Advice for giving a dataset/webmap to non-GIS people to update.

Question

Hi everyone! Happy Halloween!

Here's the background for the project I am working on and what tools my company has:

I am creating a map application using the Web AppBuilder. My company employs both Desktop licenses and AGOL at an enterprise level. The application I am building is a series of points depicting public art within my city. More art is predicted to be installed in the city each year which means I want to leave my application behind to be updated - potentially by non-GIS-ey people.

I currently have a spreadsheet of the data.

My question to you are what ways are there available to me to set this data up in a way that can be easily updated in future years? Whatever method that may be I will leave a thoroughly documented guide on how to update.

If you have any questions or need clarification please let me know.

Thank you in advance!

DarrenWiens2 · Answer

My dreadfully boring two cents: if the data must be maintained by non-GIS people, leave it in a common format like your spreadsheet, CSV, or shapefile with instructions to update it with coordinates and attribute info, then give to GIS person to update the app. Points are easy enough to maintain in a list - if you were dealing with polygons or lines, that's a different story. Also, especially if the app is to persist more than a couple years, I'll suggest not relying on, dare I say, peripheral apps like Collector or Survey123, because who knows if they'll exist (gasp).

XanderBakker · Answer

Where will this update being carried out, in the field or in the office? What type of data do you want to collect (allow attachments of photo's)? In the field, as Christopher McClain already pointed out, you can use Collector and Survey123. In the office, it might be better to share a Web Application configured with WAB or use a GeoForm (see The GeoForm Graduates | ArcGIS Blog )

WhitneyNewcomb · Answer

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Thank you.