Web GIS: Web GIS Lab 1

Goal and Background
The goal of this lab was for the students to understand the uses of web-based GIS applications, build familiarity with these applications, and to learn how to construct an application using sample data.

Methods

In order to become comfortable with ArcGIS online, I first studied a sample web map created by one of the program's developers.

Tags help people find maps by associating them with a topic

Initial observation of the map's metadata gave me insight into the importance of adding my own tags and labels to our own maps.

The "Oceans" basemap adds vivid
detail to the volcanoes map

Interaction with the map layers showed the importance of choosing the proper basemap when building a web map.
I also learned the difference between a hosted map service and a hosted feature service, and how to view pop-up windows supported by the hosted feature services.

The Hazard Zone Boundaries layer is a hosted feature service, and features
pop-up windows granting even more information to the map user.

I next made a copy of the sample map and used the copy to experiment with changes to the map's symbology. Then, I shared the map to our department's ArcGIS online group.

"Hazard Zone Boundaries" at 50% transparency.
Later it will be set to 100% transparency.

In order to learn how to make a web map, I re-created Chris Harder's map using the service layers he published and the oceans base map. I then renamed all of the layers so that the names would be both shorter and make more logical sense. Next, I adjusted the transparency of "Hazard Zone Boundaries" and "Highways", so they would be not visible and less visible, respectively.

I then removed legend entries that were redundantly self-explanatory by the map itself.

I found a layer featuring the locations of emergency shelters on the island, and added it to the map.

My finished map featuring emergency shelters

In order to become acquainted with Esri's Story Maps, I constructed one of my own using their Story Map builder. First, I constructed a map template of the study area using Esri's web map builder. I used the "Terrain with Labels" base-map, as it will allow for simplified differentiation between points on my story map. After focusing the extent of the map to the area around Austin, Texas, I saved the document, shared it to the course group, and created a web app from the template.

The Study Area around Austin, Texas

In order to create the story map, I chose the "Story Map Tour" from Esri's list of configurable web applications. I then created a feature service named "Geog_368_Sawall" and added the sample photographs to the feature service. After creating the feature service, I added the photos to the story map, named them, captioned them, and added their X,Y coordinates so they could be properly geotagged in the finished map. I then shared the map to the course group, and launched the application from a client's side view.

The finished Story Map Tour

Results

The Volcanoes map features the feature services "Volcanoes" and "Hazard Zone Boundaries" which allow the end-user to find more information about these two features through interactive pop-up windows. It also features another feature service "Highways" that allows the end-user to find out the name, type, and class of any highway within the map area. I also included a feature service with all of the emergency shelters on the island, so people needing a place to stay in the case of a volcanic eruption would have all of that information easily accessible to them through a handy pop-up window showing the names, addresses, and phone numbers for every one. This map can be found at: http://arcg.is/1itXrUO

The Story Map Tour is operable by: the arrows on either side of the photo window, the location pins on the reference map, or by the horizontal list of photos across the bottom of the screen. This versatility greatly benefits the end users, as there is no wrong way to operate the app. The map also features the photos as part of a feature service that could possibly be used in an additional map at some point in the future. If an end-user finds the map truly interesting and can't wait to share it with all of their closest friends and acquaintances, the application also has links to facilitate easy sharing to Facebook and Twitter. This map can be found at: http://arcg.is/1iaO3oQ