How to build an emerging trends map

Among many categories, what’s changing the most?

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Emerging trends map

If you can track it, you can manage it. Yet, the more subjects you track, the more difficult it can be to see emerging trends. This map gets right to the point by showing the values that changed the most. Looking across time at each subject’s measurement, the map shows what changed the most within the time period. Areas are shaded based on changes in quantity or percentage. This example reveals an emerging growth trend by tracking which export product category grew the most.

Key steps

  • Prepare and host your data

    To compare multiple subjects across years, create attribute fields for each subject/year combination in a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel. For example: Corn 2018, Corn 2017, Wheat 2018, and Wheat 2017. Publish and add the spreadsheet as a layer within ArcGIS Online.
    Learn to publish an Excel file

  • Choose categories and measurements to compare

    What trend are you looking for? See the example story map of commodity exports. The goal was to show which product grew the most in total dollars for each state. An Arcade expression, much like a Microsoft Excel formula, was used to determine which category grew the most.
    See example story map

  • Highlight emerging trends with the “Predominance Map” style

    Bring your map to life using the “Predominance Map” style which assigns a unique color to each product. Default map colors are initially useful for seeing differences among the results.
    Explore the “Predominance Map” style

  • Put meaning into symbol sizes and colors

    For agricultural products, the map uses mostly earth tones rather than abstract colors. Choose “Change Style” on the layer. Change individual colors by double-clicking on a color to select a new one.
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