ArcGIS map

ArcMap

Using ArcGIS for the first time was confusing and a little frustrating, but rewarding in the end, after creating the final poster. The tutorial was a little outdated, and while the significant changes were noted in the lab instructions, a lot of things were aesthetically different, which took more time to figure out. I had never used a GIS program in the past, so I was entirely unfamiliar with the tools and capabilities of the program. At first everything was foreign and I didn't even quite understand how to operate the zoom in/out and pan buttons but after a while I got the hang of it. By the end of the tutorial, it instructed me to repeat a lot of processes that I had completed earlier. I thought I would have to refer  to the step-by-step instructions, but I was actually able to utilize the tools and execute the steps just by relying on memory.

There were some technical glitches, such as the legend key and scale bar vanishing from one of my maps and trying to decipher some complicated steps that were not detailed enough. For example, I had to export data files and save them to the Map file on my flash disk, which I had never dealt with before. I believe that a more tech savvy individual would definitely not have had such problems, however. My difficulties were most likely due to the fact that I am a little technologically challenged. Other than that, the tutorial was clear and detailed. It was a good introduction to such a complex program, highlighting a lot of key features that will undoubtedly be useful in the future.I definitely learned a lot and believe it will be a lot easier and less frustrating as I use the program more.

I like the fact that ArcGIS can be used to handle all of the subsystems of GIS including data input, preprocessing, analysis and output. It makes the experience much more convenient - especially the fact that you can switch easily from data view to layout view. This definitely makes it a dynamic and flexible program. The spatial and attribute components together definitely make for a powerful tool for analyzing datasets. In addition to organizing and analyzing, the information can be made presentable (such as the above poster) and used to present ideas to decision-makers.

I also realized what all my friends minoring in GIS mean now! It is a very time-consuming process, which is a drawback. It definitely took me longer than I expected to complete the tutorial and I can understand how it could be a tedious process: gathering data, converting files, organizing and presenting information. If one was not well trained or educated it could be a very daunting task. Another thing to be weary of is that data, no matter how objective or factual, can be biased. So all the information you gather from a certain data set can be colored by it. That's why it is important to understand the intent of the research, or clearly figure out your own objectives. Lastly, the program itself does not run perfectly, just like any other software, so it is important to save your work on a regular basis and try not to get frustrated with minor technical difficulties.