HANDHELD DATA COLLECTION AND ITS EFFECTS ON MAPPING

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the many challenges faced when designing and developing the automated mapping system needed to produce nearly 15 million maps to support 2010 census data collection operations. The U.S. Census Bureau used handheld technology to collect and update housing unit locations, addresses, and street features in its address canvassing operation for the 2010 census. The information collected was reflected on maps produced for subsequent field data collection operations. While the use of handheld technology substantially improved the effectiveness and efficiency of field operations, it posed a number of challenges for the development and production of maps for 6.7 million blocks, each map displaying housing unit locations that had been collected during address canvassing. Map design and development occurred before and concurrently with the uploading of housing unit location data; as a result, cartographic design, scaling, and insetting decisions had to be made based on a limited set of data from th