This 2-day course focuses on the ArcGIS Platform’s Mapping & Visualization pattern of use. Students will learn workflows and best practices for creating effective visualizations. Topics extend beyond traditional cartography, and include options about how to make web maps, 3D scenes, animations, temporal visualizations and non-spatial charts as additional information products to visualize data using the ArcGIS Platform. You can learn more about the class in our Training Catalog here.
Planning
Blog (Field): Using a mapmaking checklist for map design
ArcUser (Buckley, Field): Making a meaningful map
Web Course: Getting Started with Mapping and Visualization
Data and Generalization
Blog (Nagi): On map scale and raster resolution
Blog (Berry and Herries): Explore Your Data First
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: An overview of the Generalization toolset
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Understanding conflict resolution and generalization
Web course: Getting Started with Data Management
Projections and Coordinate Systems
Esri Technical Support: How to Select a suitable map projection or coordinate system
Video: Introducing Coordinate Systems and Transformations
Blog (Nelson): Earth Peel
Symbology and Cartography
Blog (Field): Brewing a new color palette for ArcGIS Pro
Blog (Oliver): Designing Maps for Colorblind Readability
Blog (Nelson): Multivariate Dot Density
Blog (Nelson): Throwing Shade: Geo-Aware Vignette Layer
Blog (Buckley): Graphic design principles for mapping: Figure-ground Organization
Blog (Davison, via Nelson): How to Make this Migration Map… and Why
Blog (Nelson): One Minute Map Hacks
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Color model diagrams for RGB and HSV (Conversion function)
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Color
Video: ArcGIS Pro: Three Visualization Effects in Five Minutes
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Apply visual effects
Blog (Harrower): Blend Modes are here and they're pretty awesome
Web Course: Map Layer Basics
Styles and Layer Files
Video: Map Trick: Create a Style in Minutes
Video: Map Trick: Manage and Share a Style in Minutes
ArcUser: Creating and Using Layer Files in ArcGIS Pro
Labels and Annotation
Web Course: Labeling Features Using ArcGIS Pro
Web Course: Working with Annotation in ArcGIS
Tutorial: Configure pop-ups (ArcGIS Online)
Documentation: Configure pop-ups (ArcGIS Pro)
Layouts
Blog (Buckley): Does every map need a north arrow and scale bar?
Web Course: Creating a map layout
Blog (Oliver): Using Artistic Inspiration for Cartographic Layouts
Web Maps and Smart Mapping
Blog (Buckley): Cartographic design for web maps
Blog (Berry): 6 Easy Ways to Improve Your Maps
Blog (Berry): Map Multiple Attributes at Once using Predominance
ArcUser (Buckley): Designing Great Web Maps
Video: Getting Started with Map Viewer
StoryMap: Smart Mapping Styles in the Map Viewer
Story Map: How to Smart Map: Color
Technical Resource: How to change the projection in ArcGIS Online in one easy step
Web Course (covers layout and output): Creating a map products
Vector Tiles
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Author a map for vector tile creation
Video: Desktop Mapping: Creating Vector Tiles
Design your own custom styles for Esri Vector Basemaps: Esri Vector Style Editor
Web Course: Creating a Custom Basemap in ArcGIS Pro
Web Course: Creating Vector Tiles in ArcGIS Pro
Arcade
Blog (Meriam): Earthquake Mapping Park I: One symbol from multiple fields in Arcade
Blog (Meriam): Automatically Resize Symbols by Map Scale in Arcade
ArcGIS Arcade Blogs
ArcUser: Why You Need (and Want) Arcade
Story Map: How to Smart Map: Arcade
Developer’s Arcade Documentation
GitHub ArcGIS Arcade Expressions
Even more Arcade resources!
3D
Blog (Esri Press Team): Get Started with 3D Mapping
Documentation: Work with elevation surfaces
Documentation: Multipatches
City Engine Web Scene Examples
Story Map: Terrain Tools Tour
Learning Plan: Introduction to 3D Visualization
Charts
Blog (Nyenhuis): Pie Charts: Dos and Don’ts
Video: Data Visualization for Spatial Analysis
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Types of Tabular Charts
Animations and Time
Blog (Buckley): Working with Temporal Data in ArcGIS
ArcGIS Pro Documentation: Animation transitions
Web course: Creating and Sharing Animations in ArcGIS Pro
Books
(Esri Press) Designing Better Maps: A Guide for GIS Users second edition, is a comprehensive guide to creating maps that communicate effectively. In Designing Better Maps, renowned cartographer Cynthia A. Brewer guides readers through the basics of good cartography, including layout design, scales, projections, color selection, font choices, and symbol placement.
(Esri Press) Cartography. by Kenneth Field is an inspiring and creative companion along the nonlinear journey toward making a great map.
Additional Resources for Design Inspiration
Esri Map Book
