Overall, my experience with ArcMap was difficult but I learned a lot. It was a very steep learning curve, as Professor Shin had mentioned, but the ArcMap pdf tutorial was very straightforward. It will just take some time and a few practice-runs to get used to the software and for me to realize its full potential.
GIS can be good for analyzing large quantities of data, as we did when calculating the population density of this particular area in lab #4. It's also useful to be able to layer different types of data, as well as comparing different types of data. GIS makes it easy to visualize data by attributing certain colors to certain percentage points, and so on. Being able to zoom in on a large map allows the user to easily spot any anomalies or errors in the data or in the map itself. Zooming out also allows the user to gain perspective.
GIS is good for many things, however, I can spot a few negative aspects to it as well. Because GIS is so technical, it can make problems seem smaller than they really are. People may make flawed decisions on what to do with a certain plan if they misread the model or if the data is improperly represented. Data must also be looked at specifically for the level it is collected for; that is to say, one cannot base decisions on data for the district or ward level if data is only collected at the county level. Data can also be expensive to acquire, so how accurate a model is depends largely on the amount of funds you have, which can make some models inaccurate or insufficient.
In conclusion, I think that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to trying to find the potentials and pitfalls of GIS. Error can be avoided through careful data entry and careful examination of the model itself. It also helps if the person viewing the model is familiar with or accustomed to the ArcMap program and reading data. Using ArcMap has shown me that anyone, with the right tools and tutorial, can develop a meaningful model that could potentially serve people in a positive way.
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