Category: DataViz Team 2016

Comparisons of 3 Mapping Tools on the Number of Arrests in Different Police Departments

Posted on Author Stacy Lam

BatchGeo

MapMe

Google Fusion

Pros and Cons of BatchGeo, MapMe, and Google Fusion:

After creating the three maps based on the number of arrests in different police departments, I have found that MapMe was the easiest and most efficient mapping tool for police data. The hardest mapping tool to work with was Google Fusion Tables because I was not able to map large amounts of data, had to separate addresses by street, city, and zip code, and the mapping process did not pose many obstacles when I manually inputted data into Google Fusion. When I uploaded the Google Sheets/Excel file, it was difficult to map out the points because in police data, there are many categories and subcategories of arrest. For BatchGeo, the mapping was simple and efficient, but I was not allowed to input any additional information. For example, within each police department, there were a number of offenses such as assaults, kidnapping, homicides, etc and in BatchGeo, I would have to click on the police department which would then lead me to different offenses. This visual is not as effective because it is easier to hover over a point and have the information pop out than have the individual searching for the information.

What was good about MapMe was that it allowed me to input the addresses in one form. I did not have to separate by street or zip code and the mapping tool is straight forward for beginners and efficient. MapMe also allowed me to input information in the description box which allows the person viewing the map see the number of offenses in different police departments when the computer mouse is hovered over the point on the map. What is good about BatchGeo is that there is a box to drag/copy data from a spreadsheet, generates map within seconds, and is simple. As a result, the best mapping tool to use for police data would be MapMe because MapMe can handle a lot of information, does not require the address to be separated, allows the user to input additional information, and is simple enough for beginners to understand.

Comparison of 3 mapping tools

Posted on Author Shuxin Zhang

Sample Lunch Data in MapMe:

Sample Lunch Data in Google Fusion Table:

Sample Lunch Data in Batchgo:

 

Reflections and thoughts:

Speaking of simplicity, the easiest tool to create a map is definitely BatchGo. Its Geocoding strategies is very efficient and smart, although there are no commas in my original address data and the zip codes are missing 0’s, BatchGo still did the job and recognized the addresses in less than one second. Google Fusion table caused less confusion to me than MapMe did. Some alteration on the address need to be done in order to be recognized, since FusionTable can only grab address data from one block(while BatchGo can grab address data from multiple columns at a time), and the address must correctly match the format. MapMe had a even more strict restriction on formatting the data. It need the user to insert data in certain models, or it won’t recognize it. But if the data is formatted correctly, MapMe geocoded without trouble.

Speaking of features, I personally love MapMe over the other two tools. Mapme allowed me to insert multiple images associated with the location, and can let the user easily view locations one by one. Both MapMe and BatchGo sorted the locations by type automatically, and allowed me to change the colors and icons of the location by groups. FusionTable did a weaker job on sorting. However, BatchGo limits the information that I can change on each location(only the basic address and links, I cannot find a way to add descriptions on individual location). FusionTable and MapMe all provided flexible info-displaying features.

The portability of the three are almost the same. They can all be easily embedded by iframe, and all the three tools provided html code and links.

Comparison of 3 mapping tools

Posted on Author Binh Vo

Schools in Connecticut

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Places you can visit in Connecticut

All 3 mapping tools have their pros and cons. However, the easiest tool to make a map is definitely BatchGo- you basically copy your data and paste it and it literally convert the data into map for you. The second easiest mapping tool in my opinion is MapMe. MapMe is very user friendly due to its interactive font and easy instructions. Also, there is someone from their website that would chat with you to guide you on how to use it. The hardest one for me is Google Fusion Table. Google Fusion can be really useful if you know how to make use of their features, but it is very confusing because it has a lot of features. It’s not like you can hover your mouse over to the features and the instructions would pop up. You have to google if you are stuck.

In my opinion, MapMe is my favorite because it is very user friendly. It has a good amount of features to create the map you need it. One of my favorite features is that you can customize your location with different colors easily. Another feature that is very cool is that you can give a short description for each location. Unlike Google fusion and BatchGo, their maps look plain. However, I prefer Google Fusion if I have a lot of data and it can be easily sorted if it’s used correctly. I would use BatchMe if I just want a quick and basic map.

Comparing Three Mapping Tools

Posted on Author Mike Walsh

Google Fusion

BatchGeo

Mapme

Overall, I thought that Mapme was the most detailed Point Map system to use. It gives you the option to manually add each ‘pin’ or import a spreadsheet and automatically track it. It also gives the user much more control over the information that is shown on each pin. Pins can be customized by color and logo, while photos, and websites can be added to the description.

On the other hand, BatchGeo was the least customizable interface to use. There is no way to change the starting map location, nor the pin color or size. However it was the fastest and easiest map system to use. All the user has to do is copy and paste their spreadsheet to a text box on BatchGeo’s website, and BatchGeo does the rest of the mapping.

Google Fusion Tables is somewhere in between. Excel and Google Sheets can be imported and edited in Fusion Tables, the pin size and color can be customized, and the starting map location can also be set. Fusion Tables is not as fast as BatchGeo, nor as customizable as Mapme, but it does have a hybrid advantages from each interface. It also does offer a ‘heat map’ where a user can show the distance between different restaurant locations. This could be used in my project to show food deserts in between grocery stores in Hartford.

Comparisons of 3 Mapping Tools

Posted on Author Norah Do

Google Fusion Table

BatchGeo

MapMe

After creating point maps of sample lunch data on three different tools, I have learned that BatchGeo is the easiest to use, while MapMe is much more flexible, and Google Fusion Table is the middle ground of the other two.

In less than five minutes, I could create a nice map on BatchGeo by copying the data on the website. However, the downside for this is that I did not have the chance to customize my map. The info windows are fixed, and I cannot change the point size and display. Therefore, BatchGeo is recommended for people who need to make a simple map quickly.

On the other hand, MapMe offers users many choices of map display. I could customize the info windows and symbols for the points on the map. I could decide the map type and even upload a map logo. There are also more tools, which I hope to learn more in the semester. Unfortunately, MapMe is not very user-friendly and efficient. The tool is rigid in terms of importing data. The website did not allow me to create a map until all the locations in my data are formatted correctly. So I had to add one address at a time. Though adding an address is not hard because the site suggested the right location very quickly, this will not be efficient if I’m working with some data with many addresses. Thus, MapMe is suitable for those who want a customized map and do not mind spending some time working on it.

For me, Google Fusion Table is the middle ground between BatchGeo and MapMe. Google Fusion Table is easy to use. I could create a map after uploading data and pick the right column for the geocoding process. I can also customize my info windows and points, though not as flexibly as MapMe. So if an user is looking for an user-friendly and flexible tool, he or she can choose Google Fusion Table to create a map.