Friday, July 15, 2016
Group Day Reflections - July 13
Take a few minutes, please, to reflect on the time we spent at ESRI. Think about the work environment, the large and small group sessions, the people you met, and the information you gleaned. Choose one important, interesting, and/or
new idea, fact, or bit of information you learned during the morning. Spend a few sentences explaining why
you chose to write about that item. (You do not need to respond to anyone else's comment, unless you feel moved to do so.)
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The work environment as ESRI was open which lends itself well to collaboration. The small and large group sessions provided us with a really concrete understanding of what ESRI does and how their technology and services are used/make an impact. In the breakout sessions, I thought it was really interesting to hear from Patrick about GIS mapping and public safety when preparing for a demonstration and or potential riot situation. I also enjoyed learning about Story Maps from Cooper and how they are used. The most important thing that I learned at ESRI was how GIS mapping can be used for various public health issues such as the spread of a disease in a population and the accessibility of a population to health services (e.g., hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, specialized practitioners). This was the most interesting aspect to me because I am working at Public Health for my internship and they use GIS to gain a better understanding of certain types of demographics in Arlington and what kinds of services people need. I now understand how they can monitor and assess these groups.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I took away most from ESRI was the Story Maps, that allows normal people to share information and create presentations. I can see myself using those in the future. It would be very easy to couple them with videos I make or photo presentations or portfolios, and they add a interesting new dimension to the information I present.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I learned from the morning at ESRI is that it's okay to not know what profession or field you want to go into. They shared different stories about how they ended up in ESRI, some of them worked unrelated to the geographical information systems and others went to college undetermined yet they still were able to find an enjoyable career at ESRI. I've always believed that I needed to know what I wanted to be when I grow up so that I can plan ahead but they provided me with some comfort that it's okay if I'm unsure.
ReplyDeleteWhat really stood out to me from ESRI was the wide variety of relations they have. Most careers are more aligned with their career only. ESRI on the other hand reaches out to all careers, helping in some way which makes it really cool to see how GIS mapping can help and correlate with so many things in life that we never really thought about. I see it as a job where you really can't get bored from because there's so much you can do.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting things that I learned at ESRI was the way that GIS could be utilized in cases of involving strikes or other high risk situations. The fact that they can 3-D modify a situation and assess the risks and response situations is quite amazing. I don't see how anyone could ever be bored with software that basically allows you to enter any field with ease and still allow your curiosity to shine through.
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoyed our time at ESRI. The work environment seemed very organized, open and airy, and calm. The large and small group sessions were very interesting as each session allowed me to learn a new thing each time. The people there were kind and willing to answer questions and explained their different sections thoroughly. One new idea that stood out to me was the Story Maps. This idea and way to tell stories seemed really cool to me and innovative as Cooper would emphasize that it did not even really require a map and that there were options for many other things such as pictures and text to create the Story Map. I think this specifically stood out to me because I feel that storytelling has the powerful ability to share information, explain a situation, or just share memories that can influence people every which way. The idea of Story Maps is perfect for storytelling.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that stood out to me was that the GIS is useful to anyone. My internship site, the USPTO, uses GIS to locate patents and trademarks. So now I know how they were able to find all of the patents to create an online library. GIS is also useful in other ways such as picking the best colleges and finding the nearest Chipotle. That is why GIS is used by every company out there. This software can help solve any problem!
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed with the wide variety of situations that GIS can be used for. They story maps can be used by regular people to display their interests. The geographical maps can show important statistics about information in a clear concise way. The 3-D models can assist in safety and riot control by providing relevant updates on what is occurring to law enforcement. So the most impressive thing to me was the versatility of GIS that allows to have an impact on many different things.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the trip to ESRI was actually very interesting. I liked going into small groups and seeing different aspects of the GIS software. What I found most interesting was the amount of data that could be incorporated into the maps. When we looked at the college search map, it was incredible to see how it could show climate, size of school, and proximity to various locations all in one map. On the protest map, it allowed for optimal placement of spotters across a route, showing these positions in 3D.
ReplyDeleteBefore visiting ESRI, I had not known what a Story Map was, and seeing examples of it and examining how information can be presented in a comprehensive and interactive way made me more interested in the topic at hand. I also loved how ordinary people could make these, not just professionals, and it actually made me want to make one myself. They made information more accessible and more complete than a typical article or blog post.
ReplyDeleteI think that the work environment at ESRI is conducive to exactly what they are doing there; they have a wide variety of uses for their technology, and they also have employees who are diverse and from all different backgrounds. I thought it was really neat how each small group presentation focused on a completely different use of GIS, and each person who presented seemed like an expert in their respective field. The fact that ESRI has experts in story maps, 3D maps, field work, etc was very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed visiting ESRI because I had never actually visited a real workplace other than my internship before. It was even more interesting because ESRI is a really important national company, and its office was in a high-rise building in Rosslyn. Everyone at the office seemed very productive and engaged, enjoying their work as well as experimenting with the technology available to create something new and never-before-seen. All the employees were innovative and intelligent. Through the tour and small group sessions, I was introduced to the technology used to create story maps, a really interesting and original way to create a report or presentation. This was especially fascinating to me because it integrated both the GSI technology and the creativity of art and writing. I think I might use the story maps tool to create a section on the Women’s Memorial’s website about the history of its founding.
ReplyDeleteWhat really stood out to me during the visit to ESRI was how GIS was used to help police organize in preparation for a protest. The way they could use 3D technology to pinpoint the best location to put a sniper by being able to see the sniper's field of view was really interesting. GIS was also able to help the police officers in real-time by being able to see what was happening in different places, as it was happening.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard we were going to visit the ESRI I had absolutely no idea what it was. So I read about it and did a little research to settle my Curiosity. First I learned that it is a very complex system and they are responsible for a lot of things. But while visiting I really liked how their working environment was so open. It was interesting how open they were to each other's suggestions and how all their programs worked.
ReplyDeleteWhat most stood out to me was how mapping can be applied to so many different aspects of life. I thought it was really cool how someone created a story map for Game of Thrones but you could also use GIS to help find a good college for you.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I found interesting at ESRI was how the GIS software can be used in many different ways. I especially liked how the software can be used to check security and safety measures at events like the protest in Philly as well as figure out where to put security personnel. The way that they can project sight lines and for spotters is especially interesting because they can make sure that they have someone watching every point along a protest or parade route. This was really relevant when we visited on Wednesday because there were a lot of protests going on after the shootings in the US. I had a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know a lot about ESRI before we visited, but it was a very interesting experience. I especially enjoyed the story maps and how they can be used both for information or for journalism. I also enjoyed it because they really show how behind the scenes they are like the with protests and the data collection.
ReplyDeleteWhat really stood out to me and what I got out of this field trip was how resourceful and versatile GIS really is. You literally can bring any career and/or study, and there will be an opportunity to bring up a map about it. Also, before I came, I believed that this was all about maps and I was totally wrong about this. It's way more than that. It's about real problems and subjects and finding the data needed to help whoever is looking for this information. If I think this, then perhaps some other do believe this as well and hopefully throughout the years people will understand the importance of all of this. It's not just a GPS that helps you find your way home, but innovation of every career path out there. Whether you're in the FBI, or just a nurse in a hospital, any and everybody can use this program.
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated by the environment displayed at the ESRI headquarters. It was a company and a concept I had never heard before. The work environment looked extremely active and interesting due to the variety of positions and fields and the building itself with its architecture and views was spectacular. I was surprised to learn the vast applications of GIS. I had only heard of GPS before but after the visit I learned that GIS is used in everything from journalism, to displaying demographics, to surveying. The amount of applications from mapping and GIS are so much more expansive than I ever could have imagined.
ReplyDeleteIt was really interesting to learn the different ways Esri has integrated its technology in our everyday lives. Without even knowing the company name or product, so many people in the world use their technology every day and I feel that this is very powerful. While this is very cool, it makes sense why they would try to reach out to people, like students, and the general public with interactive story maps that anyone could use and lending their technology to local schools in order to make their name better known. I am very interested in the story map aspect and I believe I could use this in future projects in my life!
ReplyDeleteI loved the relaxed environment that ESRI provided. Everyone seemed happy to come to work and I noticed that some employees strolled in at 11:00 a.m.! An interesting app that intern John helped us navigate was created to help students choose the right school based on many different factors. We found schools that could best fit someone based on number of students, weather, and even the location of a chipotle. This was fascinating because ESRI was able to find the ideal school for everyone and/or tell you more facts about your dream school!
ReplyDeleteThe most important thing that I learned in Esri is how much GIS can be used to help the world. Before I went to Esri, I did not realize just how frequently GIS was used. However, while I was there, I learned that GIS can be help governments and businesses. GIS can provide statistics to the government. Furthermore, it can be used to help plan how protests will be organized and managed. GIS helps businesses because it can help find ideal store locations. It can even help with manufacturing by streamlining the process. This is so important because it helps people understand data in a geographical setting rather than just seeing numbers. By having this deep understanding, people can make the best decisions for themselves and others.
ReplyDeleteMuch like everyone else, I found the story maps to be one of the most interesting aspects of the tour. In today's tech savvy world, there are countless ways of expressing and sharing stories with others, including the myriad of social media sources we have. Story Maps stood out in that it was highly interactive and and combined different techniques to put together a story, it was literally three-dimensional compared to the other two-dimensional outlets we possess. Also, I thought story maps were very sophisticated, easy to follow and appealing, I can definitely see it blowing up in the future. Lastly, the cherry on top for me was the fact that these maps could be used to tell any story, from real-life to fiction and I felt that they were a perfect representation of ESRI itself since it is a very flexible company and has roots in a variety of markets and covers many areas. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about such a company that I had never heard about but now feel that everyone should have knowledge of its technology and accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting thing I learned from visiting ESRI was how much more data can be put into a map than just a location. The most interesting thing I saw was the map used to plan the protest in Philadelphia. It was really cool that the same map could be used to track the protest in real time. I was also amazed at how many people with different skills there were. As someone interested in computer science, I could definitely see myself working there.
ReplyDeleteBoth the large and small group presentations at ESRI were very interesting. The work environment, as well as the people we met, seemed relaxed and creative. What stood out to me most was the immense number of ways in which GIS technology can be applied. For example, one presenter showed how their technology is used to determine where to place spotters during urban protests.
ReplyDeleteI had a general idea of what ESRI did before we visited because we use GIS a lot at my internship. However I was surprised to learn about how versatile it is and how GIS can be applied to most anything. I thought the whole office space/ environment was really neat because it seemed to really foster creativity. After speaking with a few of the employees I came away with the impression that they all are very happy with their jobs because they have the flexibility to work on projects they find interesting and important. Overall the ESRI office seems to be a really great place to work.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that really stood out to me was how GIS can be used for a variety of things. It was interesting how it could be very helpful for a protest. It showed us where police officers would be positioned and where the different spotters would be around the protest. The story maps was also something that was very interesting, how people are able to interact with certain article published. I really enjoyed my time in ESRI!
ReplyDeleteESRI was actually a surprisingly cool place. One thing that I found interesting was all the completely different things that they do. All of the presentations and people were geared towards different things that GIS could be used for. Also, all the people there seemed very passionate and excited about there work, which to me makes that kind of field seem more attractive.
ReplyDeleteWhat really impressed me about ESRI was the use of GIS for drones and snipers. It is amazing that, using positioning data, you can take a ton of 2-D pictures and mesh them together into one 3-D photograph. It is also amazing that, using GIS, you can plan out a course for a rally that the least amount of snipers possible needed to cover every angle of the route.
ReplyDeleteI found the 3D map of the protest the most interesting because it shows how this technology can be used in real time. It also showed how the technology is helping society as a whole, regardless of whether those people know they are being helped
ReplyDeleteI also found the 3D map of the protest the most interesting because of how much thought went into it. The coolest part in my opinion was the placement of the snipers. To me it seemed like something from the movies, but i was surprised by how much thought went into the placement of the snipers. I thought it was really cool how they spent a lot of time finding the best places for the snipers and the K-9 units to keep everyone safe during the protest.
ReplyDeleteI thought the use of maps and GIS in media and storytelling was most interesting. In the past maps have been used in journalism and newspapers but only have one purpose and only display location. With GIS you can overlay lots of information and make maps more informative. This makes articles and stories more interesting as well as making maps more aesthetically pleasing I felt.
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