Lab #4: Introducing ArcMap

ArcGIS Map Poster:

Before I began using ArcGIS, I scanned the room to see if other had opened up their instructions. The first thing I did was acknowledging how many pages the tutorial was. With over 50 pages, I started to think that I would not be able to finish this lab due to my time constraints with other responsibilities. The directions were of course detailed, but tedious at the same time. Working with ArcMap offers an array of advantageous possibilities and potential pitfalls.

ArcGIS allows urban/city planners, geographers, political scientists, architects, and others to map out any desired dataset. Lines, polygons, points, and different drawing tools can interpret data. Color-coding, bar graphs, line graphs, and different mechanisms make the datasets easier to comprehend. Although neogeography mapping allows for people create their own maps, ArcMap and ArcGIS allow users to create more detailed and comprehensive data and analysis, such as adding layers and using extent rectangles to efficiently map out their datasets.

One critique I had about the program was the amount of space of error. One mistake could potentially ruin the project that you start. Saving and editing project was among the tedious tasks. In order to proceed in the lab, you had to export every separate project as a .jpg file and upload it into the larger frame. Saving his file in a .jpg means that you will not be able to edit it later on. You would have to make sure that you have the data set on your file and .jpg to open and edit a file successfully. If users forget to save the file in the correct setting, then the project will take more time than needed.

Being non-tech savvy, it was hard for me to work with a computer program. Though, I definitely find that this tool is useful for urban planners like myself. In the future, I hope to see that ArcGIS becomes a more accessible tool for everyone and also refines its complicatedness. I plan to reuse this program for future planning ideas. This visualization process allows for fast and detailed analysis of any dataset.