The ArcGIS Book: 10 Big Ideas about Applying Geography to Your World

by Christian Harder (Editor)

This book helps you understand and use Web GIS, a powerful mapping technology that is transforming the way we apply and share geographic information. Each "big idea" is part of the ArcGIS platform and it’s big because it empowers you, enabling you to do new things and to accomplish familiar tasks more quickly and with ease.
This is a hands-on book that you work with as much as read. By the end, using Learn ArcGIS lessons, you’ll be able to say you made a story map, conducted geographic analysis, edited geographic data, worked in a 3D web scene, built a 3D model of Venice, and more.
Interact with The ArcGIS Book online at www.TheArcGISBook.com.

152 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2015

Reviews

[Brianna Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book during an ESRI student conference a couple years back and although I enjoyed flipping through this book occasionally because of the glossy feel of the colorful pages of maps and images, I only started and finished it in the past two days.

If you are a seasoned GIS professional, this book might be a bit repetitive and you might find the observations made to be fairly obvious, but as someone who has worked in the GIS field for about five years, I really enjoyed reading this. Often times I’m at a loss explaining what GIS is and what it can do, but this book has reminded me of some of the reasons why I decided to pursue GIS as a career. Of course, this book is highly ESRI-centric, but the examples illustrated as part of the 10 Big Ideas were truly representative of products and organizations I have had the opportunity to work with.

I would recommend this book to GIS students and early-career GIS specialists/technicians/developers. Even if you already know the skills presented in the accompanying lessons, reading this book is a great way to be reminded of the basics, which might be helpful in preparing a portfolio or prepping for an interview or a presentation.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The ArcGIS Book" edited for ESRI by Christian Harder in 2015 presents 10 ideas for using geography to change our world. The book is easy to follow and presents practical online GIS exercises for readers to fully experience and learn ESRI software innovations. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and its practical observations about the interplay between time, content, and place --the three keys to knowledge.

[Chelsea Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nicely designed with great examples to get you excited about GIS. We have an organizational license at the City of LA and also make hundreds of datasets available for public use at geohub.lacity.org.