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Exercise
Explore Bicycle Incidents Using Open
Data
Section 2 Exercise 1
10/2019
Do-It-Yourself Geo Apps MOOC
Instructions
Use this guide and ArcGIS Online to reproduce the results of the exercise on your own.
Note: ArcGIS Online is a dynamic mapping platform. The version that you will be using for
this course may be slightly different from the screen shots you see in the course materials.
Time to complete
Approximately 45 minutes
Technical note
To take advantage of the web-based technologies available in ArcGIS Online, use the
latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge. Other
browsers may not display your maps and apps correctly.
Introduction
As you know, geo apps require an underlying web map (https://bit.ly/1qERGr4), and the web
map relies on one or more web layers (https://bit.ly/2MSX2dP). As always, good apps and
maps are all about the data. Verifying the data is the first step in making a geo app or
performing any analysis.
In this exercise, you will learn how to find and explore open data and create a web layer. You
will use an open data site and build a basic web app from your search results.
In this section's lecture, Courtney discussed Washington, D.C.'s Vision Zero Initiative from her
perspective as a cyclist with concerns about safety. The Vision Zero Initiative crowdsources
locations of perceived risks by pedestrians, bikers, and car drivers, which the government
hopes to use to improve safety on D.C.'s streets. The crowdsourced data is verified and made
public through the government's open data portal for anyone to access.
Part I - Guided
The exercises in Sections 2 through 6 are split into two parts: a Guided part, which provides
step-by-step instructions, and a Do-It-Yourself part, where you can explore further and build
your own geo apps.
In the Guided part of this exercise, your goal is to create a web app that shares locations that
people feel are unsafe as they bicycle through Washington, D.C.
First, you will find a dataset to use.
e In the results, look for the Vision Zero Safety (Shared by DCGISopendata) dataset.
g At the top right of the map, in the Search Data And Map field, type Washington, DC,
USA and press Enter.
i Click the Zoom In button in the upper right and continue to zoom in several times to view
individual features.
You can pan, zoom, and click point features to retrieve information from pop-up windows.
j Click on a couple of point features of your choice to view the pop-up information that
displays.
As you scroll down the page, you see the Overview tab with descriptions of the data and
attributes. Next, you will look at the data itself.
b In the map, use the Zoom Out button to zoom out until the map shows the features in
and near Washington.
c Scroll down in the table to view the different features, and page through the dataset using
the buttons below the table.
d Use the horizontal scroll bar below the table or your arrow keys to scroll to the right to
view the information populating the different attribute fields in this dataset.
You have access to the entire attribute table in this view, but you will use the filtering tools to
help narrow the dataset to features that you are interested in.
b On the filter, click the down arrow, check the Biker box to filter down to just the biker
(bicyclist) data, and press Enter.
The table records are filtered to only show features where the Usertype is equal to Biker.
At this point, you have isolated a subset of the data and would like to export it. You can apply
more advanced symbolization and analysis tools in either ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Desktop.
This exercise will use ArcGIS Online.
You will download the dataset as a shapefile, which is a vector data storage format for storing
the location, shape, and attributes of geographic features. A shapefile is stored in a set of
related files and contains one feature class.
b On the right, click Download, and from the drop-down list, in the Filtered Dataset section,
click Shapefile.
Make sure that you have completed step 1 of Section 1 Exercise 1: Find
Amenities in Denver, CO. You will need a valid ArcGIS Online organization
account with publishing and sharing permissions to complete all the
exercises in this course.
c Sign in to ArcGIS Online using the ArcGIS Online credentials explained at the start of this
course.
Note: Step 1 of the Section 1 Exercise 1 PDF explains how to determine your ArcGIS Online
credentials (user name and password) for this course. If you have trouble signing in, go to the
Help tab.
e At the top left, click Add Item and choose From My Computer.
f In the dialog that opens, click Choose File, browse to the zipped shapefile that you
downloaded, and click Open.
Note: You do not need to unzip the file.
g Ensure that the Publish This File As A Hosted Layer box is checked.
Note: If you do not see this check box, the ArcGIS Online account you are using may not have
the necessary permissions. You can use an account that was created for you just for this
course by going to Section 1 Exercise 1 and choosing Option 2.
A hosted feature layer is the ArcGIS Online equivalent of a shapefile or feature class. In this
case, the features are the bicyclist concerns locations and the associated attribute information.
When you publish this data as a hosted feature layer, you have access to the data on any
browser in ArcGIS Online.
h Change the title of your file so that it is unique by adding your name at the end.
i Add relevant tags such as biker safety and Washington D.C., pressing Enter after typing
each tag.
Note: If a message displays regarding a map you may already have open, choose Yes, Open
The Map.
This will direct you to Map Viewer, the web client used to author maps in ArcGIS Online.
Your data is added to a new web map, with a default symbolization used for the point
features. The Change Style pane is automatically opened so that you can update the
symbology. Symbolization is the way the features are shown on the map, to help your
audience interpret the map. Variables such as the size, shape, and color of the symbols can be
changed.
Note: If your map is zoomed out to include other countries or continents, zoom back in to the
Washington, D.C., region, as shown.
Next, you will update the point symbolization to provide more meaning.
a At the top of the Change Style pane, for Choose An Attribute To Show, click the down
arrow and choose REQUESTTYP.
You should see the features on the map change colors so that they are symbolized based on
the type of request made. Feel free to explore the different drawing type options (https://
bit.ly/1OuxBNE).
a In the upper-left corner, click Basemap and choose Light Gray Canvas.
Now that your map looks good, you want to improve its functionality too. You will change the
pop-ups so that when users interact with the map, they see only relevant information.
d Under Pop-up Contents, click Configure Attributes (in blue text in the middle of the pane).
Here, you have the option to enable or disable the display of an attribute and change the
Field Alias (the text that displays in the pop-up).
e In the Display column, uncheck the box for every field except REQUESTTYP,
REQUESTDAT, STATUS, and COMMENTS, and then leave the Configure Attributes pane
open.
The names of these fields are standardized to make data processing more efficient. However,
you want the information to be easily understood and read in your pop-ups, so you will
change the field aliases.
f For each row, click the text in the Field Alias column, and then type the desired alias, as
shown below:
g After you are done editing the pop-up, click OK to close the Configure Attributes
window.
i Click a point on the map to see that the pop-up reflects these changes.
Next, you want to make a geo app to better view and share this data. To create an app from
your map, you must first save the map.
b Type an appropriate title and summary, as well as relevant tags to help users find your
app in ArcGIS Online.
Remember, Map Viewer is where you author maps. If you want to share your map, especially
with non-GIS users, you should share the contents of your map as a web app. You can choose
from many configurable apps, which serve as templates for web app creation. For this
exercise, you will share your information using a story map.
In addition to open data, the lectures for this lesson also talked about ArcGIS StoryMaps
(https://bit.ly/1X8Bkl4). Story maps are web app templates that let you combine maps with
narrative text, images, and multimedia content to tell your story. Story maps are another type
of web app that you configure using interactive builders, without coding.
By default, layers in ArcGIS Online are private. When you published the layer that you
exported from the open data site, the sharing settings were set to private. If you were to share
this web map, ArcGIS Online would detect that the underlying layer in the map did not have
the same sharing settings as the other layers and prompt you to update them. If you did not
update the sharing settings, when a user opened the app with the private layer in it, the user
would be asked for the layer owner's user name and password.
The following graphic illustrates how layers, web maps, and web apps can be shared in
ArcGIS Online. For more information about sharing, click here (https://bit.ly/1IwRKdn).
Next, you will use the Share dialog to create a web app from your map.
b In the Create A New Web App dialog box, on the left, click Build A Story Map.
You will see a link to the new ArcGIS StoryMaps above the thumbnails.
Note: If this is the first story map that you have created, you may see a Start A Story option.
Either Create New Story or Start A Story will launch the Storybuilder.
Storybuilder will launch.
e Begin typing to change the title to Vision Zero Safety and then change the subtitle line
to Bicycle Commuter Incidents in Washington, D.C.
f Scroll down the page and click the green Add Content Block button to begin adding
content to your story map.
You will see a variety of options available for you to customize your StoryMap. In this case,
you want to add a map, but you would also like to include supporting material, such as
photos and text, to enhance your story. You will add a sidecar, which is a split-screen layout
with a scrolling narrative panel and a stationary media panel.
g Click Sidecar.
Note: An informational tour describing the Sidecar is displayed the first time you choose it.
You can click through the arrows to learn more or click Skip to dismiss the information.
Now you will add content to the empty Sidecar.
j Click the edit button next to the layer under Map Layers, change the name to Vision
Zero Safety, and press Enter.
k At the bottom right, click Place Map to add the map to the story map.
Your web map appears in the story map. Now, you will add content to the narrative panel.
l In the narrative panel on the left, click the Add Content Block button and choose
Heading from the list of options that are displayed.
n Add another content block below the heading and choose Paragraph from the list of
options.
p Add a second heading, type Bicycle Commuter Incidents in Washington, D.C., and
press Enter.
q Add another Paragraph element and type a description of the data provided in your map
so that the public has a better understanding of where the data came from and what the
map is conveying.
You can type something similar to the paragraph below, or feel free to use your own words.
The map on the right displays a subset of Washington, D.C.'s Vision Zero Safety data,
which is sourced from a web-based application that allows the public to communicate
dangers along a roadway from the perspective of a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorist. This
subset of data shows the type, date, and status of the incident, as well as comments
from the perspective of bicyclists.
Now you will explore the various themes available in ArcGIS StoryMaps. Themes can make
your content stand out and enhance the overall feeling of the story you are telling.
Click on the various options under Theme and Cover to view how the story map changes with
each choice.
s Under Theme, choose Obsidian and under Cover, choose the Side-By-Side option.
u Open a separate browser tab and go to www.unsplash.com. Unsplash offers free high-
resolution photos that you can include in your story map. In the search field, type bicycle
commute and press Enter.
v Click on an image that you think will visually enhance your story and download the image
to the same folder where you saved the Vision Zero Safety dataset.
w If you see a pop-up regarding crediting, copy the Photo By <Photographer> on Unsplash
text.
x Return to the StoryMap tab, and on the top right, click Add Image.
y Browse to the location of your image, click on the image file, and then click Open.
z Click on the Properties Button near the top of the image to adjust the image settings,
such as the focal point of the image, and paste the photograph credits you copied from
Unsplash into the alternative text field, along with a brief description of what the photo
shows.
aa Once your image properties are set to your liking, click Save.
Feel free to add or embed additional images to the text you have written in the narrative
panel of the story map. If you add additional photos, be sure to include a caption and credits
for each photo. StoryMaps also have drag-and-drop functionality, so you can easily move
media around to assess the best place for each element within your story map.
Your audience may like to learn more about the Vision Zero Safety dataset that you have used
to build your web map. You will provide a link to the data within the text.
ab Return to the Open Data DC browser tab you left open and copy the URL from the
website.
ac Return to the StoryMaps tab, and in the last paragraph that you added to your StoryMap,
highlight the words "Vision Zero Safety data" and click the link button .
Note: If the text you typed is slightly different, highlight the text you would like to link to the
Open Data DC website.
ad Paste the link that you copied into the URL field and press Enter.
Now, when someone viewing your story map clicks "Vision Zero Safety," a new tab will open
to the Open Data DC website.
Note: The link will not open if you click on it in edit mode. To check that the link works, click
Preview at the top, and then click the link. When you are done previewing, click Edit Story to
go back to edit mode.
You could continue to customize the story map, but you will be able to create your own story
map in the DIY section of this exercise and experiment further with the functionality of
StoryMaps.
You have the option to publish the Vision Zero Safety story map to your organization or the
public using the Publish button, but you will keep this story map as a private draft within your
own content for now. The story map draft will be autosaved and available as an item in your
ArcGIS Online content.
Clicking the item from your list of content items will take you to the item page, where you can
update the metadata and view or continue to configure the StoryMap.
This concludes Part I of the exercise for this section. Please continue to Part II - Do It Yourself
to apply what you've learned, follow your own interests, and explore on your own. Resources
for learning more are included at the end.
Part II - Do It Yourself
The Do-It-Yourself part of the exercise contains optional goals for you to apply what you
learned in the Guided part to build your own geo apps with less guidance. Use your creativity
and have fun! Resources and samples to help you are listed in the Learning Resources section
at the end.
We do ask you that you read through this section even if you choose not to complete a DIY
project so that you will find and learn from your fellow students' work.
Both students and instructors would like to see what you did for this Do-It-Yourself part. When
you are done with your geo app or discussion about open data in your organization, please
tell us about it in the forums:
• If you created an app, add the link to your app in the body of the post. The link can
be a shortened link from the Share dialog box or the full URL, copied from the web
browser when viewing the app. Include a sentence that describes what the app does.
• If you spoke with your organization about open data, describe what happened and
what you learned.
4. Give the post a meaningful title, and add the hashtag #DIYSection2. This hashtag is how
both students and instructors will find what you shared. Here's an example: App to Find
the Best Beaches in Florida #DIYSection2.
At the end of the course, instructors will recognize especially creative or high-quality student
work, so be sure to share your work with us in the forum. Only properly tagged posts will be
eligible for recognition. See item 4 above for the hashtag to use in your post for this section.
Have fun experimenting, but please do not share maps or apps from the Guided part of this
exercise; only share work from the Do-It-Yourself part.
Note: If you create an app for Part II and are using your own ArcGIS Online organizational
account, you must have the proper publishing and sharing permissions. Verify all of the
following:
• The map can't contain any subscription layers, because subscription layers are not
shared to the public and require a login to view
If you can't verify all of these items or get your administrator to help you, you should use the
account created for you for this course. Go back and complete step 1 of Section 1 Exercise 1:
Find Amenities in Denver, CO.
Recognition for the best student work by Esri instructors at the end of the course will be
based on the quality of the app or other work, along with the quality reflected in the
comments in the forum post.
Learning Resources
Nice work! You have learned how geo apps can be used to analyze open data: you have
searched for and obtained open data from an online source; used the data in a story map web
app; and, hopefully, completed one of the DIY stretch goals, too.
Here are some more resources to continue learning:
ArcGIS Open Data program (https://bit.ly/16HBwCI)
ArcGIS Hub open data site (https://bit.ly/2Mmmcpf)
StoryMaps overview (https://bit.ly/2uZDmO5)
Data.gov (US government open data) (https://bit.ly/1HtmqgK)