Case Studies

New Web Mapping Approach Moves City of Coquitlam Towards Greater Productivity

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Challenge The City of Coquitlam was an early adopter of a multi- purpose approach to online mapping. This approach involves publishing data gathered from various municipal departments as layers in a single online map and encouraging users to view the information they need by selecting boxes from a menu. Over the years, Coquitlam has created several public-facing and internal web maps using this classic method with some success. However, advancements in ArcGIS technology, feedback from end users and recurring challenges encouraged the City to reevaluate its one-map-fits-all approach to building web maps for internal staff. Over time, the City discovered there were challenges associated with trying to make one web map work for multiple departments. This included satisfying the individual needs of various groups (e.g. symbology customization), as well as issues that arose from older, plug-in based technology, which could only be used on certain devices and was not accessible across all platforms. The City also recognized that the myriad of tools that a single online map provided did not often result in a positive user experience. Feedback suggested that a less- is-more approach would improve app functionality. As a result, the City began exploring opportunities to improve its approach to web mapping. Web maps help city staff improve response times and streamline their ability to keep information up to date Adopting a one-map-fits-all approach to publishing web maps has been a standard practice for municipalities and government agencies for many years. The City of Coquitlam sought to transition away from the concept of multi-purpose, GIS-based online maps by leveraging out-of-the-box tools available through ArcGIS. The City efficiently deployed a suite of focused apps that met municipal and provincial security and privacy requirements and addressed the needs of various city departments. The web maps are now helping office and field staff stay connected and productive with timely, up-to-date information. 1 Esri Canada | New Web Mapping Approach Moves City of Coquitlam Towards Greater Productivity

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