Lab 4: ArcGIS Tutorial Map

Using ESRI's ArcGIS for the first time was an exciting and new experience for me.  I have never before had the opportunity to use this powerful piece of software.  Getting familiar with the interface was not as easy as I had anticipated.  Even with ESRI's detailed instructions for the tutorial, I often found my map different or dissimilar from the instructions.  For example, while creating the three maps required by this assignment I had difficulty making the map fit the data frame.  I did not understand the tools used for zooming, as there are many zoom options in the tool bars at the top.  There are page zoom (layout zoom) options for adjusting the view of the entire sheet, as well as data zoom options.  At multiple stages of the tutorial, I thought I had made an error and would have to start again, as my map would become very small within the data frame, or even disappear all together.  By the end of the tutorial however, I had come to understand the zoom functions, and was able to position my maps within their respective data frames with ease.

Another issue I had with using ArcGIS was not with the software itself, but rather with the remote desktop log in.  After many attempts at using the after hours log in, I was finally able to connect to a desktop computer in our computer lab.  However, even when I had achieved a stable connection, I was unable to load my map from my flash drive successfully.  As the computer lab is not open on the weekends, I resigned myself to finish the lab on Monday when the computer lab reopened.  Fortunately, my roommate and I came to Young Research Library today to study for upcoming midterms.  I sat at a desk which happened to have a desktop computer installed, and after a few hours of studying, an idea donned on me; what if the library computers also have ArcGIS installed on them?  Well it turns out they do, and I was able to complete my mapping tutorial as seen above.

Using ArcGIS for the first time taught me more than a few lessons.  Firstly, this software is not as simple, or easy to learn as I had anticipated.  I consider myself to be somewhat of a computer nerd, and I enjoy using Adobe Photoshop, and 3D CAD modeling software in my spare time.  Seeing as these programs are also considered to have a steep learning curve, and I had a relatively easy time learning them, I did not believe ArcGIS would prove as complicated or intriguing as it turned out to be.  I also manage eDiscovery data for legal firms as a job, which entails a large amount of database manipulation and management.  I hope that my experience in that field will help me with ArcGIS, but since we were given data to use in the tutorial, I have yet to see if that assumption will prove true.  This first taste of ArcGIS left me impressed, and excited to use the software for more challenging projects in the future.  As of right now, I am fully planing on completing the GIS minor here at UCLA.

I also thought of a few potential pitfalls as I use ArcGIS in the future.  Foremost among them, is my tendency to become so distracted by one detail, that I forget about the big picture and/or managing other details simultaneously.  For instance, while I was manipulating the final layout for my tutorial map production, I inadvertently shifted one of my maps without shifting the legend or scale along with it.  I was so distracted by editing one of the other maps, that I almost did not catch my error prior to exporting the map sheet for upload.  Little errors such as this will cost me points in this and future GIS classes, and may well cost me a job post graduation.  There are also several exciting potentials for my use of GIS in my current job as an eDiscovery and practice support contractor.  As we learned in class, most data contains location information, and this holds true in the legal field as well.  Many of the cases I have worked on deal with geographical distribution of class members, instances of liability and electronic address information.  I have yet to see a law firm hire a GIS contractor specifically; most often the task of creating visual representations of data falls on the practice support department, which does not staff any GIS professionals.  Once I become more proficient with ArcGIS, I can introduce GIS to my employers.  Hopefully I will be able utilize the software in creating powerful visual representations and even help formulate location based arguments for use in mediation and maybe even in trial.  Ideally, my future GIS skills will lead to more employment opportunities, and the potential for raises and promotions within my current position.

On another note, I was encouraged by this week's assignment to try and purchase a copy of ArcGIS from ESRI with which I could complete coursework at home, and also use for my own personal projects.  However, I was not able to find any retailers of the software, and ESRI's website did not list any pricing information.  The website simply said to call and inquire, which leads me to believe that ArcGIS is a rather expensive, and exclusive piece of software.  I would be interested to learn about any opportunities for students to purchase their own copy from ESRI, ideally at a discounted price!