CARTOmazing

This is my least favorite thing to work with and to teach to staff in our organization. I find projections really hard to define especially with most publicly available datasets not having metadata. It's quite easy to explain on what projection really means but questions about what's the best projection to use is really hard to decipher. Since, I work on a lot of countries it's quite hard to determine the best projection to use. The important thing that I kept in mind is that if your doing a spatial analysis in your data make sure to have a consistent projection across all your layers.  Like what was shown on the map, you'll not be able to notice the difference until you move in to a closer look at your visualization. In addition, digging deep through your dataset calculations would also provide you more clarity to the advantages and disadvantages of each projection. Going over the sample counties gives you a grasp on the difference between the...

For this first part of the laboratory, we were tasked to create a feature layer that would then be editable and added to a web map. That web map would be then accessed to a mobile data collection tool called Collector for ArcGIS. I've been a huge fan Collector ever since and oh boy! it has upgraded a lot since I last used it. I started with using the classic one and now it has additional features. Before, you can't even set a map area to download offline in ArcGIS Online. You do that in the mobile app itself and it's really a bummer because you have to set it per tablet/mobile device that each field workers use.  We then exported it to different types - depending on accessibility and functionality. I would say as a GIS Analyst, I would still prefer the access to ArcGIS Pro - saving it as a map package and using that to share to a colleague. If there's a need to review your back-end data then that would be the most useful. Otherwise, ArcGIS On...

I loved this week's lab assignment as I really am into the art of map-making (and the science too!). I like it when maps have good cartographic design principles. For me the 5 principles that we need in a map are: (1) visual contrast, (2) legibility, (3) figure-ground organization, (4) hierarchical organization and (5) balance. Besides the technical aspects of the map it's good to take note on how well you present it. It makes your map catchy and deserve a second look from your audience. Most important I wanted my map audience to learn as well as to enjoy looking at the map - maybe something they could hang at their wall.  This week's map focuses on the location of the UWF's Main campus with inset maps on where it is located in Escambia County, Florida. With the addition of 2 landmarks showing 2 major cities which is the Ferry Pass and Pensacola. Other layers in the map includes major rivers and highways in Escambia with the intent of providing a overvi...

I remember the very first map back in college when I was taking my first GIS class. We did the same exercise about choropleth map about the Philippines' population - using ArcMap. The map contains a very basic information about world population represented as polygons in graduated colors and cities represented by points. It has been a long time since I have exercised creating a choropleth map and I was really excited to reminisce my first map making. It was really hard to accomplish quickly due to connection issues but I hope in the next exercises we could use our local ArcGIS Pro licenses and then maybe just share the project package file.  Anyway, the process of creating the map was pretty straightforward and the directions were clear enough to understand. I really liked the screenshots that was added with the instructions for students to really grasp the basics of ArcGIS Pro. I have a initial template that I usually use for maps so I just made use of that design ...