Evaluating Geographic Information System Methods to Enhance a Park Visit
By
Cassandra L. Clouston
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Geographic Information System Applications
Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, British Columbia
May, 2018, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Supervisor: Paul Zandbergen GIS Program Professor
Abstract
Visitors to a park may not be aware of all the activities the park offers, due to the lack of signage or an informational kiosk. Having a system in place to allow visitors to become informed of the park’s assets will enable them to enjoy it more fully. With today’s location aware technology, an interactive and informational experience can be achieved to enhance the public’s knowledge of their surroundings.
This research project evaluated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology as a basis for enhancing a visitor’s experience for park environments, using The Assiniboine Park English Garden located in
Winnipeg, Manitoba as the grounds for this investigation. This research may set a precedent for other parks and green spaces to invest and adopt technology to create an informative and exploratory environment for their visitors.
The methodology of this research was guided by multiple factors. The evaluation of existing GIS methods used in similar locations were reviewed to look at the capabilities of current technology: paper maps, QR
Codes, Web Map Tours, Web Apps and Native Apps. A determination of how to use GIS to produce a database that would analyze not only the physical entities of the park like pathways and statues, but also the seasonal aspects were undertaken. A questionnaire was conducted with park visitors to gather an understanding of the visitors’ acceptance of the technology proposed. The results of the survey were used to evaluate which of the proposed technologies would be appropriate to implement and guide the prototype development and evaluation.
The English Garden staff were supportive in providing their expertise about the existing methods at use in the garden and also as a source for data. This data included AutoCAD files, excel spreadsheets and hand drawn sketches. The data was converted and, along with newly collected data, was organized into a geodatabase for use in Esri ArcGIS software suite.
1
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction ...... 6 1.1 Background ...... 6 1.2 Problem Statement ...... 6 1.3 Purpose ...... 7 1.4 Objectives ...... 7 1.5 Contributions ...... 8 Chapter 2. Literature Review...... 9 2.1 Existing Technologies ...... 9 2.1.1 Map Brochure ...... 9 2.1.2 Static Signage...... 10 2.1.3 Barcode Technology ...... 12 2.1.4 Digital Signs...... 14 2.1.5 Beacons ...... 15 2.1.6 Web Map Application ...... 15 2.1.7 Mobile Application ...... 16 2.1.8 Augmented Reality ...... 17 2.2 Existing Garden Systems ...... 19 2.2.1 Norfolk Botanical Garden ...... 19 2.2.2 Washington Park Arboretum ...... 21 2.2.3 The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University ...... 25 2.3 Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens ...... 27 Chapter 3. Methodology ...... 29 3.1 Case Study ...... 29 3.2 Methodology ...... 29 3.2.1 Garden Staff Discussions ...... 30 3.2.2 Visitor Survey ...... 37 3.2.3 Geodatabases Design ...... 38 3.2.4 Prototypes ...... 42 3.2.5 Prototype Evaluation Methods ...... 42 Chapter 4. Results and Discussion ...... 46 4.1 Survey Results ...... 46 4.2 Geodatabase ...... 51 4.3 Prototypes ...... 56 4.3.1 QR Codes ...... 57
2
4.3.2 Map Tour ...... 59 4.3.3 Web App ...... 61 4.3.4 Native App ...... 68 4.4 Prototype Evaluation ...... 71 4.5 Discussion ...... 75 Chapter 5. Conclusion ...... 78 Bibliography ...... 82 Appendix A Questionnaire ...... 85 Appendix B Poster ...... 86
Tables Table 1 - Survey Respondents ...... 46 Table 2 - Prototype Evaluation ...... 71 Table 3 - Prototype Requirements ...... 72 Table 4 - QR Code Pros & Cons ...... 73 Table 5 - Map Tour Pros & Cons ...... 73 Table 6 - Web App Pros & Cons ...... 74 Table 7 - Native App ...... 74 Table 8 - Staff Prototype Ranking ...... 74
Figures
Figure 1 - Butchart Garden Brochure ...... 10 Figure 2 - Weathered and Damaged Plant Sign ...... 11 Figure 3 - Plant Sign Far from Pathway ...... 11 Figure 4 - Cinémental QR Code Poster ...... 13 Figure 5 - Screen Capture of Cinémental App ...... 13 Figure 6 - Plants Map QR Tag ...... 14 Figure 7 - Shopping Mall Information Digital Sign ...... 15 Figure 8 - Arnold Arboretum Explorer Web Map...... 16 Figure 9 - Upper Fort Garry Mobile Web App ...... 17 Figure 10 - Screen Capture of Pokémon GO AR ...... 18 Figure 11 - Interactive Garden Map ...... 19 Figure 12 - Pop Up ...... 20 Figure 13 - PDF Map ...... 20 Figure 14 - Washington Park Arboretum Web Map ...... 21 Figure 15 - Plant Pop Up ...... 22 Figure 16 - Structure Pop Up ...... 22 Figure 17 - Bed Pop Up ...... 23 Figure 18 - Plant Mass Pop Up ...... 24 Figure 19 - Mobile Web Map ...... 24 Figure 20 - Arnold Arboretum Web Map ...... 25 Figure 21 - Pop Up ...... 26 Figure 22 - Preset Views ...... 26 Figure 23 - Lilac Tour ...... 27
3
Figure 24 - Weathered and Damaged Plant Sign ...... 31 Figure 25 - Plant Sign Far from Pathway ...... 31 Figure 26 - Photo of Garden Bed Plan ...... 32 Figure 27 - Sketch of Current Bed Boundaries ...... 33 Figure 28 - Tress and Shrub Paper Plans ...... 34 Figure 29 - ArcGIS Collector Use for Perennial Input ...... 35 Figure 30 - Garden Cellular Data Coverage ...... 37 Figure 31 - Washington Park Arboretum REST Service ...... 39 Figure 32 - Arnold Arboretum REST Service ...... 40 Figure 33 - Esri Parks & Gardens Geodatabase Model ...... 41 Figure 34 - Pros / Cons Evaluation Form ...... 44 Figure 35 - Prototype Rating Sheet ...... 45 Figure 36 - Survey Distribution by Age Group ...... 46 Figure 37 - Frequency of All Visitors ...... 47 Figure 38 - Purpose of Visit...... 47 Figure 39 - Smart Device Use by Age Group ...... 48 Figure 40 - Non-Smart Device Users Interests ...... 48 Figure 41 - Smart Device Users Interests ...... 49 Figure 42 - English Garden REST Service ...... 51 Figure 43 - Geodatabase Design ...... 52 Figure 44 - Relationship Defining Fields ...... 53 Figure 45 - Relationship Cardinality ...... 54 Figure 46 - New Relationship Class ...... 54 Figure 47 - ArcGIS Pro Add Selected to Relationship ...... 55 Figure 48 - Relationship Table ...... 56 Figure 49 - QR Code Sign Prototype ...... 58 Figure 50 - Scanned QR Code Website ...... 58 Figure 51 - Map Tour Prototype ...... 59 Figure 52 - Garden Sculpture with Link ...... 60 Figure 53 - Fountain Point of Interest ...... 60 Figure 54 - ArcGIS Gallery ...... 61 Figure 55 - Web App Prototype...... 62 Figure 56 - Web App Geolocation ...... 63 Figure 57 - Pathway Popup...... 63 Figure 58 - Structure Popup ...... 64 Figure 59 - Garden Bed Popup ...... 65 Figure 60 - Annual List ...... 65 Figure 61 - Annual Plant Popup ...... 66 Figure 62 - Tree Popup ...... 67 Figure 63 - Winter Album ...... 67 Figure 64 - Native App ...... 68 Figure 65 - AppStudio for ArcGIS ...... 69 Figure 66 - Map Tour Settings ...... 69 Figure 67 - Native App Map Tour ...... 70 Figure 68 - AuGeo Screenshot ...... 76 Figure 69 - AuGeo in the Field ...... 77
4
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Conservatory staff at the English Garden of the Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for allowing me access to their beautiful gardens. Thank you also to Professor Paul Zandbergen for his guidance and knowledge. I would also like to thank my dear husband for supporting me in this effort.
5
Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Parks and other green spaces are becoming more important in everyone’s lives. They provide areas within urban centers for leisure, sports, biking and hiking or viewing garden displays. Some aspects of green spaces change based on the seasons. Displays in gardens change based on the seasonal blooming and growing patterns of the plants. A park may have hiking trails throughout the summer and skiing trails in winter.
What is lacking for many park visitors is awareness of a park’s assets. With the capabilities available in today’s mobile technology, such as geolocation and applications, an interactive and informational experience can be created to enhance the public’s knowledge of their surroundings within these parks.
Also, the acceptance and reliance on technology and smart devices is creating new opportunities to promote tourist locations. This is especially true in locations without any tourism infrastructure on site, such as signs or visitor centers. Exploration of ways to enhance a visitor’s experience and create an interactive educational atmosphere is an exciting opportunity to refresh an existing space and attract new visitors.
Gil Peñalosa, Chair of World Urban Parks, stated in an interview: “Successful public places around the world are successful not just because of the design but also because of the management. That’s not just cutting the grass and picking up the garbage. The bigger part of management is how to involve the community in the parks…we need to think of parks more as outdoor community centers where we need to invest in uses and activities so they can fulfill their potential. When we improve parks, we’re really improving quality of life.” (Klayko, 2012)
1.2 Problem Statement
Today, when visitors are enjoying a park, they may not be fully aware of what it has to offer in terms of interactive and informational activities. Unlike a zoo or museum, which typically has an information kiosk and numerous signs explaining the exhibits, a park may be lacking a system to provide visitor information.
This is not to say that visitors to a park do not understand that they can run around, throw a football or have a picnic. The problem is that the park may be large, visitors may only visit one area or may be new to the
6 city and not familiar with the park at all. Having a system in place to allow visitors to become informed of the park’s assets will enable them to enjoy it more fully.
Sometimes green space data does not exist or, if it does, it may be held within a city department such as
Parks and Recreation or Planning. If the data exists, it may be inaccessible or collected and processed behind closed doors without consultation with other stakeholders. Access to this data needs to be secured so that it can be used to its full potential.
With the previously mentioned technologies, an interactive and informational experience can be achieved to enhance the public’s knowledge of their surroundings by collecting and processing the available data.
Introducing technologies that are capable of handling the aspect of seasonal changes is a benefit that a static display by itself, is not expected to meet.
1.3 Purpose
The purpose of this research is to evaluate Geographic Information System (GIS) methodologies to create an interactive and informative environment that will enhance a visitor’s experience within a park or other green space.
1.4 Objectives
Using the Assiniboine Park English Garden located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada as a case study, this study explores how GIS can help produce a visitor experience solution to parks without the standard visitor’s information infrastructure.
There are three objectives to this research project:
1. Evaluate multiple options currently available to best communicate GIS park data more effectively
and in an interactive way
2. Use GIS to produce a database that can analyze the seasonal uses of the park
3. Build and test prototypes of selected technologies
Multiple options currently in use at visitor locations were researched and evaluated. These systems were investigated to determine the best methods to communicate GIS park data in an interactive way. The use
7 of GIS to produce a database that can analyze the seasonal uses of the park was undertaken to organize the garden data. Prototypes of the preferred technologies based on survey results were built and evaluated.
To carry out the prototypes and evaluation, discussions were held with staff to gather information about the current system(s) in place and assess the garden assets. A survey was conducted with visitors to gain insight into the preferred technology and technological acceptance. Based on the information gathered prototypes were designed, created and reviewed for implementation.
1.5 Contributions
This research paper provides the following contributions; a compilation of existing park GIS methods, the results and interpretation of both staff discussions and visitor surveys completed at a park and the creation and evaluation of prototypes determined by the visitor survey and staff input.
A compilation of existing park environments which have used GIS methods to provide information to staff and park visitors is part of this paper.
There is limited literature on investigating what visitors to a tourist location were wanting in their access to information. Conducting the survey and evaluating the results expands the understanding of visitors’ technology acceptance levels and preferences.
Prototype creation and evaluation described in this research is a resource for parks looking to implement an educational environment for their visitors using GIS methods.
This research paper provides documentation for researchers who will continue work in this field.
8
Chapter 2. Literature Review
With the abundance of data available today, the next steps are to process and open the doors of this data in order to make it more valuable. GIS is defined as “A geographic information system (GIS) lets us visualize, question, analyze, and interpret data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends.” (ESRI).
Using GIS technology, it is possible to make a park into an interactive zone of information and exploration.
A typical person is connected to some form of electronic device such as a mobile phone, a laptop or other purpose-built device. GIS technologies will be evaluated to see which will work in a park environment. An analysis of other gardens and parks to see how they have utilized GIS to manage and make accessible their data will take place. Also, Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens, which is part of their industry specific maps and apps solution, will be reviewed to see how it organizes data for an outdoor environment.
2.1 Existing Technologies
2.1.1 Map Brochure
A traditional paper map brochure provided at the entrance to a park allows anyone to access the information. Printed cartographic maps typically require seasonal and yearly updating; however, this process can be automated through implementation of GIS technology. This brochure would serve as a souvenir for visitors to take home and perhaps remind them to return in the future.
For example, The Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island provides a website downloadable pdf map in many languages that describes the accessible features and services (See Figure 1).
9
Figure 1 - Butchart Garden Brochure
(Map Downloads, 2016)
Printed maps have been utilized for many years however, today the production of the traditional printed map has slowed (McKinney, 2010). This reduced production of paper maps is due to location-based technology being available on wireless devices such as Google Maps (MacEachren, 2013).
2.1.2 Static Signage
A park is usually a public space that is free of charge and there are rarely information booths or hourly tours. At Balboa Park in San Diego, the park has free admission, it does have a garden kiosk but it is underutilized due to funding issues. While on the self-guided tours, visitors to Balboa Park are unable to enhance their knowledge because of the following situation: “not many of the plants had identification tags, and those tagged were subject to vandalism and fading from the outdoor elements.” (Durizzi, 2007)
10
Static signs are not always the best solution, as seen with Balboa Park. The main difficulties with signage in public spaces is the need to change the sign if something is moved or removed. Furthermore, if a sign is for something of a seasonal nature it must be updated frequently. A sign has a fixed size limiting it to a set amount of information. Also, signage must be placed in a location which does not interfere with the enjoyment of the area. These signs will need to be maintained and the area surrounding them needs to be clear of obstacles that could endanger visitors. To support the implementation of various signs, a regular schedule for inspections would need to be in place.
During a late 2016 visit to the English Gardens at the Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, pictures were taken of flower bed signs showing two issues with static signage (See Figures 2 and 3).
Figure 2 - Weathered and Damaged Plant Sign
Figure 3 - Plant Sign Far from Pathway
11
2.1.3 Barcode Technology
New technology is revolutionizing what once was the logical place for a static sign. One technology option being seen more and more today is the QR (Quick Response) code. Scanning one of these QR codes with either the built-in camera functionality or an application (app) downloaded to the device will provide the user access to much more information than a typical static sign can hold. A popular use is to place QR codes on static signs as a means to give the viewer more in-depth information in another format. A great advantage of using QR codes is what M. Emek (2012) noted in his report “even if 30%…of [the] barcode are damaged, QR codes still can be recognized.” Another positive is that even though a QR code is placed like a static sign, the information it can contain is limitless. There are free QR code generators and readers available online. QR codes are able to link an individual to a word document, a video or audio file just to name a few.
Cinémental.com is a French film festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba and, to create excitement for their 2016 event, they implemented QR codes. A scavenger hunt was created to entice fans to explore historical venues that have played a part in Cinémental’s 25-year history. A poster with the QR code is displayed in the window of the participating venue and, once found (either on your own or by using the apps built in map), it can be scanned by the participant to reveal historic information (See Figures 4 and 5).
12
Figure 4 - Cinémental QR Code Poster
(Cinémental, 2016)
Figure 5 - Screen Capture of Cinémental App
(Cinémental, 2016)
13
Another example of QR code use is by a company called Plants Map which manufactures QR code plant tags that may be useful in a park environment. Plants Map produces the QR tags for you and has a free system for creating a plant library and producing maps (Plants Map, 2016) (See Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Plants Map QR Tag
(Plants Map, 2016)
2.1.4 Digital Signs
An interactive digital sign placed near the entrance of a park would enable visitors to have an overview of what the park or other green space offers. Not only can these show a map, but it could also be used to highlight special events or guide the visitor to the attraction of their choice. These types of signs can be customized and updated at any time. Cost, vandalism and exposure to the outdoor elements are the primary issues with this technology. Malls are a main user of digital signs to help shoppers locate and to quickly find the store they need (See Figure 7).
14
Figure 7 - Shopping Mall Information Digital Sign
("youRhere Interactive", 2016)
2.1.5 Beacons
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York City has incorporated beacons into their curated displays. “A beacon is a small device (approx. 3cm x 5cm x 2cm) that constantly sends out radio signals to nearby smartphones and tablets, containing a small amount of data. The signal strength and time between each signal can be configured to give a desired coverage. Mobile apps can listen for the signals being broadcast and, when they hear a relevant signal, can trigger an action on your phone.” (Pointr, 2015).
Creating an educational environment with beacons can complement the space by offering access to information in the form of audio, video and expanded textual information. The MET experienced a number of obstacles with using beacons, such as battery life, temperature and building architecture which all had an influence on the signals being passed to the device. (Doljenkova & Tung, 2015) Before implementing a beacon into a public outdoor space, potential technical difficulties would need to be researched.
2.1.6 Web Map Application
A web map application is “…an interactive display of geographic information… “("Web maps—ArcGIS
Online Help | ArcGIS", 2017). A user of a web map can gain insight about a place and learn from the information presented.
15
One researcher has created a web map to identify diving hazards in Lake Superior (Graham, 2014). This is an excellent example of where a static sign is not possible due to the hazard information constantly changing. After collecting the data, he implemented a web site that will update divers on the local hazards and give the dive site a hazard rating of high to low. An example of a hazard would be the current water conditions. Graham was able to incorporate this live condition data right into his own app. This is a great example of how a web map is interactive and can provide significant relevant and real time information.
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is another website that has an interactive web map allowing users to learn more about the plants and structures found in its park. Points on the map are clickable and display information about the plant at that location. Other features include being able to search for a plant, turn different plant layers on and off and the ability to print the map view (See Figure 8).
Figure 8 - Arnold Arboretum Explorer Web Map
("Arnold Arboretum Explorer", 2016)
2.1.7 Mobile Application
An opportunity for creating an exploratory environment for visitors of a park is to implement a mobile application (app). This type of app is capable of presenting information to visitors as they interact with their surroundings. A smart device has the capabilities of knowing your location using the built-in GPS system and it can also connect to wireless communications and install applications. A mobile map app can
16 integrate GIS technology to produce an interactive mobile web map of location-based data that can be explored. Winnipeg’s historic Upper Fort Garry site has implemented a mobile app that “uses geo-location which allows you to pinpoint your location on the site as well as the points of interest in the park." ("Upper
Fort Garry – Upper Fort Garry App", 2016). Figure 9 shows a screen capture from the Upper Fort Gary
Mobile app.
Figure 9 - Upper Fort Garry Mobile Web App
("Upper Fort Garry – Upper Fort Garry App", 2016)
2.1.8 Augmented Reality
A final option involves a fairly new technology, called Augmented Reality (AR). “AR is a technology that allows overlying physical world objects, surfaces or GPS points with interactive contents such as video, images, animations, 3D or web-based contents” (Laudazi & Boccaccini, 2014). AR is a truly interactive technology; many museums are offering this multimedia atmosphere to visitors. Visitors to some
17 galleries/museums with AR are given a more in-depth knowledge of the art itself plus get a behind-the- scenes look at the processes to maintain the collections. Museums are beginning to replace old systems like audios, guides and paper (Laudazi & Boccaccini, 2014) with new forms of technology. A benefit to AR is that it is non-invasive; however, you must invest money as well as time to maintain the system.
Augmented reality would enable a park visitor to see the surroundings during a different season, perhaps showing a summertime visitor what the place would look like in the fall with all the changing colours.
In 2016, the wildly popular Pokémon GO game on mobile devices introduced the general public to AR. One aspect of this game is the creation of a virtual environment overlaid on the real world in which players locate and capture virtual characters called Pokémon (See Figure 10) (Pokémon GO, 2016).
Figure 10 - Screen Capture of Pokémon GO AR
(Pokémon GO, 2016)
18
2.2 Existing Garden Systems
2.2.1 Norfolk Botanical Garden
The Norfolk Botanical Garden located in Norfolk, Virginia is an example of taking a paper map to the next step and making it a clickable image map on their website http://norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/visit/garden- map/# (See Figure 11).
Figure 11 - Interactive Garden Map
("Interactive Garden Map", n.d.)
As you hover the cursor over the numbered points, popups appear promoting the sites of interest. Some of the popups contain links to further information (See Figure 12).
19
Figure 12 - Pop Up
("Interactive Garden Map", n.d.)
This interactive map can also be downloaded and taken with you when you visit the garden (See Figure
13).
Figure 13 - PDF Map
("Interactive Garden Map", n.d.)
20
2.2.2 Washington Park Arboretum
A more advanced use of an interactive map is the Washington Park Arboretum located in Seattle,
Washington. The Washington Park Arboretum is not only open to the public but is used by the University of Washington for education purposes. On their website, http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/gardens/map.shtml, is a clickable map with detailed information primarily featuring trees and shrubs (See Figure 14).
Figure 14 - Washington Park Arboretum Web Map
("Washington Park Arboretum Interactive Map ~ UW Botanic Gardens", n.d.)
Spatially accurate points are used for the tree or shrub locations. When these points are clicked, a popup will open which contains relative plant information and links to Google image searches (See Figure 15).
21
Figure 15 - Plant Pop Up
("Washington Park Arboretum Interactive Map ~ UW Botanic Gardens", n.d.)
Structures in the park are symbolized by polygons on the web map. These include features such as fountains, benches and stone walls. When selected, the type of feature is identified (See Figure 16).
Figure 16 - Structure Pop Up
("Washington Park Arboretum Interactive Map ~ UW Botanic Gardens", n.d.)
The individual garden beds are indicated by polygons which show their boundaries. These are also identified when selected (See Figure 17).
22
Figure 17 - Bed Pop Up
("Washington Park Arboretum Interactive Map ~ UW Botanic Gardens", n.d.)
Within the garden bed mass, plantings are identified by polygons. When selected, these polygons will either show the name of the plant growing there or will just say “Native plant mass” (See Figure 18).
23
Figure 18 - Plant Mass Pop Up
("Washington Park Arboretum Interactive Map ~ UW Botanic Gardens", n.d.)
In 2016, the Arboretum added a basic version of the web map to be compatible with smart devices enabling the use of geolocation technology. The look and use are similar to the advanced web map but with some functionality removed such as the Popular Walks layer. On a mobile phone, the plant points are cluttered at first glance, but becomes more user friendly as you zoom in as seen below in the phone screen capture (See Figure 19).
Figure 19 - Mobile Web Map
("Arboretum Map", 2016)
24
2.2.3 The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts is a 265 acre garden open to the public and used for botanical research. GIS developers created a mobile web application that
“…functions as a desktop application, enabling not only arboretum visitors to use it on their smartphones but also anyone with online access. The browser-based application gives those interested in botany and
Arnold Arboretum the ability to search the collection, find plants that are currently in bloom, and plan self- guided tours to specific areas…” ("Arnold Arboretum Uses Mobile Mapping to Increase Access to
Botanical Collections. ArcWatch", 2013). A screen capture of the interactive map which contains 15,000 plant points is seen in Figure 20.
Figure 20 - Arnold Arboretum Web Map
("Arnold Arboretum Explorer", 2013)
Clicking a plant point location will open a popup with its details and additional information (See Figure 21).
25
Figure 21 - Pop Up
("Arnold Arboretum Explorer", 2013)
The map also allows the user to select preset views such as the ability to symbolize a certain plant family collection or by plant’s country of origin (See Figure 22).
Figure 22 - Preset Views
("Arnold Arboretum Explorer", 2013)
26
Another feature is the ability to highlight featured tours. This draws attention to the location of certain plants such as the Lilac Tour (See Figure 23).
Figure 23 - Lilac Tour
("Arnold Arboretum Explorer", 2013)
The Arnold Arboretum application uses Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens data model and has refined the model over the years to suit their needs. Arnold Arboretum along with The University of California
Davis Arboretum and the Smithsonian Gardens in Washington, DC are part of the Alliance for Public
Gardens GIS which have implemented Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens data model to maintain their garden assets. This model will be discussed in the methodology section and its influence on the design for the case study environment. The next section will briefly describe Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks and Garden tool set and uses.
2.3 Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens
Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens is a set of tools and templates designed for maintenance and viewing of park assets by either the staff or by the public through apps. Esri’s website describes the capabilities of ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens which supports three areas of GIS implementation: ("ArcGIS for Parks &
Gardens", 2018)
27
Collections
Collections includes templates for the collection, maintenance and sharing of data about the plants within the park. This incorporates ArcGIS Collector for collection of the plant inventory and for tree assessment.
Also, included are templates for two web apps; one for use in the office to edit field collected data and a second for viewing and querying the plant data collected.
Education and Interpretation
To educate and inform visitors ArcGIS for Park & Gardens suggests the use of Story Maps as a guided tour of the park.
Facilities
The facilities aspect of ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens includes an irrigation mapping template that uses
ArcGIS Collector. Maintenance of the irrigation system is achieved by a web app which allows the user to edit the data. An irrigation viewer is also included via a website or internal web portal for staff to view the irrigation data.
Further review of the ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens will be undertaken to see if the database schema will support the purpose of this research and support the functionality desired.
28
Chapter 3. Methodology
3.1 Case Study
This case study is using the Assiniboine Park English Garden to evaluate GIS technology, identified in the literature review chapter, as a basis for enhancing a visitor’s experience. This insight may set a precedent for other parks and green spaces to invest and adopt a more exploratory environment.
Assiniboine Park is located along the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The park encompasses 1,100 acres and features a forest, a zoo, a conservatory, formal and informal gardens, miniature railway and an outdoor theatre. Thousands of people visit the park annually to enjoy strolling the grounds with family, to attend a sporting event on the many playing fields or perhaps to attend “Ballet in the
Park”.
The three-acre English Garden is one of four horticulture-based areas within the park, it is open year-round and admission is free. The English Garden was established in the 1920s. It was designed as a location where people could obtain information about plant varieties in Manitoba and be exposed to new plants
("Assiniboine Park", 2017). Today, when visitors stroll through and admire the beautiful plantings at the
English Garden there is an absence of available educational information with regard to the types of plants, fountains and other structures featured in the garden. Since a public garden is constantly changing due to the blooming patterns and the growing season of different plants, a static display by itself is not expected to meet the needs of this type of ever changing environment. Previous attempts at an interactive exhibit in the park had been met with challenges. Initial research stated that they did not have an integrated system or ideal functionality so the technology was abandoned. This research project will focus on a small area of the English Garden so as to be achievable in a reasonable time frame.
3.2 Methodology
The methodology of this research was driven by further analysis of the objectives.
Surveys and discussions are key elements to gather information and understanding about a situation.
These types of data gathering methods are used to present a “snapshot of how things are at a specific time” (Kelley, Clark, Brown & Sitzia, 2003). More specifically, discussions with the English Garden staff
29 were used to create an overview of the current technology and GIS functionality already in use by those maintaining the English Garden. A public survey was used to gather information about the garden visitors’ demographics and technology awareness. From this information, prototypes were developed and evaluated.
3.2.1 Garden Staff Discussions
Throughout the research process, the English Garden staff have taken part in informal, qualitative surveys.
Qualitative surveys are exploratory and are used to gather insights into the situation (Wyse, 2011). These have been conducted in informal, group discussions. Open ended questions were presented allowing key staff to answer questions freely and provide useful insight (Kelley, et al., 2003). The first meetings held with the garden staff discussed what they would be expecting from an interactive garden environment and presenting what the methodology of this research project would entail. Further into the research process, more specific questions arose providing additional details and approval for access to garden data.
Key staff members included in discussions were the Director of Horticulture, the Horticulture Design
Supervisor and the Lead Gardener.
From these meetings information was acquired on the following topics:
Current systems in use at the English Garden
There is signage within the garden including non-permanent plant signs and permanent signs for non- changing points of interest such as statues and a fountain. The non-permanent plant sign labels are paper and deteriorate due to exposure to the weather. Also, signs are placed near the plants which may be far from the pathway. This makes it difficult for visitors to read the signs, plus as the garden grows, these signs may become buried in the foliage (See Figures 24 and 25).
30
Figure 24 - Weathered and Damaged Plant Sign
Figure 25 - Plant Sign Far from Pathway
A previous attempt at a mobile application was abandoned, information on its build is unavailable and static signage is the only consistent system in use.
Existing data
The English Garden staff provided a CAD drawing of the garden area which included garden bed boundaries. However, there is no plant or points of interest digital dataset available. Bringing the CAD line work and recent imagery into GIS showed that the CAD drawing was not georeferenced. Once
31 georeferenced, it was identified that the line work was outdated as some pathways in current satellite imagery were not included in the CAD drawing. After confirming with a field visit, adjustments were made to the garden pathways and bed boundaries to capture correct geolocation positions. This data became the
Pathway feature class within the geodatabase. The geodatabase will be discussed in further detail in the next section.
The garden beds are broken down into sections for staff to efficiently locate where spring planting is to be done. This bed plan only existed as a printed map in a staff member’s office (See Figure 26). A photo of this map was acquired and input into GIS.
Figure 26 - Photo of Garden Bed Plan
After georeferencing the bed image into GIS, it was still somewhat unclear as to the boundaries of the beds.
By printing an aerial image, the Lead Gardener was able to draw the bed boundaries so that accurate and current data could be input (See Figure 27). This became the Bed feature class within the geodatabase.
32
Figure 27 - Sketch of Current Bed Boundaries
A set of paper maps of the trees and shrub locations has served as the only source of information for years.
A copy of these maps was acquired and consisted of 4 pieces of paper that, when laid side by side, showed the whole garden. By georeferencing each of these sheets into the GIS, the tree and shrub locations were determined (See Figure 28). The paper plans had names and locations of the trees and shrubs which were entered into the Trees and Shrubs table within the geodatabase.
33
Figure 28 - Tress and Shrub Paper Plans
Annual plant planning currently involves entering the plant name into a spreadsheet of the garden beds.
This Excel spreadsheet contains the plant names and the garden bed identifier code into which they will be planted. A copy of the spreadsheet was obtained from the Horticultural Design Supervisor. Using this information, it was possible to correlate the beds and plants for the case study area. This excel list became the basis of the Annuals table within the geodatabase, with additional information and photos added for the plants.
For the Perennial plants scattered throughout the beds, there was no data available. These plants self- seed or spread by a root system making it hard to keep up to date documentation of their locations. To acquire bed locations of the perennials, ArcGIS Collector App was used and, with the help of garden staff, a sample list of some of the perennials was generated. This became the Perennials table within the geodatabase. Figure 29 shows a screen capture of the ArcGIS Collector app being used to input perennials and link them to the garden beds.
34
Figure 29 - ArcGIS Collector Use for Perennial Input
There are statues and other structures within the English Garden area, these locations were input into the
GIS using aerial imagery. Confirmation of the locations and the information about the structures were collected with a field visit. This data became the Structures feature class in the geodatabase.
Software Currently in Use by Assiniboine Park
CAD is the only spatial software in use currently. They will be exploring GIS software in the future as the park will be undergoing major development.
Technology Acceptance Review with Assiniboine Park
A review of the available technology options was conducted with the Horticulture Design Supervisor to determine the level of acceptance. This was used to narrow down the possible solutions to present in the visitor survey and the prototyping phase.
35
Number of Visitors to the English Garden
Unfortunately, the number of visitors to the gardens is not known, staff will be considering collecting this data in the future.
Conducting the Visitor Survey
The visitor survey was reviewed and approved by the Vancouver Island University’s ethics board. They considered all aspects of the process for conducting the public survey to validate the reasoning for the survey and whether it meets ethical standards. The top portion of the survey explained the purpose of the survey and informed participants that they will remain anonymous.
The Assiniboine Park Director of Horticulture approved the survey also, however, it was recommended by park management to become a park volunteer in order to approach visitors. This involved security checks and a two-hour course; an official volunteer t-shirt was worn while conducting the survey.
Wi-Fi Availability in English Garden
As Wi-Fi is currently not available in the garden area, a plan to provide data access in the English garden area of the park should be investigated. This would support onsite application downloads and geolocation technology options for non-cellular devices.
Cellular Service Coverage in English Garden
Tree coverage in the English Garden did not affect cellular service at any time during data collection, the cellular coverage is adequate to support onsite application downloads and geolocation technology options for users with data plans. Bell MTS, the local cellular provider in Manitoba, coverage map shows LTE coverage throughout the park (See Figure 30) ("Manitoba | MTS", 2017).
36
Figure 30 - Garden Cellular Data Coverage
("Manitoba | MTS", 2017)
3.2.2 Visitor Survey
The implementation of a new visitor experience system may confuse some people who visit the English
Garden. Before implementing and prototyping what method to invest in, it is wise to know who makes up the clientele. The adoption of technology is based on two key beliefs: perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, these are the basis of a technology acceptance model (TAM) (Lu, Mao, Wang, & Hu, 2016).
Innovation diffusion theory (IDT) looks at attributes that may hinder technology adoption and social cognitive theory (SCT) looks at how people perceive their own capabilities (Lu et al., 2016). These theories are the reason public consultations should be conducted during early development stages. This allows for any adjustments to be made, based on the outcome of visitor perception. Proper research will ensure visitors are able to interact with the new technology that is being incorporated in the space.
A discussion was held with the Horticulture Design Supervisor to review what others have implemented based on the literature review. There was a strong desire for a mobile application and a keen interest in the bar code technology and web maps. Digital signs and beacons were taken out of scope due to additional infrastructure requirements and costs as well as limited interest from the garden management.
Since a survey of the visitors was to be conducted, this was the ideal opportunity to obtain additional knowledge on the garden visitors. Garden management requested that a question be added to the survey to gauge interest in guided tours. Having guided tours would allow the visitors to interact with the caretakers
37 of the gardens and allow them to ask questions. Currently, at certain times, there are volunteer Master
Gardeners who roam the gardens and are willing and highly capable to answer visitor questions.
To survey visitors to the English Garden, a quantitative paper survey was produced. Quantitative survey methods gather numerical data so it can be analyzed. A display poster supplemented the paper survey to demonstrate technology visitors may not be familiar with. Using a display poster may intrigue more visitors and aid in a higher response rate. Closed survey questions were used as the responses will have specific answers such as yes or no (Kelley, et al., 2003). See Appendix A for the English Garden Visitor
Questionnaire.
The display poster was used in conjunction with the public survey to provide information to those not technologically aware. The poster displayed an array of examples from the options being investigated.
This method provides the survey respondents enough information to feel comfortable answering the technology-based questions. See Appendix B for the poster.
3.2.3 Geodatabases Design
Insight into the spatial data the English Garden has available was catalogued according to capabilities and data gaps were filled. The obtained data needed to be converted and processed.
As previously discussed in section 3.2.1, discussions with key garden staff led to the realization that little information was in a digital format. An investigation into the current state of the data for the English Garden took place and missing information that would affect system functionality was collected. The existing data was in a variety of forms, such as AutoCAD drawings, hand drawn sketches and field notes.
English Garden data that has been integrated into the geodatabase design included interesting locational features and their attributes such as: Pathways, Structures, Garden Beds and Plants found in the garden.
Whether the chosen technology was to be a paper map or a web-based map, the English Garden asset data was processed into a geodatabase allowing storage of all attribute and location information. Time was spent rationalizing the geodatabase design to contain the required asset data for the prototypes. Both the
Washington Park Arboretum and the Arnold Arboretum reviewed in section 2.2 Existing Garden Examples used ArcGIS software suite and developed geodatabase designs. The schema of these two arboretum
38 geodatabase designs are available to be viewed by the public through the ArcGIS REST Services. The
REST Service is a URL which describes the hierarchy of the data published to the Server ("An overview of geoprocessing REST Services—Documentation (10.3 and 10.3.1) | ArcGIS Enterprise", 2017).
The Washington Park Arboretum data is stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase and published to an ArcGIS
Server. Public access to the data is made available through the Rest Service API, to allow researchers and students the ability to analyze the data. ("Washington Park Arboretum ~ Featured Gardens", 2018).
By viewing the ArcGIS Rest Services, we can see the breakdown of data layers and tables used to create the web map (See Figure 31).
GIS data feature classes (layers)
Imagery files
Data stored in tables
Figure 31 - Washington Park Arboretum REST Service
("ArcGIS REST Services Directory", 2018)
39
Reaching out via email to David Campbell, a Graduate Student Advisor at UC Davies School of
Environmental and Forest Studies who helped create the web map, provided insight on their solution’s development. He does not believe Esri’s Parks and Garden model existed when they started to plan their web map and was unable to find an existing product that would meet their large point set and location accuracy. They opted to create their web map with custom coding in JavaScript and Dojo required by the
Esri API Server. The mobile friendly web map was created by a third party using the existing code and more JavaScripting (Campbell, 2018).
The Arnold Arboretum data is also stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase and published to an ArcGIS Server.
Therefore, the REST Service API is also accessible to the public to gain an understanding of the breakdown of data layers and tables used to create the web map (See Figure 32).
GIS data feature classes (layers)
Basemap files
Data stored in tables
Figure 32 - Arnold Arboretum REST Service
("CollectionExplorer (MapServer)", 2018)
40
The Arnold Arboretum uses Esri’s Parks and Garden model, this solution does require a certain level of technical experience to implement the data schema Esri has developed. The data to be entered and maintained can be viewed in the Parks and Gardens Information Model Geodatabase Documentation and is available for download ("ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens", 2018).
At first glance the Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens data model may become over whelming for a non- technical / non-GIS professional. As seen below in figure 33 there are a large number of datasets, feature classes, relationship classes and domains to be maintained by the model.
Figure 33 - Esri Parks & Gardens Geodatabase Model
("ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens", 2018)
Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens is an option which is very heavy on asset management, and looks to maintain data for the plants, planting beds, curbs, poles, utility boxes, sewer lines and water lines plus many other assets. To meet the purpose of this research, which is to enhance the experience visitors have in a park by giving them access to more information through technology, a simplified geodatabase similar to the one used by Washington Park Arboretum shall be explored. At a future date, if the park was looking to implement an asset management system and employ dedicated GIS staff, Esri’s ArcGIS for Parks &
Gardens may be a valuable solution to explore further.
41
3.2.4 Prototypes
The Assiniboine Park has been a non-profit organization since 2008 ("Assiniboine Park Conservancy",
2017). Being a non-profit organization, the park qualifies for reduced cost GIS software through Esri’s Non- profit Organization Program.
Included in the non-profit license is an Advanced level of ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro, all standard desktop extensions for ArcMap and ArcPro, a Level 2 Named User for ArcGIS, and 100 ArcGIS Online credits. The following website describes what is included in the non-profit organization program Esri offers http://www.esri.com/nonprofit/whats-included.
Methodology for developing the prototypes was focused on using only the Esri software available to non- profit organizations.
Based on the results of the visitor survey and discussion of those results with the garden staff, the prototypes to proceed with were determined.
3.2.5 Prototype Evaluation Methods
Upon completing the prototype development, a basis for evaluating the technology was investigated. To carry out this evaluation, an organized public survey would be the preferred methodology. However, due to time restrictions, an evaluation of how each prototype meets the interests raised by the visitors’ survey will be used.
For each developed prototype the following questions will be asked:
1. Does this prototype enhance signs?
2. Does this prototype support a paper map?
3. Does this prototype support a Web Map?
4. Does this prototype support a Mobile Map Application?
5. Does this prototype support Self-Guided Tours?
6. Does this prototype promote seasonal changes?
42
Depending on the outcome of the survey results, these questions may change if a certain functionality is not of interest to the visitors.
Another evaluation method that was used was to gather feedback from the Garden staff on the prototypes.
However, prior to gathering this input, a review of the prototypes technical requirements will be completed.
This will analyze the prototypes’ functionality and whether it will be something that can be supported and maintained. Below is a list of the requirements that will be examined for each prototype and should be taken into consideration:
Online/Offline
Online and offline usability of applications will determine the accessibility of the product to the public. Online mode requires internet connectivity while offline mode means an active internet connection is not required for some or all of the solutions functionality.
Compatibility
Is the prototype compatible with all devices? Inclusive smart device development will allow all visitors access to the information.
Mode of Delivery
Mode of delivery means which requirements need to be met in order to use the product. Is this a standalone solution or do they need to have access to other technology to use it?
Cost to Use
Cost to access the system will influence the usage by visitors. A study which surveyed app users found that “Participants also said that they consider function and price to be the most important factors when acquiring new apps.” (Flood, Harrison, Iacob & Duce, 2012).
Geolocation
Does the prototype support geolocation functionality? Does the solution provide the visitor with immersive capabilities, is their device capable of geolocation?
43
Development Cost
The actual cost of development and ongoing support would be managed by the park. However, by developing the prototypes, the required supporting elements are identified and can be included in a more detailed cost analysis plan. These elements would include costs such as training, software, development time and updates. This evaluation will identify the elements to be investigated further.
Data Storage
Incorporating GIS technology requires data storage methods. This may include websites, access to cloud data or local servers. Data storage will also affect costs. These will be identified during evaluation.
Updates
Updates to the product must be made regularly when working with a seasonal environment like a park.
Certain data elements such as trees may not require frequent updating but others like annuals may need more management and updating.
Finally, a presentation of the entire research project to the park staff will be done and time will be allotted to obtain feedback. After each prototype discussion they will be asked to jot down the pros and cons for the prototype before moving onto the next item. A sample of this form is seen below in figure 34.
Figure 34 - Pros / Cons Evaluation Form
44
Since a variety of prototypes will be produced, to gather more insight into the thoughts of the garden staff, a rating sheet will be provided after the presentation (See Figure 35). This will help to narrow down the top prototype option.
Figure 35 - Prototype Rating Sheet
Additional analysis can be done such as having users test and provide feedback on the prototypes.
Furthermore, many researchers use ISO standards to evaluate mobile application usability. These ISO standards should be consulted to ensure the look and feel of the application meets user expectations.
45
Chapter 4. Results and Discussion
4.1 Survey Results
The survey was conducted over two days Wednesday May 10th, 2017 from 10 am – 4 pm and on Sunday
May 14th, 2017 from 10 am – 4 pm. Respondents on each day were as follows:
Date Respondents Total Visitors May 10th, 2017 40 125 May 14th, 2017 59 333 Totals 99 458
Table 1 - Survey Respondents
The results of the survey data will show trends towards the likelihood of technology acceptance. Questions posed by the public survey such as demographics, frequency of visiting the garden, purpose for visiting and likes and dislikes of current and future methods of the way the garden may present information. Below is the survey data organized into graphs to visually view trends in the responses. Following the survey results an analysis of data will be completed to determine prototype development.
The largest demographic that visits the garden is age 65 and older with the rest of the age distribution being relatively even between ages 25 to 64. Based on these results, an emphasis should be made for the needs of the 65+ demographic (See Figure 36).
Survey Distribution by Age Group (n=99) 35 32 30 25 20 18 15 14 15 11 10 8 5 1 0 <14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Figure 36 - Survey Distribution by Age Group
46
The majority of visitors frequent the garden many times throughout the year (See Figure 37). The average visitor would be familiar with the English Garden. Introducing a new park functionality would require publicity, this would enable recurring visitors who may not visit the Assiniboine Park web page for announcements to become informed. Many may be in a routine when they visit and not pay attention to something new, whereas first time or infrequent visitors would be more likely to visit the website.
Frequency of All Visitors (n=99) 40 35
30 27
20 13 14 10 5 5
0 Several times a Several times a Less than once a Several times a Once a year or First visit week month month year less
Figure 37 - Frequency of All Visitors
Visitors were given the option to check off multiple options for visiting the park. The most common reason was “for a walk” but many visitors are curious about the plants and wildlife (See Figure 38).
Purposes of Visit 100 87 90 80 70 60 47 50 45 42 38 40 40 30 20 15 9 10 0 Family Outing For a walk Photo Learn About Ideas for my Attend an Watch Other Opportunities Plants Garden Event Wildlife
Figure 38 - Purpose of Visit
47
The breakdown of smart device ownership and the probability of using it while visiting the gardens shows that many visitors own a smart device but those 55 and over are less likely to carry it with them (See Figure
39). This correlates with the next table which indicates this age bracket would enjoy seeing more signs placed in the garden.
Smart Device Use by Age Group 1 1 8 11 11 15 100% 7 13 12
80% 10 13 20 60% 10 13 40%
20%
0% <14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Owns a Smart Device Brings Smart Device to the Garden
Figure 39 - Smart Device Use by Age Group
Of those whom did not own a smart device, the top preference for information presented to them in the garden was by way of signage, with 100% reading the signs currently at the garden. These results show that this demographic enjoys touring the garden on their own and would like more signs to read at their leisure (See Figure 40).
NON SMART DEVICE USERS INTERESTS (N=34)
Do you read the signs? 100%
Would you like more signs? 79%
Would you use a paper map? 41%
Would you use a web map 26%
Would you join a guided tour? 47%
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Figure 40 - Non-Smart Device Users Interests
48
Visitors with smart devices also prefer to read signs and would like to see more signage within the gardens.
The techy savvy visitors were quite interested in having mobile applications to enhance their experience while visiting the garden (See Figure 41).
SMART DEVICE USERS INTERESTS (N=65)
Do you read the signs? 95%
Would you like more signs? 82%
Would you use a paper map? 42%
Would you use a web map? 54%
Would you join a guided tour? 35%
Do you use QR codes? 38% Would you use a self- guided tour on smart device? 74% Would you use a mobile map app? 74% Would you like to see what the garden looks like in different seasons? 97% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Figure 41 - Smart Device Users Interests
Analysis of the survey results was used to help focus on which prototypes should be created.
The results showed the main demographic that visits the garden is from the 65 and older category (32/99), with ages 25 to 64 making up the majority of the remainder (58/99). The majority of visitors frequent the garden many times a year (35/99) or many times a month (27/99). Of age groups 25-34 and 55-64, 84%
(43/51) own a device and would bring it to the garden with them. For the 65 and older category only 65%
(13/20) would bring their device with them.
With the varied demographics that visit the garden, it was hypothesized that one prototype would not satisfy all visitors and the wants of the garden staff. Interpretation of Question 4 (See Appendix A) of the survey would help suggest which prototypes to pursue. As seen above in figures 40 and 41, the question four responses were divided into those who own a smart device and those who did not.
49
Of those who did not own a smart device, they enjoyed reading the signs (100%) and were interested in the park investing in more signs (79%). General comments about the signs from visitors while conducting the survey included maintaining legibility of the signs and not wanting the over use of signs to take away from the plant displays. During the survey, it was noticed there were many photographers either leading a family to a specific location or lone photographers with large telescopic lenses looking for perfect plants or wildlife to photograph. Since 38% of visitors mentioned they do visit the garden for photo opportunities, having too many signs or poorly designed signs may interfere with photography. Also, of note, the visitors whom did own smart devices were similarly interested in the signs (95%) currently in use and suggested more be added (82%). To incorporate more information into the signs to support the public’s interest in learning about plants, a sign prototype which incorporates a QR code was developed. This would still address continued use of small signs but also allow more information to be shared via links accessed by scanning the QR code for those with devices.
With a large number of visitors selecting out for a walk as one of the main reasons for their visit but also with a low number willing to participate in a guided tour, a self-guided walking tour was identified as an interest to visitors. This was revealed with 74% responding “Yes” to the question in reference to interest in a self-guided tour on your smart device. For this reason, the next prototype to be developed was the Map
Tour Web App (Map Tour).
Another prototype that follows the same reasoning for creating the Map Tour is the Native App. The content of the Map Tour and the Native app would be similar and would both be used as a self-guided tour by visitors. However, due to the Native App being downloaded via application stores, there is a possibility to charge for the download. Being able to charge for use was mentioned by the Director of Horticulture as a potential fundraising option as the small monetary amount could be viewed as a donation to the non-profit park.
Due to the interest of visitors wanting to learn more about plants and gather ideas for their own gardens, a
Web App was another prototype to be created. A Web App is a supported choice with 74% of smart device users indicating they would use a mobile map app. The Web App would be accessible via a website and can use the phones built in GPS to locate the user within the garden, allowing them to gain awareness of
50 the plants in the garden beds around them. This website would also be viewable for the visitor to use back home when wanting look into more detail of the plants they would like to incorporate into their own gardens.
From the above analysis the following prototypes were determined to be developed: QR code to enhance signs, a Map Tour, a Web App and a Native App.
The Assiniboine Park Director of Horticulture was in agreement with these options for prototyping.
4.2 Geodatabase
From the discussion in the Methodology section 3.2.3 Geodatabases Design, it was determined to develop a simplified geodatabase instead of using the ArcGIS for Parks and Gardens data model. This will result in a system that will be understandable and maintainable for non-GIS professionals. This will result in a system that will be maintainable by the garden staff.
As seen below is the REST Service for the English Garden web map, it is less complex then both arboretum examples discussed earlier (See Figure 42).
GIS data feature classes (layers)
GIS data store in tables
Figure 42 - English Garden REST Service
("EnglishGarden170817 (FeatureServer)", 2018)
The English Garden Geodatabase design involved relationship classes which created a functional way to maintain the plant inventory, especially annuals which are planted each spring. Without an easy way for the data to be updated by the park staff, the implemented solution has a high probability to be abandoned
51 both internally due to complexity and by visitors as the data becomes obsolete over time. For these reasons, it is critical for the geodatabase design to be well designed and implemented.
The definition of a relationship class “is an object in a geodatabase that stores information about a relationship between two feature classes, between a feature class and a non-spatial table, or between two non-spatial tables.” ("Relates vs. Relationship Classes | Esri Training Matters", 2017)
As seen in the Geodatabase design in figure 43, the many to many relationship between the Bed feature class and the Perennials table involves an intermediate table which holds the relationship link. The linking attributes between the two tables is Bed_ID from the Bed feature class and Plant_ID from the Perennials table.
Figure 43 - Geodatabase Design
ArcGIS Desktop Advanced was used to set up the relationship classes with ArcGIS Pro being used later to make any changes and add data to feature classes.
52
The main functionality of the geodatabase is to support the type of relationships between the Annual and
Perennial tables to the Bed feature class as a many to many relationship. Plus, the relationship of the
Trees_Shrubs table to Tree_Shrub_Loc feature class as a one to many relationship.
Creating the relationship classes involved defining the feature class fields and table fields to base the relationship on (See Figure 44).
Figure 44 - Relationship Defining Fields
Cardinality of the relationship class can either be defined as one to one (1 – 1), one to many (1 – M) or many to many (M – N) during the setup (See Figure 45).
53
Figure 45 - Relationship Cardinality
The new completed relationship class details between the annuals table and the beds feature class is seen below in the screen capture from ArcMap (See Figure 46).
Figure 46 - New Relationship Class
Use of a relationship class design allows the plants to be changed out simply in ArcGIS Pro and is an ideal option for plant inventory maintenance.
54
The ArcGIS Pro steps to add an annual plant to a bed are as follows: First, highlight the annual in the
Annuals feature class table. Second, open the attributes of the bed which the plant is to be added to.
Thirdly, in the bed attributes right click on the annual relationship and select “Add Selected to Relationship”.
These steps create a new record in the AnnualToBeds intermediate relationship table. This is shown in the
ArcGIS Pro screen shot below (See Figure 47).
Figure 47 - ArcGIS Pro Add Selected to Relationship
A look at the intermediate relationship table AnnualToBeds shows the only information is the two fields which the relationship was created on (See Figure 48). This table is automatically maintained through the
“Add Selected to Relationship” in ArcGIS Pro.
55
Figure 48 - Relationship Table
Relationship classes also enhance the collection of plant photographs allowing them to be attached to the items in the tables and also in the feature classes. ArcGIS Collector was used for photo collection.
4.3 Prototypes
The outcome of this research project was to identify methods of an interactive and informational experience that would best suit the project site. Due to the English Garden being utilized by multiple demographic groups, it was expected that the proposed research analysis would require an implementation of a combination of technologies to meet user expectations.
It was theorized that an older demographic and those less technologically inclined would prefer to have static signage or a brochure map. The survey results validated the theory as this demographic responded that they were interested in reading signs and touring the park at their own leisure.
To entice more tech-savvy demographic groups to explore a public space, it was believed a technology driven application would be more enticing to them. Also, it was seen as an added benefit to long term utilization of the park. It was surprising that the visitors who owned and understood technology still leaned towards reading signs. However, they also showed interest in seeing web maps and apps in order to learn more about the park. Using technology like web and native apps, it is possible to access information that a sign cannot hold like videos or images of seasonal changes.
56
Recommendations based on the survey data were used to create prototypes for further evaluation. To satisfy the differing demographic wants of the visitors to the English Gardens it was decided to pursue the following prototypes:
1) QR codes to add to static signs to expand the information available.
2) A Map Tour via website for viewing in the garden or prior to visiting featuring points of interest.
3) A Web App via website for viewing in the garden or from home. The web app provides detailed
plant information.
4) A Native App for download and viewing on mobile devices for viewing points of interest.
4.3.1 QR Codes
Even though QR codes scored only 38% interest from smart device users, they are becoming much more common. In the past, a user would need to download a QR code reader app in order to access the information linked via a QR code. Due to a recent Apple operating system update, the built-in camera now natively supports QR codes. Natively supporting this feature will enable more people to use QR codes.
The typical plant sign at the English Gardens shows the plants common name, scientific name and the cultivar. The type of data which a QR code could link to is endless. Below is a prototype design for new signs at the English Garden which incorporates the use of QR codes (See Figure 49). The label was printed on adhesive paper and applied to the sign post, similar to what is currently done at the English Gardens.
Scanning this bar code will direct you to a webpage which contains more detailed information about the
Morden Centennial Rose (See Figure 50).
57
Figure 49 - QR Code Sign Prototype
Figure 50 - Scanned QR Code Website
58
4.3.2 Map Tour
A Map Tour prototype was developed with Esri’s Story Map website. It is a simple way for people to view the points of interest in the garden. The prototype is located at the following website https://arcg.is/1vGrvq.
This tour can be viewed on a laptop or desktop computer while away from the garden or on a mobile device during a visit to the park. If used on a mobile device at the garden, geolocation is possible. While walking through the garden, a point will show your location within the map. As you come close to one of the numbered points of interest, the user can click the point to read a brief description and view other related information. There is no set order to view the points, visitors can be free to wander the garden which ever direction they choose. Another option is to click the images along the bottom which will highlight the point in the map where the feature is located. Below is a screen capture from an iPad of the Map Tour and screen captures of points of interest. If the visitor was at the garden there would be a blue dot showing the users geolocation (See Figures 51 - 53).
Figure 51 - Map Tour Prototype
59
Figure 52 - Garden Sculpture with Link
Figure 53 - Fountain Point of Interest
This Map tour can be embedded into the park’s public website for visitor to access. It is also located on the
ArcGIS Gallery web site as it is publicly available for anyone to view (See Figure 54).
60
Figure 54 - ArcGIS Gallery
4.3.3 Web App
A third prototype which was created is a web app. A web app is an interactive map hosted on a website and may be accessed with a web browser and a data connection. The address for the English Garden web app prototype is: https://cloustonmaps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=05d0349155b747d48f26dde6a a82ee79
Upon opening the app, you will see there are the typical navigational icons for zooming in and out, and a home icon to bring your view back to being centered on the garden. There are many other interactive items incorporated into the web app which will be discussed in more detail later. Figure 55 shows the web app as it appears on an iPad.
61
Figure 55 - Web App Prototype
The “My Location” icon will locate your position on the map, with a blue dot, when touring the garden if the device is location enabled (See Figure 56).
62
Figure 56 - Web App Geolocation
The geodatabase design discussed previously enables the features within the map to be clickable with popup information.
Clicking on the pathways will give details of the material and the accessibility (See Figure 57). The popup details are being read from the data stored in the Pathway feature class in the geodatabase.
Figure 57 - Pathway Popup
63
Points of interest found in the garden are selectable. When selected, a popup displays text and photos related to the point of interest (See Figure 58). These popups may also contain links to websites and videos.
Figure 58 - Structure Popup
The garden bed geodatabase design incorporates relationship classes that link data stored in tables and feature classes together. By clicking on a garden bed polygon, the popup contains the bed name, a photo of the bed and lists the related annuals and perennials (See Figure 59). This list of related tables is the result of the relationship classes in the geodatabase.
64
Figure 59 - Garden Bed Popup
By choosing to expand the annuals option, a list of related records opens. This displays the annuals planted in the garden bed selected (See Figure 60).
Figure 60 - Annual List
Selecting one of the annuals listed will open a popup displaying details of the plant. These details are derived from the annual table in the geodatabase (See Figure 61).
65
Figure 61 - Annual Plant Popup
This relationship class structure also supports using the web app to identify trees in the garden. Clicking the point location of a tree or shrub will gives access to the related table. Clicking through the related list, a final pop up with the tree information is displayed (See Figure 62).
66
Figure 62 - Tree Popup
In the top right corner of the web app, there are three icons. These icons represent spring, summer and winter. When clicked, a season specific album opens displaying photos taken of the English Gardens (See
Figure 63). This functionality allows visitors to view how the garden looks at different times of the year, as requested in the survey.
Figure 63 - Winter Album
67
4.3.4 Native App
AppStudio for ArcGIS and ArcGIS Online were used to create a native app prototype that is usable by
Apple, Android or Windows devices (See Figure 64).
Figure 64 - Native App
The native app prototype was developed firstly by creating a Web Map through ArcGIS Online with the points of interest. In AppStudio for ArcGIS, users are able to customize the look of the app, such as splash screen image and title (See Figure 65).
68
Figure 65 - AppStudio for ArcGIS
The Map Tour Settings tab is where the app is linked to the Web Map created in ArcGIS Online (See Figure
66).
Figure 66 - Map Tour Settings
69
To have the app publicly available, there is a build function which automatically compiles the app for use on the different operating environments. Linux 64 bit and Windows (32 and 64 bit) are simple to build and distribute. Android and Mac OS X can be built but must be signed in order to share the app with the public via their respective app stores. With iOS (Apple), the app must have a certificate before it can be built.
Signing an app registers the app to the developer and validates the app for distribution on the various application stores.
The native app has the similar functionality as the map tour previously looked at (See Figure 67).
Map/List Toggle
Point of Interest
Expand to view point details
Figure 67 - Native App Map Tour
With the creation of a native app it is possible to publish to app stores. Publishing the app to different storefronts provides the opportunity to download and install the app as well as collect revenue through in- app purchases such as donations.
70
4.4 Prototype Evaluation
The analysis of the visitor surveys in section 4.1 Survey Results showed favorable interest towards signs, web maps, map tours, a mobile map app and the ability to see what the garden looked like in different seasons (See Figures 40 and 41). From the analysis it was determined to develop the following prototypes:
QR code to enhance signs, a Map Tour, a Web App and a Native App. Since there was little interest in a paper map, it was removed from the evaluation process. The table below evaluates how the prototypes meet the interests raised by the visitors’ survey.
Does this prototype… QR Code Map Tour Web App Native App
Enhance signs? yes no no no
Support a Web Map? no yes yes no
Support a Mobile Map no yes yes yes Application?
Support Self-Guided Tours? no yes yes yes
Promote seasonal changes? yes yes yes yes
Table 2 - Prototype Evaluation
An initial review of the visitors’ interests would make the Map Tour and the Web App the prototypes to move forward with. However, there is a need to look at each prototypes’ requirements to access which will be best suited for further development.
Prior to prototype presentation and evaluation by the garden staff, a review of the prototypes’ requirements was completed. These requirements were discussed in section 3.2.5 Prototype Evaluation Methods. A review of these requirements will help the garden staff understand what will be required to develop, support and maintain each of the prototypes.
71
Requirement QR Code Map Tour Web App Native App online, can revisit offline online, offline the map Online/Offline online online via history view will not work specifically supported Compatibility camera required web browser web browser devices 3rd party QR reader app or application store or website Mode of Delivery web address web address built in functionality download Cost to Use free free free ability to charge
Geolocation no device dependent device dependent device dependent own website, training, Esri license, training, Esri license, app licence(s), Cost training, updates signs, updates updates training, updates Esri ArcGIS Online, app Data Storage own website Esri Story Map Esri ArcGIS Online store
Updates seasonal seasonal seasonal seasonal
Table 3 - Prototype Requirements
Finally, the prototypes were presented to the garden staff whom provided feedback in the form of pros and cons for each prototype. The staff present for the prototype evaluation were: The Director of Horticulture, the Horticulture Division Supervisor, the Project Director of Canada’s Diversity Gardens and the Manager of Marketing and Communications. The staff each brought their own iPhones, also available were two android phones, an iPad and the prototype demos were done on a laptop. The following is a discussion on the summarized pros and cons sheets filled out by the staff.
QR Codes
The staff knew of QR Codes but had not used them before. After explaining that recently Apple updated the iPhone’s camera to recognize QR Codes, they each used their own phone to scan the prototype plant
QR Code sign. They recognized how easy the codes are to use, especially for those with iPhones. They understood that work would be required with their IT department to create the supporting web pages. They noted that this could be inexpensively added to signs in the garden. However, there was an acknowledgement that you do need to be relatively close to the sign to scan the QR Code.
72
Pros Cons Fun Need to know its avaliable Simple / Easy to use Page hard to read on phone - size or data amount Inexpensive Data load- info, research time required Usage can be tracked Not accessible for those without data plans or WiFi access Allows signage to be simple and clean Need to be close to scan Ability to give a lot of addition is great Need phone with camera Table 4 - QR Code Pros & Cons
Map Tour
The staff showed a lot of excitement for the Map Tour prototype. Since they all had their own phones with them, the Map Tour website address was shared with them enabling them to explore it comfortably on their own devices. They enjoyed the look and user-friendly aspect of the Map Tour. Understanding that they could update the information points on the map seasonally was of interest to them. Promotion of the Map
Tour would be required to let visitors know of its availability and how to access it, a suggestion of using a
QR code to link to the site was mentioned.
Pros Cons User friendly Doesn't include specific flower beds Fun No icon on phone for repeat viewing need to goto website Geolocation enabled Need to know how to access the web site Links to more info Very visually appealing Multi functional Photos are great Able to see all icon locations Table 5 - Map Tour Pros & Cons
Web App
The website address to the Web App was also shared with the staff to view on their own devices. They found it too detailed to view on a phone and appreciated the demo which was done on a laptop. They felt the information was possibly too much to view while visiting the garden but could see a gardening enthusiast visiting the web app to plan their visit or learn about the plants from home while using a laptop or desktop computer. A discussion about the use of the web app by staff to maintain plantings in the garden beds and the demonstration of how to change out the plants in ArcGIS Pro was an attractive functionality.
73
Pros Cons Great for planning your visit Detailed for a phone Might be great as a "for gardeners" app or suggested for ipad Bit harder to navigate 3 seasons great Not as visually appealing as map tour Love the pictures Information overload Love the bed details Multi functional Good for a remote visitor ie. Someone not in the garden Table 6 - Web App Pros & Cons
Native App
Seeing the Native app logo on the phone is very appealing to the staff as well as the ability to charge for use. However, they did not find it as user friendly as the Map Tour web app which presented the same information. The maintenance and annual cost associated with certifying apps for the various devices and stores was not attractive.
Pros Cons Like the app "logo" on the phone (icon) Cost annual for "hosting" Charge for use Difficult to naivgate back and forth between photos and map Easy to view photos All types of devices need to be updated if there is a change Geolocation Flexable Table 7 - Native App
After the four prototypes were demonstrated, the staff were asked to rate them from one to four with one being their favorite and four being least favorite. As a result, the Map Tour came out on top followed by the
QR Codes then Web App and last was the Native App (See Table 7).
Staff QR Code Map Tour Web App Native App A 2 1 3 4 B 2 1 4 3 C 1 1 2 4 D 3 1 2 4 Total 8 4 11 15
Rank 2 1 3 4 Table 8 - Staff Prototype Ranking
74
The staff’s top two prototypes were QR Codes and Map Tour. The Map Tour provides a solution for what the garden staff was looking for and the QR Codes enhances the signs which will satisfy the majority of visitors.
4.5 Discussion
The English Garden was originally designed in the 1920s as a location where people could obtain information about plant varieties in Manitoba and be exposed to new plants ("Assiniboine Park", 2017).
This research evaluated new ways to incorporate a learning environment into a park.
Smart devices are widely used today. Of those surveyed, 81% owned a smart device and 81% of smart device owners stated they would bring their device to the garden. The data showed that the older the individual the less likely they would bring the device with them. 65% of the 65 plus demographic were willing to bring their device to the park, compared to 100% of the 25-34 demographic.
The trend shown by the survey would suggest visitors that have devices would be willing to use them to learn more about the place they are visiting either from home or at the location.
It was unexpected that many people preferred reading signs and, during the public survey, verbally suggested more weather durable signs and better placement.
There is a balance to be found between keeping the park natural as opposed to an abundance of physical information like signs. Opting to develop mobile technology-based tours and information allows visitors to choose either a natural environment or an educational setting.
Investing in GIS and mobile technology is a basis of modernizing a tourist location and, as seen in the literature review section, many organizations already have systems in place.
With the Assiniboine Park’s English Garden, implementing a GIS database which can hold the parks data enhances the ability to easily update visitor information and invites a new method to manage seasonal aspects of the garden plants. Once the geodatabase, base data, is populated it can be used to produce a variety of products that can be deployed to the visitors.
Based on the public survey outcome, a QR code, a map tour, a web app and a native app were created.
75
Geodatabase design was critical in order to create a prototype that would not be daunting to the garden staff from a maintenance perspective. By investing time to review what other parks have done, it was clear a simplified database schema would suit the English Garden best from a user and supporting staff perspective.
Qualifying for Eris’s non-profit license introduces an economical solution for those wanting to invest in GIS technology. Looking forward to new technology evolution, the same geodatabase data can be used to look at other emerging Esri products. With the recent advancements in augmented and virtual reality, people are exploring the physical environment in a different way. Esri is also noticing this trend and has introduced a new project called AuGeo through Esri Labs. Esri Labs is “a launch bed for new technologies and collaborative projects …developed by Esri employees and shaped based on customer feedback and validation” ("Esri Labs", 2017). AuGeo is not yet useable by the general public but those with an ArcGIS
Online account are able to beta test the application as it is being developed.
The AuGeo project takes a GIS point file and overlays it on the real world with the use of your mobile devices built in camera and location technology. To use AuGeo, first, download the AuGeo app from an application store to the mobile device. Secondly, in ArcGIS Online a point feature layer is selected and a
View Layer is created and tagged with AuGeo. Tagging with AuGeo allows the feature layer to be selected and viewed within the AuGeo app on your mobile device. As seen in the figures 68 and 69, the AuGeo app is using the devices camera to view the surroundings and the geolocation functionality works to display the tree and shrubs feature layer within the cameras view. This is not available for those without an ArcGIS account yet but is a starting point for the next geolocation technology.
Figure 68 - AuGeo Screenshot
76
Figure 69 - AuGeo in the Field
77
Chapter 5. Conclusion
It is clear that evaluating Geographic Information System (GIS) methodologies to create an interactive and informative environment will enhance a visitor’s experience within a park or other green space.
Implementation of these can be a solution to parks which are missing information infrastructure such as a welcome kiosk.
Today, as people are connected to mobile technology, an evaluation of existing technology was completed.
Current systems in use at other tourist locations are: map brochures, static signage, barcode technology, digital signs, beacons, web map, mobile application and augmented reality. These technologies and methods were examined in the literature review. Also, a review of how other gardens have implemented
GIS was explored. Digital signs were left off the survey as park staff viewed the product as too expensive and prone to vandalism. The implementation of beacons was not explored further due to the technical requirements and issues identified in the literature review. Due to this initial finding, these technologies were not pursued in the survey phase. Based on the staff and visitor surveys, there was limited desire to have paper brochures available therefore it was not pursued further. A valuable insight was found in the survey analysis that there is still a strong desire for physical signage at the park. QR codes were determined to be an enhancement to the signs which would provide further information and links to additional web content. Another finding from the survey was the acceptance of web maps. Web maps were determined to meet the gardens staff wants as well as visitor requests. The first web map created was a map tour, which highlighted select features in the garden. This tour has the ability to educate the visitor on various structures found in the garden plus provide links or videos to additional information. The second web map was a web app, this app gave the visitor a more detailed look at the plants found with in the garden. This prototype was deemed to be too detailed for mobile use by the staff during testing of the prototype. From the survey analysis, a native app option was also explored. The native app would be deployed through application stores which would give the user direct access to the English Garden information from their phone screen. However, when the park staff used the prototype they found this option to be too complicated and expensive to maintain for various devices.
78
There was limited literature on investigating what visitors to a tourist location were wanting in their access to information. The English Garden survey results are an important source of knowledge. By analyzing the visitor surveys, it was determined that physical signage is the most desired source for information. This physical signage can be enhanced with QR codes to provide additional information to park visitors. Based on the staff and visitor surveys, the next desired information source was a Map Tour (Visitor Survey - Would you use a self-guided tour on a smart device 74% positive response Figure 41 – Smart Device User
Interests, Map Tour ranked first Table 8 – Staff Prototype Ranking) on a mobile device accessed through a website.
The geodatabase design, which incorporated relationship classes for maintaining plant locations and attributes, was a significant advantage. The review and discovery of previous garden geodatabase design implementation assisted in designing the English Garden schema. This design helped create a manageable environment to update attributes, add and remove data plus incorporate field collected photos into the Web App prototype. Furthermore, the introduction of relationship classes will enhance current methods used to manage the design aspect and manual planting of the garden beds.
Due to Assiniboine Park’s non-profit designation, they would qualify for a reduced cost license. The approach taken in this study was to only use software included in Esri’s non-profit program. The prototypes developed with this non-profit license level met the functionality desired by the visitors. While the focus of this research project was on Esri software, the findings are portable to other technology solutions and software vendors for continued research.
The strengths of this research project were numerous. Conducting a public survey as part of the prototype decision was valuable to ensure a product was created which would be accepted by the visitors.
Geodatabase design was crucial in the organization of the data and along with relationship classes made it possible to develop the web app. The geodatabase relationship classes created the basis of linking the plants with their locations within the garden. Four prototypes were identified and created to meet the wants of both the visitors and the garden staff. The QR Code and Map Tour prototypes were identified to be pursued further by the garden staff.
79
It was found that creating the prototypes and demonstrating them with the staff provided valuable feedback and allowed them to see the various options function in a real-world scenario versus only a paper analysis.
This not only gave them insight to the prototype options but allowed them to gain knowledge as to what is possible with GIS technology both for their visitors and for plant maintenance. Future research would benefit from using real life prototypes based on these findings.
Due to time constraints, a limitation of the research was that it was not possible to run prototype trials with the park visitors and obtain their feedback to compare with the staff prototype ranking results. This is area which continued research would be beneficial prior to implementing a solution.
As Gil Peñalosa, Chair of World Urban Parks, stated in an interview: “Successful public places around the world are successful not just because of the design but also because of the management. That’s not just cutting the grass and picking up the garbage. The bigger part of management is how to involve the community in the parks…we need to think of parks more as outdoor community centers where we need to invest in uses and activities so they can fulfill their potential. When we improve parks, we’re really improving quality of life.” (Klayko, 2012)
This statement by Gil Penalosa puts the focus on managing and maintaining a park so it can enrich the lives of visitors. As shown in this research project, GIS technology is a beneficial tool for an immersive park environment. As discovered by the survey, park visitors are receptive to mobile technology and were interested in a more connected and educational park experience. By using the prototypes and geodatabase design, more complete applications can be created to include the entirety of the park’s data.
This research project evaluated GIS technology to enhance a park visit. In doing so, prototypes were created, supported by relationship classes in a geodatabase design. However, these map prototypes are two dimensional in nature. Newer technology such as augmented and virtual reality require a three- dimensional environment and would be an excellent next logical research progression. The basis for moving to a three-dimensional application would require a strong two-dimensional design to support it.
Further research into three-dimensional GIS technology would be natural continuation of the research as technology is progressing rapidly in this direction.
80
GIS methods are advancing rapidly as are complementary technologies such as mobile and geolocation services. GIS is capable of developing and managing applications that will enhance visitors’ experience within a park or other tourist location.
81
Bibliography
An overview of geoprocessing REST Services—Documentation (10.3 and 10.3.1). ArcGIS Enterprise. (2017). Retrieved from https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/server/10.3/publish-services/linux/introduction-to- geoprocessing-rest-services.htm
Arboretum Map. (2016). Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/gardens/map.html
ArcGIS for Parks & Gardens. (2018). Esri.com. Retrieved 21 January 2018, from http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgis-for-parks-gardens
ArcGIS REST Services Directory. (2018). Retrieved from https://uwbgmaps.cfr.washington.edu/arcgis/rest/services/PublicFeatures/MapServer/
Arnold Arboretum Explorer. (2016). Arboretum.harvard.edu. Retrieved 17 December 2016, from http://arboretum.harvard.edu/explorer/
Arnold Arboretum Uses Mobile Mapping to Increase Access to Botanical Collections. ArcWatch. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.esri.com/news/arcwatch/0113/arnold-arboretum-uses-mobile-mapping-to- increase-accessto-botanical-collections.html
Assiniboine Park. (2017). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 18 November 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assiniboine_Park
Assiniboine Park Conservancy. (2017). Assiniboinepark.ca. Retrieved 31 October 2017, from https://www.assiniboinepark.ca
English Garden. (2016). Assiniboinepark.ca. Retrieved 17 December 2016, from http://www.assiniboinepark.ca/park-landing/home/explore/gardens/english-garden
EnglishGarden170817 (FeatureServer). (2018). Retrieved from https://services7.arcgis.com/ZUP85cntebHbVvGS/arcgis/rest/services/EnglishGarden170817/FeatureSer ver?token=FJWzthpia7F3YlbhGX50Tt5AaUg8B4_6anz- eoFWUH3lO6aGUbclB5erLTkRxgrM8dfGLOw6Ma2_HFaUg3SbQpqlRG1yN93QMRQPLM3dBlRUS_7LE TeI8p2ctpaHoYmwdQA1M4rsKj-1PDdWb39HCiLZtQ9vy0A8joh8gTUX- 8sdzoED34jgKL7yzBUSnZUaJh891JF3OfKMuwPeczIyuahwe2csWsfnyQxAOZ3wN6zlx92OCSqgq914iC QFF07h
Beacons: Everything you need to know. (2015). Pointr. Retrieved from http://www.pointrlabs.com/blog/beacons-everything-you-need-to-know/
Campbell, D. (2018). RE: Park Arboretum Interactive Map Questions [Email]. Canada's Diversity Gardens. (2018). Assiniboinepark.ca. Retrieved 23 January 2018, from https://www.assiniboinepark.ca/park-landing/home/support-us/canadas-diversity-gardens Checklist for Evaluating Tech Tools, Apps, Software, and Hardware. (2017). TechPudding. Retrieved 25 November 2017, from http://techpudding.com/2011/04/04/checklist-for-evaluating-technology-software- and-applications/ Cinémental – Manitoba's Francophone Film Festival. (2016). Cinemental.com. Retrieved 7 November 2016, from http://cinemental.com/wp/en/welcome-to-the-cinemental-website-2/ Designing And Testing A Park-Based Visitor Survey. Australia: CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd, 2009. Web. 2 Feb. 2017. Doljenkova, V., Tung, G., (2015). Beacons: Exploring Location-Based Technology in Museums. The MET Digital Underground. Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/digital-underground/2015/beacons
82
Dickinson, J., Ghali, K., Cherrett, T., Speed, C., Davies, N., & Norgate, S. (2014). Tourism and the smartphone app: capabilities, emerging practice and scope in the travel domain: Current Issues in Tourism: Vol 17, No 1. Current Issues In Tourism, 17(1). Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13683500.2012.718323?src=recsys Durizzi, G. (2007). A GIS for Balboa Park’s Desert Garden in San Diego, California. University of Redlands. Retrieved from http://inspire.redlands.edu/gis_gradproj/28/ Emek, Mehmet. (2012). Usage of QR code in tourism industry. Anatolia. ESRI. (n.d.). The Power of Mapping. Retrieved from http://www.esri.com/what-is-gis Esri Labs. (2017). Labs.esri.com. Retrieved 10 December 2017, from http://labs.esri.com/ Palmius, J. (2007). Criteria for measuring and comparing information systems. In Proceedings of the 30th Information Systems Research Seminar in Scandinavia IRIS 2007. Retrieved from http://www.palmius.com/joel/text/IRIS-30-final.pdf Graham, N. (2014). A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Hazard Assessment Application for Recreational Diving within Lake Superior Shipwrecks (p. 9). Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota University Central Services Press. Retrieved from http://www.gis.smumn.edu/ Husain, W. & Dih, L. (2012). A Framework of a Personalized Location-based Traveler Recommendation System in Mobile Application. International Journal Of Multimedia And Ubiquitous Engineering, 7(3), 11- 18. Interactive Garden Map. Retrieved from http://norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/visit/garden-map/ Kariotis, G., Panagiotopoulos, E., Kariotou, G., & Karanikolas, N. (2007). Creation of a digital interactive tourist map with the contribution of GPS and GIS technology to visualization of the information. In XXIII International Cartographic Conference (pp. 52-60). Moscow, Russia. Kelley, K., Clark, B., Brown, V., & Sitzia, J. (2003). Good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research. International Journal For Quality In Health Care, 15(3), 261-266. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzg031 Klayko, B. (2012). Interview> Gil Peñalosa on Livable Cities — Broken Sidewalk. Broken Sidewalk. Retrieved 7 November 2016, from http://brokensidewalk.com/2012/qa-gil-penalosa-on-livable-cities/ Laudazi, A. & Boccaccini, R. (2014). Augmented Museums Through Mobile Apps. Presentation, Augmented and Virtual Reality: Second International Conference, AVR 2015, Lecce, Italy. Leones, Julie. A Guide To Designing And Conducting Visitor Surveys. Tucson: The University of Arizona, 1989. Web. 2 Feb. 2017. Lu, J., Mao, Z., Wang, M., & Hu, L. (2016). Goodbye maps, hello apps? Exploring the influential determinants of travel app adoption: Current Issues in Tourism: Vol 18, No 11. Current Issues in Tourism. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13683500.2015.1043248?src=recsys MacEachren, A. (2013). Cartography as an Academic Field: A Lost Opportunity or a New Beginning?. The Cartographic Journal, 50(2), 166-170. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1179/0008704113Z.00000000083?scroll=top&needAccess=true Map Downloads. (2016). The Butchart Gardens. Retrieved 25 November 2016, from http://www.butchartgardens.com/gardens/map/map-downloads/
McKinney, J. (2010). Don’t Throw Away Your Paper Maps Just Yet. Pacific Standard. Retrieved 17 October 2016, from https://psmag.com/don-t-throw-away-your-paper-maps-just-yet- f995ebf69606#.eicd6ti3h
83
Micha, K. & Economou, D. (2005). Using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to Enhance the Museum Visit Experience (pp. 188-198). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/11573036_18 Missouri Botanical Garden. (2017). Retrieved 7 December 2017, from http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx Plant Database. (2017). Plantdatabase.kpu.ca. Retrieved 7 December 2017, from https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/ Plants Map (2016). Plants Map. Retrieved 17 December 2016, from https://www.plantsmap.com/home Pokemon GO (Version 1.19.1). (2016). Relates vs. Relationship Classes | Esri Training Matters. (2017). Blogs.esri.com. Retrieved 5 November 2017, from https://blogs.esri.com/esri/esritrainingmatters/2009/02/26/relates-vs-relationship-classes/ Sage Garden Greenhouses. (2017). Sagegarden.ca. Retrieved 7 December 2017, from https://sagegarden.ca/ Shelmerdine (2017). Retrieved 7 December 2017, from http://arch.shelmerdine.com/11050002 Washington Park Arboretum ~ Featured Gardens. (2018). Depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 29 April 2018, from http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/gardens/about_map.shtml Washington Park Arboretum Interactive Map ~ UW Botanic Gardens. Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/gardens/map.shtml Web maps—ArcGIS Online Help | ArcGIS. (2017). Doc.arcgis.com. Retrieved 18 November 2017, from http://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/what-is-web-map.htm Wyse, S. (2011). Difference between Qualitative Research vs. Quantitative Research. Snap Surveys Blog. Retrieved 20 November 2016, from http://www.snapsurveys.com/blog/what-is-the-difference- between-qualitative-research-and-quantitative-research/ Wiseman, D. (2016). Topic 10: GIS Implementation and Management. Lecture Notes, Brandon University. Retrieved from http://people.brandonu.ca/wiseman/courses/gis2/ Mpagi, F. (2012). A User Satisfaction Evaluation of Web GIS Platforms in Public Service Delivery: A Case Study of Winona County. Papers In Resource Analysis, 15, 8. Upper Fort Garry – Upper Fort Garry App. (2016). Upperfortgarry.com. Retrieved 17 December 2016, from http://www.upperfortgarry.com/information/planning-your-visit/app/ youRhere Interactive. (2016). yourhere.ca. Retrieved 17 December 2016, from http://yourhere.ca/index.cfm Manitoba | MTS. (2017). Bellmts.ca. Retrieved 8 October 2017, from https://www.bellmts.ca/residential/wireless/coverage-and-roaming/manitoba
84
Appendix A Questionnaire
85
Appendix B Poster
86