Creating a map that online meeting participants can comment on?

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08-12-2021 08:08 AM
CLPlanner
New Contributor

I am organizing several online meetings for a traffic study, and the project manager wants a part of the meeting where people can post comments on an online map (just like adding Post-It notes to a printed map in person). Apparently they saw a consultant do this once before. I talked to a few colleagues about this, and they all say the same thing: "use ArcGIS Hub." However, I can't find this functionality anywhere in Hub, or anything remotely close to it.

It seems they are expecting two different things: 1. an online comment map, and 2. one that can be accessed easily during an online meeting (ideally embedded directly into WebEx or Teams). I am totally stumped. The only thing that makes sense is using Survey123, but the project manager said they don't want to shoehorn the map into the survey and that it should be part of the meeting. What am I missing? Thanks.

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CLPlanner
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@KaraUtterI looked into the crowdsource configurable map application. This is too complex. I just need a basemap that people can click and submit a comment. The map application involves too much tinkering with layers and fields.

Update: A map application is indeed the way to do this. To clarify how this works: your map is used to create the app, and the app is used as an element in your Hub website. There's not a way to embed this directly into Teams or Webex, but you can simply copy/paste the website link for online meeting attendees to click.

I can't remember every detail, but here are the basic steps for anyone in a similar situation: In ArcGIS Online, in the Content menu, click Create App in the upper left, then click Show All, then click Crowdsource Reporter. Don't let the bird observations or the mosquito thing trip you up, you can remove that menu later. If I remember correctly, the process starts to make more sense after you create a "Group" and select that group in the app.

Basically you create all your layers and your map, then create a Group, and then "Share" the layers with the Public and that Group. You want to be sure to approve the layers for "public data collection" in the layer's settings menu, even if they're not layers you intend to receive comments on.  Then you need to create "view layers" for those non-comment layers you want to show on the map, and Share the view layers with the Public and the Group too to be safe. (So your web map should be using the view layers, not the actual data layers.) Also make sure every setting is as public as possible including the web map and the Group itself. It can be confusing because Groups implies that you're sharing and collaborating with your co-workers, but that's just how the app is set up.

I think the process could be represented like this:
Background layers -> View Layers
Comment layer and view layers -> Web Map
All layers and Web Map -> Groups -> Web App -> Hub (if you're using Hub)

It was indeed a lot of tinkering and a general feeling like I was trying to trick the app into doing what I want.  But, it works now, and I think it's set up correctly. One more note: You really don't have to mess with the fields too much like the Get Started guide suggests. That's what scared me away at first. You just have to be sure there's a field in the point layer for the comments to go into. If you want to hide comments after they're submitted, you will need to add another field, like "PUBLICVIEW", and set it to "no" by default, and then set the map to only show points if "yes" or "applesauce" or anything other than "no".

@DrVSSKiranI am conducting these meetings with WebEx. Though, if I was using Teams, this still doesn't appear to be what I am looking for.

As a side comment, I wish Esri had a better way to learn about their products and how to use them. The written walkthroughs like Get Started explain some of the features for a particular service but not how to actually get started, and the YouTube videos are way too long and slow. I've burned over two hours looking into this today and haven't gotten anywhere.

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KaraUtter
Occasional Contributor III

@CLPlanner have you looked at the Crowdsource configurable Map Applications in AGOL? There is one for Polling, Managing and another for Reporting. I haven't used them, but might be worth a look.

Crowdsource Polling | ArcGIS Solutions

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DrVSSKiran
Occasional Contributor II

If you are conducting virtual meeting on Microsoft teams , then yes you can.

Here is the link for ArcGIS for Microsoft Teams

https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/office/WA200002859?tab=Overview

 

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CLPlanner
New Contributor

@KaraUtterI looked into the crowdsource configurable map application. This is too complex. I just need a basemap that people can click and submit a comment. The map application involves too much tinkering with layers and fields.

Update: A map application is indeed the way to do this. To clarify how this works: your map is used to create the app, and the app is used as an element in your Hub website. There's not a way to embed this directly into Teams or Webex, but you can simply copy/paste the website link for online meeting attendees to click.

I can't remember every detail, but here are the basic steps for anyone in a similar situation: In ArcGIS Online, in the Content menu, click Create App in the upper left, then click Show All, then click Crowdsource Reporter. Don't let the bird observations or the mosquito thing trip you up, you can remove that menu later. If I remember correctly, the process starts to make more sense after you create a "Group" and select that group in the app.

Basically you create all your layers and your map, then create a Group, and then "Share" the layers with the Public and that Group. You want to be sure to approve the layers for "public data collection" in the layer's settings menu, even if they're not layers you intend to receive comments on.  Then you need to create "view layers" for those non-comment layers you want to show on the map, and Share the view layers with the Public and the Group too to be safe. (So your web map should be using the view layers, not the actual data layers.) Also make sure every setting is as public as possible including the web map and the Group itself. It can be confusing because Groups implies that you're sharing and collaborating with your co-workers, but that's just how the app is set up.

I think the process could be represented like this:
Background layers -> View Layers
Comment layer and view layers -> Web Map
All layers and Web Map -> Groups -> Web App -> Hub (if you're using Hub)

It was indeed a lot of tinkering and a general feeling like I was trying to trick the app into doing what I want.  But, it works now, and I think it's set up correctly. One more note: You really don't have to mess with the fields too much like the Get Started guide suggests. That's what scared me away at first. You just have to be sure there's a field in the point layer for the comments to go into. If you want to hide comments after they're submitted, you will need to add another field, like "PUBLICVIEW", and set it to "no" by default, and then set the map to only show points if "yes" or "applesauce" or anything other than "no".

@DrVSSKiranI am conducting these meetings with WebEx. Though, if I was using Teams, this still doesn't appear to be what I am looking for.

As a side comment, I wish Esri had a better way to learn about their products and how to use them. The written walkthroughs like Get Started explain some of the features for a particular service but not how to actually get started, and the YouTube videos are way too long and slow. I've burned over two hours looking into this today and haven't gotten anywhere.

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DrVSSKiran
Occasional Contributor II
You can try with Survey 123 form. Where you just enable the base map and
comment box. Yan can share this link in Webex meeting chat box, where
participants can access the link and place the point and comment.
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