{"id":273572,"date":"2019-10-08T06:56:02","date_gmt":"2019-10-08T13:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=273572"},"modified":"2022-04-03T15:37:22","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T22:37:22","slug":"how-are-maps-made","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/blog\/how-are-maps-made","title":{"rendered":"How are maps made?"},"author":5922,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","castos_file_data":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[91],"tags":[339302,10332,387032,387022],"industry":[],"esri-blog-category":[478542],"esri_blog_department":[478172],"class_list":["post-273572","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mapping","tag-demographic","tag-imagery","tag-presenting","tag-processing","esri-blog-category-reveal","esri_blog_department-mapping"],"acf":{"video_source":"","video_start":"","video_stop":"","short_description":"The series of steps to make a map include collecting, processing, and presenting data.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<em>This post originally appeared on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/overview\/\">ArcGIS Blog<\/a>.<\/em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI get asked how maps are made from time to time. The short answer is \u2018on a computer\u2019, but the people who ask me are curious about the full process and deserve a better answer. So, here\u2019s a long answer:\r\n<h3>1. Data must be collected<\/h3>\r\nThis can happen in many different ways. Here are a few examples:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/paths\/try-arcgis-for-official-statistics-data-collection\/\">use an app<\/a> on your phone to record your location as you walk from place to place<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Satellites record\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/get-started-with-imagery\/\">images<\/a> of the Earth from space<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Governments track population and other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/fight-child-poverty-with-demographic-analysis\/\">demographic<\/a> information through a national census<\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/public-safety\/public-safety\/new-live-feeds-weather-data-goes-live\/\">Weather stations<\/a> monitor and report information about their locations in real time<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Land surveyors use equipment to measure locations and boundaries<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":273592,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Now that you have data (otherwise known as geographic information)\u2026\r\n<h3>2. Data must be processed<\/h3>\r\nThis work can take many forms, and can also be called <em>GIS analysis<\/em>:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Adding <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/natural-resources\/manage-forest-harvest-and-chemical-activities-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">attribute information<\/a><\/u>, for example the name, depth, and water quality of lakes<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Analyzing data to detect patterns and trends, for example finding <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/prepare-and-present-crime-statistics-for-a-compstat-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hot spots<\/a><\/u> for crime in a city<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Combining data, for example attaching data stored in a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/add-spreadsheet-data-to-arcgis-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">spreadsheet<\/a><\/u> to shapes representing property parcels<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Deriving new information from data, for example using elevation data to reveal the location of <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/no-dumping-drains-to-ocean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">streams<\/a><\/u>, or <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/paths\/extracting-information-using-image-classification\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">detecting different kinds of landcover<\/a><\/u> from aerial imagery<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Predicting information, such as areas in a city that may <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-hurricane-storm-surges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flood<\/a><\/u>, or <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/content\/dam\/esrisites\/en-us\/media\/pdf\/learn-arcgis\/interpolate-temperatures-using-the-geostatistical-wizard.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">environmental conditions<\/a><\/u> in inaccessible locations<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Calculating, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/estimate-storage-capacity-with-drone-imagery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">measuring<\/a><\/u> and <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/perform-visibility-analysis-to-increase-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">evaluating<\/a><\/u> a situation or resource<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":273612,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h3>3. Finally, the data must be presented and shared<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You could <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/cartographic-creations-in-arcgis-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">make a static map<\/a><\/u> and print it on paper<\/li>\r\n \t<li>You could make a web map or <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/get-started-with-appstudio-for-arcgis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a><\/u> that others can interact with on a screen<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Good maps employ <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/appalachian-trail-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">graphic design<\/a><\/u>, a sound <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/paths\/mapping-and-visualization-in-arcgis-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">understanding<\/a><\/u> of the data, and strong <u><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/share-the-story-of-an-expedition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">storytelling<\/a><\/u> skills<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":273582,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","image":273912,"text":"Overall, the process of making a map is all about how you communicate (#3) the things that you discovered (#2) from the geographic information that you collected (#1).","author_name":"","author_profession_organization":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Historically, this entire process was called cartography. Today, most people in the GIS community are only referring to step #3 (presentation) when they use the word cartography. This is because the development of GIS technologies has allowed step #2 (analysis) to become far more powerful and prominent. We\u2019re able to do things with geographic data today far beyond just drawing it on a map.\r\n<h3>The next important question is\u00a0<em>Why make maps?<\/em><\/h3>\r\nThe answer: to make informed decisions. Decisions like:\r\n\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/help-end-homelessness\/\">Where should we focus efforts within a city to prevent homelessness?<\/a>\r\n\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dmrwebgis.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/Cascade\/index.html?appid=f52ce8fd062b4a9098a783b013a3ab6c\">What is the safest method to conduct a cave rescue?<\/a>\r\n\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/collector\/field-mobility\/estimate-materials-sandbag-wall\/\">How many sandbags do we need to prevent flooding?<\/a>\r\n\r\nEvery day maps are made to support and communicate a vast range of decisions in the real world. Some are simple, some are complex, and almost all of them are made by combining the work of many different people.\u00a0The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/living-atlas\">Living Atlas<\/a>\u00a0is an ever-growing collection of curated data and maps provided by geographers all over the world, and is a great place to start making maps of your own.\r\n\r\nAnd all of this is closely related to another big question:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/what-is-gis\/overview\">What is GIS?<\/a>"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How are maps made?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The process of making a map is all about how you communicate the things that you discovered from the geographic information that you collected.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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