Using the ArcGIS Collector Mobile App for Settlement Survey Data Collection in Armenia

Abstract

Recent years have seen the rapid adoption of digital site recording strategies following the proliferation of GPS-enabled mobile devices and data collection apps. Much of the emerging literature on digital—or paperless—archaeology, however, has focused on excavation contexts, with fewer discussions of mobile-GIS solutions on archaeological survey. This article discusses the design and implementation of a site survey workflow based on Esri's ArcGIS Collector mobile app in the context of Project ArAGATS's Kasakh Valley Archaeology Survey in northwestern Armenia. The Collector app provides a simple, map-centric user interface that allows surveyors with little-to-no GIS experience to record site locations, enter attribute data on customized digital forms, and attach photographs. With a network connection, the Collector app instantly uploads site information as GIS data to the project geodatabase and refreshes the data across surveyors’ mobile devices. Although the Collector app lacks certain GIS features and requires an institutional Esri license, we found that the native integration with our project GIS and broad access to visualization and recording tools in the app made in-field decision-making and interpretation more collaborative and inclusive across the survey team.

Archaeological Survey Supported by Mobile GIS

“…The general terms and workflow described in this article for QField are also available for Esri software. As can be seen in Lindsay and Kong (2020) for the use of mobile GIS with ArcGIS Collector (both are second-generation mobile GIS applications), the main difference is that Esri provides a cloud service (ArcGIS Online). Whereas in the Esri environment it is possible to synchronize the data online, in QField only cable sync (desktop) is possible.…”

“…Lindsay and Kong (2020) distinguish two types of data collection application according to their predominant conception: “map centric” (spatial) and “form centric” (database). Although mobile GIS is conceived from a “map centric” idea, it must not be forgotten that, in GIS software, each geometry is linked to the attributes that define it.…”

“…These applications, known as “mobile GIS applications,” could be defined as GIS software aimed at the registration and consultation of data on mobile devices (e.g., tablets, PDAs). Not many articles have been published on the use of mobile GIS for the archaeological record (see Chyla and Bulawka 2020), given that most of the published literature being produced concerns paid software (e.g., Ames et al 2020; Lindsay and Kong 2020). If the functional conception of mobile GIS applications is examined, two generations can be distinguished.…”

“…However, the most important change to free the field user of GIS knowledge is the simplification that second-generation mobile GIS applications propose through a simple interface that guides the successive steps of information creation (editing geometry, attributes, and photographs). Second-generation applications could generalize the use of mobile GIS in fieldwork projects “providing an easy and efficient workflow for GIS nonspecialist” as Lindsay and Kong (2020:325; cf. Fee 2016) state for the ArcGIS Collector application.…”

Foregrounding Daily Data Collection on Archaeological Fieldwork

“…We emphasize the practical implementations of data recording because we recognize a divergence in existing archaeological publications on digital methods. Although many digital archaeology publications may focus on the latest gadgets and software, these experiments are entangled with the privilege that often comes from generous research budgets (a few examples in this journal: Casana et al 2017;Cobb et al 2019;Lindsay and Kong 2020). Experimentation diverts time and relies on specialized skill sets.…”