Lesson 3 Lab Visual Guide

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Lesson 3 Lab Visual Guide Index

  1. Starting File
  2. Explore the Flight Data
  3. Create Flight Paths Using the X-Y to Line Tool
  4. Choose and Customize a Map Projection
  5. Symbolize Flight Paths by Their Length
  6. Repeat to Create the 2nd Layout
  7. Repeat to Create the 3rd Layout
  8. Additional Tips

Throughout this lab, keep the following statement in mind:

"The projection you choose will depend on the characteristics most important to be preserved, given the purpose of your map."

  1. Starting File

    This is your starting file in ArcGIS Pro: It contains boundary, flight, and tourism data. The flight data is in table form - we will be using these data tables to create flight paths and visualize them on the map.

    screen capture of Lab 5 starting file in ArcGIS Pro
    Visual Guide Figure 3.1: Lab 3 starting file in ArcGIS Pro.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

  2. Explore the Flight Data

    The primary flight data table is the one shown below - it contains a full day of flight data (Oct 22nd, 2018). Listed in the table are all locations which had a flight arrive from, or depart to, London Heathrow Airport (LHR). We will not differentiate between arrival and departure flights in this lab.

    The count of flights to or from this location is listed in the Count_Num field. For the purposes of this lab, we will assume that October 22nd is representative of an average day at LHR, and thus use this dataset as a proxy for LHR’s “daily” flight data. You do not need to mention October 22nd anywhere on your maps.

    Flight data source(link is external).

    annotated screen shot of Flight data table: # of flights (count), coordinates of airport from location column, coordinates of LHR airport
    Visual Guide Figure 3.2: Flight data table as shown in ArcGIS Pro.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

  3. Create Flight Paths Using the XY to Line Tool

    In our flight data, we have lots of origin-destination data. We want to visualize these data as flows on our map. For this, we use the XY to line tool(link is external). Think carefully about the fields you choose for each parameter when running this tool. If you do it incorrectly the first time, don't worry - rethink and re-do.

    screenshot of running the XY to Line tool to create flowlines
    Visual Guide Figure 3.3: Running the XY to Line tool to create flowlines.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

  4. Choose and Customize a Map Projection

    For each map layout in this lab, you will be creating a customized map projection (use the Project tool). Reference the projection lesson and consider each advertisement's goal/purpose to help you decide which projection to choose/customize for each map. You may want to try adding the map to a layout at this stage of the lab to decide if you like it. Remember that you will be asked to defend this choice in the reflection you submit with this lab.

    screenshot of creating a new projected coordinate system and assigning it to your map
    Visual Guide Figure 3.4: Creating a new projected coordinate system and assigning it to your map.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    You may need to try a few different projections or customization parameters to find a map projection you are happy with. When you have settled on a projection, use the project tool to project your flowlines to match the map's projection. As shown below, ArcGIS makes this pretty easy.

    screenshot of projecting your flowlines
    Visual Guide Figure 3.5: Projecting your flowlines.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Recall that we will be visualizing flight paths based on their length. We can use the Shape_Length field which ArcGIS automatically calculated for us from our origin-destination data to do this. Note that before projecting these lines, the Shape_Length field will not contain meaningful values.

    screenshot of flowline attribute table before projection
    Visual Guide Figure 3.6: Flowline attribute table before projection.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Once your flight paths are projected, the Shape_Length field will be calculated in meters.

    screenshot of flowline attribute table after projection
    Visual Guide Figure 3.7: Flowline attribute table after projection.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    As you may have noticed, the flight path data doesn't contain any location names or flight count numbers. We'll need to join the original flight data table to the flight path data to get all our data in one place.

    screenshot of adding a join to add attribute data to our flight paths
    Visual Guide Figure 3.8: Adding a join to add attribute data to our flight paths.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

  5. Symbolize Flight Paths by Their Length

    Use external research or the data distribution to decide on classifications for short vs. long flights, etc. (3+ classes). Recall considerations for data classification from Lesson/Lab 4.

    screenshot of manually editing classifications
    Visual Guide Figure 3.9: Manually editing classifications.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    You may use any or multiple visual variables of your choice to symbolize your flowline data - size, value, etc... as long as it is appropriate given the perceptual structure of your data, you can be creative with it.

    screenshot of making additional edits in the Symbology Pane
    Visual Guide Figure 3.10: Making additional edits in the Symbology Pane.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Add your map to a layout: create a catchy title/subtitle and customize your legend. Add a graticule (ArcGIS Pro calls this a “grid”) if you wish.

    screenshot of example map with flowlines inserted into a layout
    Visual Guide Figure 3.11: Example map with flowlines inserted into a layout.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Make sure all layout elements are neat and orderly – “convert to graphics” will likely be helpful. Keep in mind lessons from previous labs: legends and any explanatory text should be clear, etc.

  6. Repeat These Same General Steps to Create the 2nd Layout

    You’ll want to create three new maps (four total) to separate the flight types (morning, afternoon, evening, night). If you prefer, you can do a Save-As and keep work done on this project separate form the previous one. In any case, save frequently!

    screenshot of adding a new map for the afternoon flights
    Visual Guide Figure 3.12: Adding a new map for the afternoon flights.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    You can drag the tables onto their appropriate map from the Contents Pane.

    screenshot of flight tables in the Contents Pane
    Visual Guide Figure 3.13: Flight tables in the Contents Pane.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Use creativity, appropriate visual variables, and good design in this ad as well! Remember the goal of this layout - highlighting that Heathrow can fit anyone’s schedule.

    screenshot of example layout for advertisement #2: title, subtitle, legend, Morning Flights, Afternoon Flights, Evening Flights, Night Flights (in boxes)
    Visual Guide Figure 3.14: Example layout for advertisement #2.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

  7. Repeat to Create the 3rd Layout

    For the third advertisement, we will add additional data to our map to demonstrate to the reader that flights from LHR go to desirable locations. Choose a field such as “International Tourist Arrivals 2017” that makes sense to use in an ad about air travel. Visualize this data on your map how you choose - remember that you will still be visualizing the flight paths. You may use the same flight path layer from Map #1, but you will need to re-project it to match your projection for Map #3.

    screenshot of exploring the attribute table for the included tourism data
    Visual Guide Figure 3.15: Exploring the attribute table for the included tourism data.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Choose and customize a projection you haven’t used yet – be prepared to write about the reason for this selection. Think about your map type and purpose.

    screenshot of adding a projected coordinate system to your map
    Visual Guide Figure 3.16: Adding a projected coordinate system to your map.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

    Ensure that both your flight path and other thematic data is included in your layout - below is just an example of how you might symbolize this data, but there are many other possible ways. If you do not want to use tourism data, you can use a field that was automatically imported with the Natural Earth boundary data such as GDP. Consider how you will visualize null values.

    screenshot of example legend
    Visual Guide Figure 3.17: Example legend.
    Credit Cary Anderson, Penn State University; Data Source: Flightradar24(link is external), Natural Earth.

  8. Additional Tips

    • Remember these are advertisements! Use good design but have fun with titles, colors, etc.
    • You may want to use an interesting projection - such as one that visualizes the world as a sphere - for one or more of your maps. Be sure it is appropriate for your map's purpose.
    • Adding a grid often aids in reader interpretation of small-scale maps.
    • You do not need a scale bar or north arrow for any of these map layouts - they are generally considered unnecessary (and often inappropriate) for global-scale maps.
    • When you write your reflection, include a screenshot of the map's projection details (such as in Figure 3.18 below) for each map layout. You will likely use the same projection for all four maps in layout #2, so you only need to include one screenshot for layout #2 and note that it was used four times.
    screenshot of map projection details
    Visual Guide Figure 3.18. Map projection details.