Lab 4: Introducing ArcMap

In this weeks Lab we used the program ArcGIS 10.1 in order to complete a number of tasks. Using ArcGIS we mapped out the noise pollution caused by a proposed airport expansion zone, noting the population density, land use and schools in the surrounding areas.

In comparison to last weeks lab using Google Maps, there are several disadvantages to ArcGIS. Firstly, I found that there was a steep learning curve with a lot of different features available to me. Despite having a guide, I found that there was a lot of trial and error, even performing the most basic of tasks such as adding a tittle was made difficult for the first couple of tries. This may have been down to the fact that the instructions that we had were for ArcGIS 9, not ArcGIS 10.1. This again is a drawback as it seems that with every new version you have to re-learn some of the basic functions of the program. Finally, ArcGIS is very expensive and not readily accessible to everyone. I was limited to working on the lab computers and not on my home PC. With Google Maps I could work on it from anywhere with an internet connection.

Despite its pitfalls, ArcGIS excels in other areas. It was easy to display complicated patterns and had the ability to turn on and off layers which was particularly helpful in spotting trends and patterns. As well as this, adding new layers was easy and smooth, there was no 'lag' or delay. Furthermore, it was much less restrictive in comparison to google maps and allowed for greater personalisation and flexibility when handling and displaying data.

Despite its drawbacks, ArcGIS appears to be a powerful tool in displaying data as well as finding relationships and patterns. The objective nature of the task also adds credit to its findings.