What is a recommended method for organizing two feature classes that contain the same fields?

Creating subtypes from each feature class is an effective method for organizing two feature classes that contain the same fields because it allows for the management of distinct categories of features within a single feature class. Subtypes enable you to define different behaviors and representations for features that share common attributes. This approach not only streamlines the data model, making it more efficient and easier to manage, but also facilitates the application of different rules, symbology, and domain-specific validation for each subtype.

By using subtypes, you can take advantage of the shared fields, which reduces redundancy and simplifies data entry and maintenance. Additionally, any changes made to the shared attributes can be uniformly applied across the different subtypes, ensuring consistency throughout the feature class. This organizational method promotes data integrity and enhances workflow by allowing users to easily differentiate between categories of similar features without the need to maintain separate feature classes for the same fields.