktop, Mobile GIS allows anyone in the field to collect real-time data, update map layers on the spot, and snap geotagged photos using specialized mobile apps.
The chapter breaks down several key tools, each built for a specific kind of field work. ArcGIS Survey123 feels just like creating a Google Form, but every response automatically links to a specific point on a map. ArcGIS QuickCapture is designed for high-speed data collection, like tapping a single big button on your phone screen while riding a bike to log road damage or tree locations instantly. Other tools  lettyou view hidden GIS data layered directly over your phone’s camera view of the real world. 

You could use a custom dataset that would be a Interactive Campus Recycling & Sustainability App. The main screen could feature a map showing every recycling, composting, and e-waste bin across campus. Users could click quick filter buttons to show only specific bin types, like electronics or aluminum. Clicking a bin location on the map would immediately open a side panel with photos of what goes inside and the pickup schedule. You could even add a second tab that takes users on a guided virtual tour of campus green spots like solar panels and community gardens. Experience Builder makes combining all these moving pieces easy.

Chapter 3

In this chapter, I learned about the different aspects of ArcGIS Experience Builder. Experience Builder is an app that uses widgets to combine different apps such as mapping, table views, querying, charting, and reporting. The app layout is based on the components pages and windows. Pages provide the different sections of Experience Builder, while windows provide the content in those sections. Within the pages and windows, there are widgets. The two types of widgets include basic and layout. Basic widgets perform foundational aspects of the app such as maps, legends, layers, filters, and charts, while layout widgets help organize these basic widgets. In this chapter’s tutorial, I created a web experience using Experience Builder. I learned skills such as how to integrate 2D and 3D maps into the app, organize and animate widgets, configure map actions, configure dynamic content, and many other basic functions of the app. While I was able to complete the tutorial successfully, I did run into a few minor issues. For example, some of the book steps did not exactly line up with the app, leaving me to explore the app to find the point of reference. I also could not add the link to the “Alerts” page. To fix this, I went to the site and copied the new URL that was compatible with the app.

Application Idea: I would create a web experience based on my application idea from chapter 2 (percent change in annual rainfall throughout the United States). One half of the experience would be a 2D map displaying the percent annual change in rainfall throughout the United States in the form of graduated colors. The other would be a 3D map with height representing the quantity of change and color representing a positive or negative change. I would add map actions to mirror the location of selection on both maps. Other pages would include one detailing a variety of statistical analyses and one linked to a flood relief website.

Chapter 4

This chapter explored all there is to know about Mobile GIS. This chapter was particularly interesting to me because although I knew that GIS was involved in many things, it really put into perspective just how widely it is used. While the chapter initially detailed some navigational information, it mainly focused on the different apps of Mobile GIS. By explaining what the apps were for and how they are directly applied into society, I was able to identify the apps that were and will be the most useful to me. Something that I appreciated in the tutorials of this chapter was that it was split into four different exercises. By doing this, I was able to more thoroughly understand the apps better since I was able to individually work with each one. The first exercise was focused on ArcGIS Survey123. This app reminded me of Google Forms and was easy to navigate and use. During the second exercise, I had some trouble completing the final part because I could not find the steps the chapter was referring to in the app. Exercise three was simple and worked with the QuickCapture app. I enjoyed the premise behind the app because the project that we made in the tutorial seemed like it could be extremely useful. Lastly, the fourth exercise taught me how to prepare data with AuGeo.

Application Idea: The application that I would create would be based on one of the projects that I learned about in one of my classes. I would choose to have people from Delaware County report populations of flowering and native plants they have present on their properties. The survey would consist of them specifying their location, submitting a photo, and describing what the plant looks like and what time it blooms. From this, I would create a map of the possible places for pollinators in Delaware County. The data would represent the pollinator habitats and areas of possible habitat growth.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 provided a new way to create interactive web applications using ArcGIS Experience Builder. Experience Builder is an Esri application that allows users to create interactive web applications without any programming skills. It combines maps, data, images, charts, and other tools to create professional web experiences. Users can build applications that provide information from geographic information, locations, view statistics, and interact with maps.

There are different components called widgets to provide specific functions. For example, the Map widget displays geographic information, the Search widget helps users find locations, and the Filter widget allows users to display selected information. There are many different widgets that also assist in organizing data and can present information in special ways. Another important feature of Experience Builder is its ability to combine 2D maps and 3D scenes. A 2D map displays geographic information on a flat surface, while a 3D scene allows users to explore geographic features with height, depth, and perspective.  Using the action function allows widgets to communicate with each other. For example, when a user selects a location from a list, the map can automatically zoom to that location and display related information. Connecting different widgets can make the application more interactive and easier to use. Dynamic content in maps can also be filtered to fit the needs of the user. 

Users can create multiple pages within an Experience Builder application and organize them using layouts, menus, and navigation tools. For example, a tourism application may contain separate pages for tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, and transportation. Overall, ArcGIS Experience Builder is an application that makes developing web applications functional for all kinds of users by combining geographic data, maps, and visual information.

Chapter 4

Mobile GIS is useful because access to geographic data outside the traditional office environment is flexible for some users. One advantage to Mobile GIS is its ability to collect user time data and it records locations more accurately. Mobile GIS also makes fieldwork easier because information can be collected electronically instead of using paper forms. Some mobile GIS applications support offline data collection, allowing users to work in areas without internet access and synchronize their information when a connection becomes available.

Mobile GIS uses different types of geographic features, including points, lines, and polygons. Points represent locations, lines represent features, while polygons represent areas such as buildings, lakes, and parks. Feature layers store these geographic features together with their attribute information. Users can edit feature layers by adding, updating, or deleting information. Domains can also be used to restrict attribute values to specific choices, maintaining accurate and consistent data.

There are several approaches to developing mobile GIS applications, including browser-based, native, and hybrid applications. Browser-based applications operate through web browsers, native applications are developed for specific operating systems, and hybrid applications combine web technologies with native mobile features. These approaches allow GIS applications to operate on different devices and provide access to features such as GPS, cameras, and location services. 

There are many subsets of applications that ArcGIS provides for mobile GIS. ArcGIS Field Maps allows users to view maps, collect geographic data, and edit geographic features while working in the field. ArcGIS Survey123 is used to create digital surveys and forms for collecting information. ArcGIS QuickCapture allows users to collect information quickly using simple buttons, while ArcGIS Navigator helps fieldworkers find and navigate to assigned locations. These applications improve the efficiency of field data collection and help organizations manage geographic information. Virtual Reality is a growing type of technology that is making it possible for scientists in the field to gather data underground. 

Another important concept in Mobile GIS is Location-Based Services (LBS). These services use the geographic location of a mobile device to provide relevant information or services. Mobile GIS also supports Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), which refers to geographic information voluntarily contributed by members of the public. People can report traffic accidents, flooding, road damage, and other events, helping organizations gather information from different locations. Mobile GIS is widely used by different companies and agencies. It allows organizations to collect and share geographic information more efficiently, improve field operations, and make better decisions using accurate location-based data.

Application:

One way that I could apply chapters three and four is tracking different wildlife populations. This would be using multiple approaches such as using Mobile GIS and ArcGIS Experience Builder to create an interactive map showing accurate data. Researchers would use Mobile GIS to collect data and animal sightings and place it directly to coordinates.