Aggregating features is a way to summarize them into logical groups using statistical methods. ArcGIS Pro supports visualization of aggregated data for exploration and analysis purposes.
You can aggregate multiple features or you can aggregate multiple records (observations) for a feature or group of related features. Examples include the aggregation of individual census data in different levels of census boundaries, or symbolizing weather stations using total highest temperature recorded at each station, the distribution of a disease outbreak across a region over time, or average volume of traffic along freeways during rush hour.
There are geoprocessing tools such as Aggregate Points that produce static aggregation. As data changes or your analyzing parameters (such as a time interval) change, you must rerun the tools to create new output.
Dynamic aggregation is responsive to changes in your data and to changes in scale. There are two main ways that dynamic aggregation is used. Dense arrangements of features can be aggregated into polygonal containers called bins, or collected values can be aggregated to related features. Dynamic aggregation is only available for enterprise databases.
Aggregate features into bins
An example of dynamic aggregation into bins is tracking the concentration and spread of the Ebola virus. Typically, any reported incidence is recorded as a point feature. At large scales, you want to see each instance as an individual point. When you are zoomed out to smaller scales, the conglomeration of overlapping points prevents any comprehension of patterns in the data. So, at smaller scales it is convenient to aggregate the features into bins, with each bin symbolized based on the number of Ebola cases within each bin.
See Aggregate features into bins for more information.
Aggregate values into related features
Some data that is collected over time does not vary in location. For example, weather data such as temperature, precipitation, and wind speed is collected multiple times a day from a static location. This data is usually stored in a nonspatial attribute table. Symbolizing each static location with a summarized temporal classification of the data, such as monthly total rainfall or weekly mean temperature, can reveal more useful patterns than viewing the individual records.
A second example aggregates values into existing polygons. Although aggregating features into equal bins produces a map showing concentration of Ebola in a region, maps that show concentrations of outbreaks within actual political or administrative boundaries are necessary to respond appropriately with medicine and medical resources.
See Display features with aggregated results for more information.