A large majority of the interactive GIS web maps published online today are unusable to the general public. Don’t get me wrong, as a GIS user there are some really great, feature rich and informative sites that serve their purpose as well as their audience. But for the non-GIS user, the sites that are specifically designed just for them are practically useless (meaning the user leaves without accomplishing the intended task). These sites are either trying to do way too much in one published map or the architect is losing focus on what the site is there to do in the first place. As someone who builds and designs interactive mapping sites for local governments, I have had countless conversations with non-GIS users (realtors, developers, homeowners, etc.) trying to figure out what they want most out of an online mapping application. Here’s what I’ve learned: these users wants to obtain geospatial and non-geospatial information, they want it fast, and they don’t want to learn GIS software or obtain GIS skills to get it. They also want some kind of beginning point when they arrive to the web map such as a search button. This should be the most prevalent tool on the interface for the public user. We should keep in mind that when we throw a map out on the web for the public, with tons of GIS information displayed, it can sometimes be overwhelming. If there is no visible starting point to the GIS madness, the public user easily becomes intimidated and deems the site “unusable.”
Here are a few things that we have focused on when designing a “public” GIS mapping site.
- Make it Simple -The user should be able to operate the site within the first 30-60 seconds after arriving. We have noticed on our sites the average user time is around 8 minutes top. This means the users are getting on, getting what they need and leaving. If you need a site that does more intensive GIS functions for your GIS users, create a different site for them.
- Don’t Make Me Think – Design the site to do as much for the users without additional user interactions – A property mapping site we created for Sumner County, TN is a great example of this. Here we decided to give the user as much information as the GIS can give based on a selected parcel. With one mouse click the site delivers the property attributes then does geo-processing which returns additional spatially generated attributes like school district, zoning, census block, flood map, traffic analysis zone, etc. as it is related to that selected parcel. The user does not have to turn on and off individual GIS layers and visually compare each one just to find the answer, although they are still able to do this if they desire. This way, we give the user all the answers they can get from the site in one click and leave it up to the extent of their GIS knowledge to do visual comparisons, etc. with the map.
- Have a visual starting point – This can be anything that says something like “Search”, “Step 1″, something. I have noticed when people first discover these sites they become overwhelmed but are still very excited about discovering the site. I believe the users immediately see the potential of the site but most sites fail to deliver quickly by losing the users interest with no easy method to dig in. For example, if it is a parcel mapping site, then “Search Parcel” should be easily found.
- Don’t try to do too much – With the property mapping example above, a user can determine quickly that it is a parcel mapping site. Meaning everything on the map and all the geo-processing performed is based on how other GIS information is related to a specific parcel. There really is no need to publish every piece of information within your GIS. If there is additional information that is not specifically related to a parcel then create another service or site to perform that function. This expands on item 3 above by giving the user a choice of which map to choose based on what information they are looking to retrieve. I have found that trying to create a site that answers every question possible is not as effective as having several sites that answer specific questions.
All that said, the GIS community should be commended for pushing for more and better ways of getting the information into the hands of the masses. We just feel that it should be powerful and simple, all at the same time.
This month we are promoting the Hardeman County, TN GEOpowered interactive mapping site. Hardeman County, with its county seat in Bolivar, TN, sits just east of Memphis and south of Jackson. On the GEOpowered site you’ll find property information available through map or text searches. With GEOpowered, we make online interactive mapping simple. Simple to setup and simple to use.
The National Weather Service has a simple (yet informative) map and pictorial on post-storm TN Tornado coverage. The map is As of Noon today, Jared’s Tornado map has reached over 6500 views. Most hits are coming from the News 2 Weather site. Jared is adding to it regularly. President Bush visited the area earlier today.
The Tennessee Geographic Information Council (TNGIC) just anounced that registration for TNGIC 2008 is now OPEN! This years conference will be held in Chattanooga, TN at the Chattanooga Convention Center on March 24 – 28. Please Click Here to register for the conference online! This registration link will take you to both Vendor and Attendee registration forms. TNGIC is also offering training to those TNGIC members that are interested. The class being offered from ESRI is Introduction to Geoprocessing Scripts Using Python.
Be sure to drop by and visit GEO-Jobe GIS at Booth 1
I found this link for a Google Map by the user-name of “Jared” (no Google profile yet created). It seems as though Jared is keeping track of last Tuesday night’s tornado destruction, American Red Cross shelters, deaths, News Stories, etc. on his Google “My Maps”. I am unsure at this point if ”Jared” is keeping this map up-to-date as more and more information comes in. Keep checking throughout the day to see if the map is being updated. This is a great example of how easily the Google maps interface can be used to quickly generate geospatial information as it is needed and get it out to the public. If you are out there “Jared” show yourself. I think you are the only one out there with a user generated map of the tornado damage so far. You can visit Jared’s Google Maps Site by CLICKING HERE.
View Larger Map
Last night was a rocky night for most. Tornadoes ripped through the state of Tennessee leaving homes and businesses devastated and many lives lost. Today local and state EMA’s are assessing the damage and working to get city, state, and local infrastructure operational once again. GEO-Jobe GIS is lending a Trimble GeoXT GPS unit, free of charge, to any Tennessee city, county, or state agency who needs this equipment to help collect tornado damage information. These units are fully configured with GIS data collection software, etc. and are ready to go into the field. If you are in Tennessee and are interested, please contact us as at 615-883-0085. I think we have about 3 units available.
Radar Loop of last nights tornadoes.
Here are a couple of code snippets that we use to send an email after an ArcGIS Script (Model Builder) runs successfully. We like to use this code when running automated (scheduled) ArcGIS scripts when no one is around during off-hours. When the script is executed, this code will send an email to an individual email or multiple email addresses delivering a message. This has been tested on WinXP, W2k, & Windows 2003 Server. Let me know if it works under other platforms or if you have any problems or enhancements.
Here is how it works.
- Build a model using “Model Builder” inside ArcToolbox.
- Once you have the Model built and functioning properly, export the model to vbScript from Model Builder.
- Edit the vbScript with notepad and “add”either one of the following pieces of code below.
- I have included code for both POP3 and IMAP/Exchange mail servers. Fill in your email information everywhere you see Bold & Italic Text in the example code below.
For POP3 Email Servers
Const cdoSendUsingPickup = 1 ‘Send message using the local SMTP service pickup directory.
Const cdoSendUsingPort = 2 ‘Send the message using the network (SMTP over the network).Const cdoAnonymous = 0 ‘Do not authenticate
Const cdoBasic = 1 ‘basic (clear-text) authentication
Const cdoNTLM = 2 ‘NTLMSet objMessage = CreateObject(“CDO.Message”)
objMessage.Subject = “Enter Email Subject here”
objMessage.From = “”"ArcGIS”" <Enter FROM Email Address Here>”
objMessage.To = “Enter TO Email Address Here”
objMessage.TextBody = “Enter Email Body Here..” & vbCRLF & “Thanks, ArcGIS”‘==This section provides the configuration information for the remote SMTP server.
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing“) = 2‘Name or IP of Remote SMTP Server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver“) = “Enter SMTP Server Here”‘Type of authentication, NONE, Basic (Base64 encoded), NTLM
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpauthenticate“) = cdoBasic‘Your UserID on the SMTP server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusername“) = “Enter Email Username Here”‘Your password on the SMTP server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendpassword“) = “Enter Email User Password Here”‘Server port (typically 25)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserverport“) = 25‘Use SSL for the connection (False or True)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpusessl“) = False‘Connection Timeout in seconds (the maximum time CDO will try to establish a connection to the SMTP server)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpconnectiontimeout“) = 60objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Update
‘==End remote SMTP server configuration section==
objMessage.Send
For IMAP Exchange Servers
Set objMessage = CreateObject(“CDO.Message”)
objMessage.Subject = “Enter Email Subject Here”
objMessage.From = “Enter FROM Email Here”
objMessage.To = “Enter TO Email Here”
objMessage.TextBody = “Enter Email Body Here.”‘==This section provides the configuration information for the remote SMTP server.
‘==Normally you will only change the server name or IP.
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing“) = 2‘Name or IP of Remote SMTP Server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver“) = “Enter IP of Exchange Server Here”‘Server port (typically 25)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserverport“) = 25objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Update
‘==End remote SMTP server configuration section==
objMessage.Send
A quick check of the Connected Tennessee website shows a few links on the home page that provide some feedback to the Connected Tennessee folks. However the one that caught my eye was the free broadband speed test they have. Curious if your broadband provider is really giving you all you paid for in upload and download speeds. Go to http://speedtest.connectedtn.org/. Enter your zip code and county and you’ll be taken on a nifty graphical speed test with real time results during and after you’ve completed the test. Cool stuff.
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