Here is the link to the post with the embedded map page on my website.
I really enjoyed the process of web mapping using the ArcGIS online platform. Not only the lab instructions are very straightforward, but the platform interface is also very neat and user friendly. Although it might take one some time to memorize what all the tiny icons in content mean, it is overall very intuitive. The design of having different layers of maps is very smart and easy for users to navigate. I really like the fact that one can switch a layer on and off and compare the differences between the added layer and the original one. It is also very useful to just click on one point and have all the information regarding that one point popped up. I also really appreciate the fact that the resulting map can be turned into an interactive web app with one click. It is very convenient for users to embed the resulting map on other websites and platforms.
There are a lot of potentials in web mapping and the ArcGIS online platform. I am currently taking data science during which I learned how to use R to visualize data on maps, and I have to say that ArcGIS is a much more useful and effective tool than R. It is a very powerful tool that can create interactive and informative maps with just a few clicks. ArcGIS also offer a lot more customization than R. As long as your data has longitude and latitude or any geographical information, you can visualize it using web mapping platform such as ArcGIS. I can see how this would be extremely important in areas such as geospatial analysis, transportation, census, and etc. The interactive property of the resulting map makes it accessible and rich in information to everyone in the world!
I also think that the ability to turn on and off layers, especially when there are multiple data sets, is very helpful. The ability to customize features in general means that the data can be compared in many different ways. It is both important to be able to see isolated and overlapping data.
Hi Jeanny! I enjoyed both of your posts. Yes, the directions were very straightforward and I got a lot of help just by following them! It is interesting how you think ArcGIS is a more powerful source than R. I have not taken Data Science so I really know nothing about R, so you must be more knowledgeable than me in R, which makes me believe you are correct!