ArcGIS Online is a cloud based mapping platform. This makes it possible to upload GIS data to this cloud and then share the data as map layers or as interactive map applications.

Today we will create an interactive map application like this.

Esri have made a short video about the tool we will use:

http://video.arcgis.com/iframe/254/000000/width/480/0/00:00:00

The data we will use today is two zipped shape files. One containing polygons with some election districts around Västerås and the other all the municipalities in Sweden.

Both containing population and population density as attribute data.

Create a public account on [^https://www.arcgis.com/|ArcGIS Online]].

Log in.

Go to MY CONTENT and your home folder.

You will create two interactive choropleth maps during this exercise. One that shows population and one that shows population density.

Choose Create Map and:

Add > Add Layer from File

Add both of the zipped shape files.

Pick a basemap with neutral colours that do not take focus from the polygons.

Click on one of the little arrows to the right of the layer names.

• Set Visibility Range in a way that the municipality polygons disappear when you zoom in and the election districts appear the same time.
• Change Symbols and choose: Use: Color
• Let the different colours indicate population (BEF2004)
• Configure Pop ups (notice the difference for the municipality pop ups in the previous example).

Do this for both municipalities and election districts.

Save the map.

Choose Share and make the map public.

Copy the long alphanumeric code that follows webmap= in the web address before going back to My Content again and create a new map in the same way but this way with population density instead of population.

When you are done with your second map. Click on Share and MAKE A WEB APPLICATION.

Choose Storytelling Swipe and Publish. Give your application name, tags, description, etc.

Go back to My content.

Choose your newly created application and CONFIGURE APP

Use the alphanumeric code that you copied before and design your application.

'Put a link to your application on Mondo before you leave.'

Esri have a webpage with examples of interactive maps (they call it map stories) created with this tool: http://storymaps.esri.com/

At the webpage there is also a document about how to build a map story.

It can also be interesting to know that there exist a digital community for this kind of maps were a similar tool are used: http://mapstory.org