Smart phones are always becoming more and more advanced. These devices can be used to collect data by connecting them to data collection devices or utilizing the GPS capabilities within the device itself. This lab uses the online ESRI tutorial to demonstrate how Survey123 for ArcGIS can be used to gather survey based field data.
About Survey 123
Survey 123 is a website that makes accurate field data collection easy. Survey 123 for ArcGIS is also an app that can be downloaded onto smartphones and be used to collect field data. Survey 123 allows users to create automated surveys that can be made available to a wide range of users. The website also allows you analyze the results of the survey in a variety of ways and create a web app to share the survey results.
Methods
For this lab, the Get Started with Survey 123 for ArcGIS tutorial was completed. The tutorial consisted of four different lessons to be completed. Each completed lesson is explained in Figure 1. This survey was created to help the homeowner association (HOA) develop a tool to support their community become prepared for disasters like home fires and earthquakes. The survey gathers data about nine Fix-it safety checks to determine how prepared for disaster the community is.
Figure 1. The four lessons completed or the Get Started with Survey 123 for ArcGIS tutorial.
To begin the tutorial the Survey 123 for ArcGIS webpage had to be opened. This webpage's homepage appears as it does in Figure 2. To gain access the user must log into an ArcGIS or Enterprise account.
Figure 2. The Survey 123 for ArcGIS homepage.
Lesson 1: Create a Survey
A web survey was created called the "HOA Emergency Preparedness Survey". Survey 123 is equipped with a user-friendly interface that makes generating a survey easy. Figure 3 is of the toolbar that allows the user to select what types of survey questions should be added to the survey. Once selected, the question type can be customized to the options and layout the user desires. In the tutorial, many different question types were utilized. Figure 4 and Figure 5 show different survey questions created for the tutorial. Survey questions can also be linked so that if the participant in the survey selects one answer a second question will appear to follow up on the answer selected for the first. An example is, if for the survey question "What type of residence do you live in?" if "Single family (house)" is selected then another question will appear asking "How many levels does your home have?". This question only appears for that selected answer due to the fact the second question would not be relevant if the alternative answer "Multi-family (apartment, condo)" was selected.
Figure 3. The Survey 123 toolbar showing all of the different types of survey questions that can be created.
Figure 4. Samples of Number, Image, and Multiple Choice questions created for the survey tutorial.
Figure 5. A sample of the numerous Single Choice, Yes/No, questions made for the tutorial survey.
Lesson 2: Complete and submit the Survey
Once the survey is set up in the desired fashion, the survey should be checked for spelling errors; because once the survey is submitted, it cannot be revised or changed. Once the survey is submitted different settings can be changed so that desired audience can access the survey. The group of people who are allowed to take the survey can be set to Everyone (Public), Members of my organization, or customizable groups. In the Survey 123 webpage for the created survey the main toolbar includes several tabs related to the data of the survey, Overview, Design, Collaborate, Analyze, Data, and one that gives the URL for the survey. The created survey can be accessed through that URL or by accessing it through the Survey 123 for ArcGIS app that can be downloaded onto smartphones or tablets. Figure 6 shows what the free downloadable app looks like. At this part of the tutorial survey data is needed so the user needs to complete the survey at least 6 times using the app and website. Each time the survey is completed a friendly notification pictured in Figure 7 displays say the data was properly submitted.
Figure 6. The free Survey 123 for ArcGIS downloadable app for smartphones and tablets.
Figure 7. The pop-up display that appears after the survey has been successfully taken.
Analyze Survey Data
After the survey data was collected the data was observed through graphs and maps highlighting trends in the data. For each survey question, a graph is automatically rendered for user analysis. The graph can be set to be a column, bar, pie, or map representation of the data. Figure 8 shows a column representation of the data from one of the survey questions. Statistics are also automatically given for the results of each survey question, pictured in Figure 9.
Figure 8. Column chart for the results of one of the tutorial survey questions.
Figure 9. Statistics for the results of the "What type of residence do you live in?" survey question.
Lesson 4: Share your survey data
In ArcGIS Map Viewer connected to Survey 123 a web map can be created to display survey results. Pop-ups for each data point can be configured to display the attributes that are desirable to viewers and keep confidentiality of the participants of the survey if applicable. A web app can also be created to allow for a different viewing experience of the map. Figure 10 displays what the webpage to customize the web app appears like.
Figure 10. Web app configuration page.
Results
The main two things created in the Survey 123 online tutorial was a survey and a web app used to display the data. The URL for each of these are given below. A screenshot of the web app is shown in Figure 11.
URL for the survey created:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/ad825a0e454b46ff86e3cadda98b8abd
URL for the survey results Web App: https://arcg.is/11bCKf
Spatial patterns can be seen as the data is observed. The study was conducted amongst a small study population in Eau Claire, WI at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. It would make sense that most homes appear in Eau Claire and Minnesota and other cities in Wisconsin. The most common household sampled was single family (house) with two to three levels in the home. The average number of people in each household was 4, with the minimum being 2 and the maximum number of people in a household being 6. The age range with the greatest representation within the households sampled was 18-60 years old, which makes sense since the survey was conducted on a college campus. Generally, most homes sampled do not have computers, televisions, cabinets, or bookshelves secured. The item most commonly found in each household was a tent. If the survey was given to a larger population of people, more reliable and more spatial patterns could be drawn.
Figure 11. A screenshot of the web app for the survey data points.
Conclusions
Survey 123 for ArcGIS might be useful in my future research. I am a Biology and Geography double major with a minor in Environmental Science, so in my future I plan to be working on environmental research. I can for sure see myself using Survey 123 in my future career goals. This app would work well in the field. For example, if I was collecting soil samples in the field I could first create a survey in the lab with question like "soil sample number", "appearance", "depth sampled at", or even a location map where my exact GPS location of where the sample was taken could be saved. I could even have a picture field where I could take a picture of the sample site or sample itself for future reference and save it in the app. When I conducted the soil sampling all of my survey data would be neatly organized in one location minimizing the risk of losing data or disorganizing my samples. The Survey 123 for ArcGIS has many different applications and is a great tool that can be utilized by field researchers everywhere.
Sources
Get Started with Survey123 for ArcGIS. (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2017, from https://learn.arcgis.com/en/projects/get-started-with-survery123/.
