I find this sort of mapping rather interesting. Though in the where-I-go-on-campus case I find it rather dull, possibly because where I go on campus is not particularly interesting. However on slightly different data I found the potential of such mapping rather more alluring.
I started this lab incorrectly, not using a spreadsheet but manually entering data about locations I had performed or practiced with the Carleton Singing Knights. I got as far as can be seen in the screenshot below before I realized I was approaching the task incorrectly.
I think this sort of mapping brings spreadsheet data out of the page. I feel the same way about this as I do about our AI recolorization images in that I think that these events feel more real and relevant after they have been laid out in this manner. Each entry is placed on a little pedestal and becomes more effective at evoking memories of the mapped events. Without this map I would have estimated that I had been part of 8 performances or so, but a map like this makes it clear that it’s been more than twice that in my two years with the group.
With ArcGIS Online the process was a bit difficult to learn as some functionality is hard to find, hidden in obscure menus. However, much like my experience using and learning Blender, it is clear that there is an extraordinary amount of potential functionality for those willing to learn. It is not the most beginner friendly tool but it clearly has massive potential for those who dedicate some time.
Below is my actual lab assignment map, with six locations I frequent at Carleton and why from this google sheet . With more time I would have added many more entries in more categories and pop-ups listing out the variety of things I do at each location. With a lot more time I think it would also be interesting to find and overlay floorplans of buildings and highlight individual rooms and their significance to me.
In the future I would like to explore ways of automatically sourcing and updating the map from a web source such as a google sheet. I think the potential to display real-time data without needing to go into the settings regularly could be very useful and result in some fun maps. If someone merely needs to enter one to row into a spreadsheet to record an event and have it automatically mapped, that seems like a very powerful way to keep records.
