Book Image

Mapping with ArcGIS Pro

By : Amy Rock, Ryan Malhoski
Book Image

Mapping with ArcGIS Pro

By: Amy Rock, Ryan Malhoski

Overview of this book

ArcGIS Pro is a geographic information system for working with maps and geographic information. This book will help you create visually stunning maps that increase the legibility of the stories being mapped and introduce visual and design concepts into a traditionally scientific, data-driven process. The book begins by outlining the steps of gathering data from authoritative sources and lays out the workflow of creating a great map. Once the plan is in place you will learn how to organize the Contents Pane in ArcGIS Pro and identify the steps involved in streamlining the production process. Then you will learn Cartographic Design techniques using ArcGIS Pro's feature set to organize the page structure and create a custom set of color swatches. You will be then exposed to the techniques required to ensure your data is clear and legible no matter the size or scale of your map. The later chapters will help you understand the various projection systems, trade-offs between them, and the proper applications of them to make sure your maps are accurate and visually appealing. Finally, you will be introduced to the ArcGIS Online ecosystem and how ArcGIS Pro can utilize it within the application. You will learn Smart Mapping, a new feature of ArcGIS Online that will help you to make maps that are visually stunning and useful. By the end of this book, you will feel more confident in making appropriate cartographic decisions.
Table of Contents (12 chapters)
Index

The world is round, and maps are flat


Humans have known for a long time that the world is not flat. It is a spinning globe orbiting a star in outer space. In classrooms and homes around the world, people have world globes so they can reference or study them when they want to discuss location; however, there are two major problems with globes—scale and portability. For a globe to be physically practical, it must be able to fit through doorways and small enough for a person to maneuver. This, however, limits the amount of data that can be presented to the viewer. Globes are not very practical for travel space either, they are rigid and take up a lot of space. The simple solution for these problems is to use a flat map. A flat map can be folded or rolled for storage and transportation, and can be hung or laid out on a surface to be viewed. This is why almost all your interactions with maps are flat instead of round globes.

Taking that round globe and putting it on a flat surface is not easy...