Using ArcGIS to create and manipulate floorplans

[erikkulick]

I applied for a GIS job with the Space Management and Planning department at the University of Utah, and when I spoke to one of the hiring managers, they informed me that the job would mostly entail creating and manipulating the floor plans of all of the buildings on campus using ArcGIS. I had never heard of being able to do this, and the manager mentioned that no one had indicated in their resumes prior experience in doing this with ArcGIS. I really want to get this job and was wondering if there is anyone out there that has heard of this, and if so, could explain how one would go about doing this or might be able point me in the right direction of someone/something that could.

[KatharinaDubach]

Interesting idea, I would have thought all those people working with floorplans would use CAD software. But I guess you could do the same thing in GIS. You would have to make sure you have a watertight data model before you start. I don't see too many problems putting a single level of a building on GIS, or even several levels. But I'm not sure how I would go about those features that connect those levels, like stairs. I'm also not sure how I would model a door to show which way it opens.

I guess it also depends on what you eventually want to be able to do with your floor plans: does it suffice to know Mr. Smith's office is in Miller Hall, 3rd floor, room 302, or do you need to plan fastest evacuation routes etc.? Is the end product a piece of paper or an online application? Who are the users, what level of knowledge do they have or need? How detailed do the floorplans need to be?

Hope these questions and thoughts help point you in the right direction!

[erikkulick]

I only need to be able to say who's in what room for the most part. I figured it would be pretty intuitive, i just never had to do it. Fortunately I am volunteering as an intern with one of the local city's GIS department, so today they actually told me about SketchUp, a Google program where I can do a 3-D rendering with all the floors and import it into ArcMap to add attributes and georeference it. They also told me that the new ArcGIS has designed some tools to do exactly this on its own. And if I absolutely need to do it with ArcGIS 9, they could show me that too.