Supercharge your GIS

Wayne: This is what supercharging your organisation is all about. It's about getting all the cool tech together and creating bleeding-edge solutions.

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Wayne: Welcome to GIS Directions. I'm Wayne Lee Archer.

Ta: I'm Ta Taneka.

Mary: And I'm Mary Murphy.

Wayne: And today guys, we're going to be doing something a little bit different. We're gonna be talking about how you can supercharge your organisation's spatial capability by integrating and extending the platform that you already have.

Mary: I love when we get an opportunity to jump in and talk to people who are already knee-deep into the technology, but also this is for the newbies as well. So, we're gonna be looking at new apps, new workflows, just even more GIS awesomeness.

Wayne: Let’s start with ArcGIS Field Maps. Now Ta I know this is one of your favorites. I know it is and it's really started to grow on me as well. Let's kick off with Field Maps.

Ta: Absolutely. I love that you said that and look, this app is the evolution and integration of a few of our favourite deprecated field apps, including Collector, Tracker and Explorer.

And yes, I did say deprecated, that means, they are out of rotation.

Wayne: It makes me a bit sad.

Ta: I know, I know. Look, it is sad, but the really exciting thing about Field Maps is that it incorporates and integrates everything that we've loved about those deprecated apps, right?

So, it enables mobile workers to take maps out into the field to visualise and collect data, which we did in Collector, in both connected and disconnected environments. So, whether you’re offline or online, you get all of your information on-hand and then you can get to collect what you need to and then if you don't have mobile reception, it's stored on your device and then ready to upload when you're back within range.

Another thing I love, it works with both ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise. So whichever way your organisation has gone with Web GIS as a capability, being an app that integrates tracking features and things, you can then just send everything back to your ArcGIS Online and Enterprise.

Speaking about tracking features, it enables managers and team leads to track the location of their field crew for safety in the event of an emergency. Your field crew's out in the field doing their work. You wanna ensure that you know where they are, that way help is always at hand if it's required.

Those field crew members, they can also actually see their colleagues in the field and make it easier to divvy up any new assignments as they come up. Or to meet up for lunch when they're ready for a break.

Mary: The important stuff, Ta! So yeah, ArcGIS Field Maps is absolutely great. And it has, like you said, it’s been around for a couple of years now, and it's slowly consumed and replaced a functionality of some of those other apps in the world of ArcGIS.

But that's actually a good thing because of that particular consumption and replacement, in terms of learning, many people might already be familiar with the GUI, the interface of the application or have a little bit of confidence around being able to just jump in and have a play or have been having a play with the application.

So, if you're trying to learn this technology or adopt this technology, it's going to have that familiarity for you in the world of ArcGIS. But, if you are really new to this, it’s still quite intuitive to use.

Wayne: One of the things that I found that I really like about this entire suite is that it's all integrated back into your ArcGIS Enterprise system. So, you’re out there in the field collecting your data, doing site inspections is a classic case for me in the utility space. it's all almost immediately available back in your ArcGIS Enterprise environment, even to the point that you can create cool little dashboards for your admin team. 

They can sit there, and they can monitor what you're doing out in the field and they can see it in real-time. They can see where you're going for lunch Ta!

Ta: Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, I do wanna mention another really cool app that's actually part of your organisation's ArcGIS Online this time, and that's ArcGIS Velocity. A software-as-a-service add-on capability for ArcGIS Online as I mentioned, and it enables you to ingest and process and visualise and analyse real-time data feeds, and then store them as big data and then perform analysis and fast queries on that data in ArcGIS Online.

Wayne: I love Velocity, but it's not really anything different to what we've seen in the past in the sense of, this is a little bit like GeoEvent and GeoAnalytics.

Ta: Yeah.

Wayne: What we've seen in that space before, you know, we're collecting real-time events, we're hooking into sensors, we're hooking into real-time. But the big difference here is that it's a software-as-a-service offering okay. It's not in your ArcGIS Enterprise. It's up in ArcGIS Online, and it can handle the really, really dense feats of events. It's called Velocity for a reason, right?

Ta: And why is that, Wayne? Can you tell me what it's built on?

Mary: What is it built on, Wayne?

Wayne: What is it built on I hear you all say, Ta you’re gonna love it. It's built on Kubernetes, of course.

Ta: Kubernetes!

Wayne: It’s built on Kubernetes. We all love Kubernetes, and this is the power of it, okay. It means that it can scale out really well, in Velocity we can handle, streams of events that are faster and more dense than ever before. And probably, more dense and higher velocity that you could ever possibly build with, with GeoEvent and GeoAnalytics.

Ta: And Mary, I really wanna understand, I guess your perspective, why Velocity? So, I know with Velocity being built on Kubernetes, it's a collective of great microservices, enabling that scalability, but why Velocity?

Mary: So, there's a couple of kind of obvious routes as to why we might need to start thinking about using ArcGIS Velocity other than it's awesome. So, the obvious one might be that ArcGIS Enterprise, an on-premise solution or on-prem for those in the know. Maybe an on-premises solution is just not for you or just not yet for you? So, this is an ArcGIS Online environment that we need to work in, it's a service in ArcGIS Online. That's an ArcGIS Online solution.

The other type of consideration would be around maybe the type of workflow you want to carry out, because yes, we can do ingestion and analytics with ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online as it is. But it's the type of data that we're starting to work with. We're moving towards these real-time analytics versus that traditional historical static-type data.

We have big data and lots of it coming in. We have that IoT, that system and sensors network that we're starting to tap into, so the type of workflow calls for something that allows us to work with that data. And if we don't have Enterprise, we can't work with GeoEvent and GeoAnalytics, so we might need to start looking at ArcGIS Velocity.

Wayne: Software-as-a-Service offering here is fantastic because it takes away all of the worry of scaling things out for all of those really dense sensor feeds.

But we do have to point out there is still a really valid use case for ArcGIS Enterprise-based solutions. Now this is a software-as-a-service offering up in ArcGIS Online. If your sensor feeds and the things that you're collecting the events from are not available to the internet, if they're not internet accessible, then you're not gonna be able to use this service offering right.

And the classic cases for those are you know, defence sort of scenarios or where you've got some sort of level of secrecy or, or security. You can't make your sensor feeds available to the internet, then you can't make it available to Velocity. You're gonna want something else.

Mary: Absolutely. And I suppose as well, if we're talking about supercharging, we're talking about to people who are probably, like I said, in the thick of it, but if you're worried about starting from the beginning, this is an extension of existing skills that you're going to have those analytics skills, et cetera, that you've already developed.

But for those of you who think you're going to be years away from those foundational skills, what I liked from the workaround ArcGIS Velocity that I've seen so far, or the demos that I've seen so far, is that it's very beginner friendly.

Wayne: You start to pair these things up, okay? So, we've got Field Maps, we can have stuff collecting events with Velocity. But what about those scenarios where we have a real-time crisis and we want real-time events and we want the kind of things that we see with Field Maps where, in field data collection with forms and maps, what have we got in the space to handle these kind of real-time crisis events?

I'm gonna throw it out here because the next obvious evolution in this list is ArcGIS Mission.

Mary: Absolutely. What is it though? It has a very singular purpose. It is a command-and-control software, it not only streamlines those operations that you're talking about but also provides those teams that you're working with, with tactical situational awareness of the operating environment within which they find themselves. So, Wayne, seeing as you brought it up, tell us more.

Wayne: All right. This is about when you're out in the field, all working on the same mission itself, bushfire response, incident response kind of stuff instead of just site inspection, we're out there doing our day-to-day work.

This is where we want to coordinate a team in real-time with real-time communications as well. This is one of the big things about ArcGIS Mission, we've talked about it before, and we've coined the term "What's Map". You know because you actually get.

Mary:  Here we go…

Wayne: We get that peer-to-peer communications as well, so you're all looking at the same map. You're all talking to each other in real-time, out in the field solving a problem that is critical and at hand right now. But I've gotta say, it's for the innovators out there okay, it's not for the fainthearted because it really does have a very live and real-time component to it.

We talk about Mission as a single product, but there are actually a number of components to ArcGIS Mission. We've got Mission Manager, we've got Mission Responder and we've got Mission Server. Okay?

And so, for every user in the tactical operation, these components all work together to enable real-time communications and infield data collection out in the field in real-time. Real-time, real-time, real-time. I'm gonna keep saying it because that's what Mission's all about.

Mary: Yep. It's on the ground. Boots on ground.

Ta: You've mentioned three key components, so Mission Manager for those who are actually looking after the, the mission and the tactical operations, the responders so for those who are out in the field and then the server for everything that's running on the back end to make sure that our responders are supported in the field.

Now instead of stringing together various apps like Field Maps and Workforce and Dashboards, which we all love in their singular components, which would take time and cost money if we're honest, you get everything that you need to connect with your crew members for peer-to-peer communication and to view your operations back at command.

Wayne: Important thing to point out is that ArcGIS Mission is an ArcGIS Enterprise component, this is not an ArcGIS Online component, really important to point that out because we've got organisations out there who are doing infield data collection and doing this kind of real-time management, Velocity's great, it's an ArcGIS Online only component.

Mission is an ArcGIS Enterprise server role. This is for your environments, wherever you may be managing them. They may be up in the cloud, they may be on-prem, but this is not an ArcGIS Online thing. This is an in your environment thing for Mission. It's particularly targeted.

Mary: Yeah, and that speaks directly to that singular purpose, it's command and control that needs to be internal. Tactical situational awareness.

Wayne: Absolutely. Let's start stringing together all the cool tech. All right this is what supercharging your organisation is all about. It's about getting all the cool tech together and creating bleeding-edge solutions. So, I'm gonna throw ArcGIS Site Scan in there.

Ta: Oh yeah. Bit of imagery. Yeah.

Wayne: Site Scan is essentially Drone2Map on steroids. Okay? It's the latest version of Drone2Map, and what I wanted to say is Site Scan includes, Unlimited image storage.

Ta: Unlimited. And that’s really great, um now look, what I really love about Site Scan is that it enables us to use all of our images for Machine Learning, for AI tools and incorporate, like we’ve mentioned before, all of our processes and analysis in ArcGIS Pro.

With ArcGIS Enterprise with notebooks, we had a situation where Wayne and I talked through how to incorporate Machine Learning and object detection using high quality drone captured images. We brought that into ArcGIS Pro. We then were able to detect specific damaged buildings.

And what was really great about that is we're getting really good quality images, you can get, you know, drone images captured with Site Scan, bring it back to your organisation, running analysis using things like ArcGIS Pro, and then starting to incorporate Machine Learning. So, you've got various training models that you're then using in Enterprise and notebooks.

And once you've trained all of your workflows and processes on the images that you have, you then have this powerful tool that you can use to help your community and to help your organisation to achieve all the good things it needs to achieve.

Mary: Where I suggest people jump in and have a look is to jump into the Site Scan for ArcGIS, the resources page, and at the bottom towards that page, there's a section called “Hands-on Learning”, which directs you to a thing called the “ArcGIS Imagery Workflows Hub”.

Excellent. We'll give you the links for that, but that gives you a lot of those very, step-by-step workflows that you'll need to start playing around with Site Scan.

Wayne: One of the cool things about Site Scan is that it brings all of your data back into your Enterprise environment and really cuts the time down to actually getting your imagery and all of that sort of LiDAR and site scanning data into your system so that you can do analytics and produce really good apps.

Which is a great segue now into my personal favorite application, I think this is the real key to supercharging your organisation. This is the evolution of Web AppBuilder into something new. This is ArcGIS Experience Builder.

We can announce here today that Web AppBuilder is actually being retired in 2024.

Mary: See you later.

Wayne: See you later, Web AppBuilder. Now, Experience Builder is about building web experiences instead of single page or single use web apps like we've built with Web AppBuilder in the past.  Experience Builder is about building full experiences that integrate all of your GIS components into one. We can do 2D and 3D scenes in the same application. We can tie them together in a really cool, funky way so that if you move the map in the 2D scene, the 3D scene moves around as well.

Ta: It's very ready steady Pro. I like it.

Wayne: Very reminiscent of the way that you can link 2D and 3D scenes together in Pro, but we get this in the web browser, and this is something that we couldn't do with Web AppBuilder, Experience Builder really brings a new level to your web app game as far as that's concerned.

Ta: And I really love this Wayne because when we have an experience, essentially, we're putting together a really great web application that encompasses various tools like you've mentioned, and widgets. You create an experience, you include things like routing and proximity, and it's for and intended audience, and that's my favorite bit, is that the focus here is on the audience, the intended end user, and creating a capability for them to access information and tools.

Mary: We have mentioned a couple of times that we're now jumping from one version of the technology to another, from Web AppBuilder now into Experience Builder. So, you have to start thinking about migration or starting to use that technology from scratch. And there is an excellent blog with migration resources and a video as well around migrating. And again, we'll pop that into the resources with anything else we mention.

There is a new instructor led course on the way, "Building Web Apps with ArcGIS Experience Builder", so you can actually get some hands-on practice with it, chat with the power users around that, which are essentially the technological experts in the field.

Ta: So quick recap. We've talked about Field Maps; we can collect our data out in the field. Then we talked about Velocity, how we can then ingest big data and analyse it. We've talked about Site Scan, getting really good imagery to then overlay with our information and data. We've talked about Experience Builder and how we bring all of that data analysis in and then we can view it right? And now for me, this ties in every app beautifully, is ArcGIS Hub.

It's a community engagement platform that enables organisations to create seamless websites. And those seamless websites incorporate community initiatives to bring them front and centre for everyone that you're trying to serve.

Now, there are two versions of Hub. So, if you have an ArcGIS Online subscription, you have access to basic, which enables you to create open data platforms and to create some really cool things you can start to share with the community.

Now if you want to up the ante on how you're collaborating and connecting, then we would suggest going ahead and getting the premium version. And this one enables your organisation to create team initiatives, and to collaborate on those initiatives. Your initiative might be to have a healthier community, so you might then work with various departments and local government authorities about health. Perhaps dieticians and people as part of the Department of Health, as an example.

So, with any ArcGIS Online subscription, you get a number of named users, whatever you've opted for, for your organisation. And then you use those to enable people to access tools. Now with ArcGIS Hub, when you have the premium version of this, you can actually create collaboration teams and each of those individuals gets their own named user that comes with ArcGIS Hub. So, it comes with its own set of named users and that initiative team, they can sign in using things like social logins. So, your Apple ID, Gmail, GitHub…

Wayne: It's the Open ID thing. Right?

Ta: Exactly. The Open ID and this, this really helps to minimise those admin tasks so you're not managing thousands of individuals, everyone gets an identity and that's really the notion of this – give your community members an identity so they can actually start to collaborate with you, collect data out into the field.

You then see that, you then ingest it in ArcGIS Online, you start to use Velocity, you start to analyse things. You bring in Site Scan and all of the imagery. Then you create a really great dashboard or a really great experience, and then you put that experience front and centre as part of your ArcGIS Hub initiative and everyone can get to collaborate and view everything.

Mary: So, I do try and point people or like to point people towards the ArcGIS Hub Gallery. So, if you jump in there you can actually see some of these examples in action. Get a feel for it, have a play. Sometimes, seeing those examples really helps wrap your head around all of this. And then use that to help inform the type of licensing that you're talking about, whether you require that basic or premium, and then just get started. The Esri Academy has lots of resources.

The ArcGIS Hub resources page has actually got these quick start tutorials about how to create a site, add content to it, and share it.

Wayne: We've touched on a heck of a today, guys.  As you can tell, we're really excited about the notion of supercharging organisations with this new breed of applications and technology.

Ta: Now, to help you get started with these tips and tricks, we've added all the resources that we've spoken about, including some really great real-world examples of these applications in use, and they're all at our website that's gisdirectionspodcast.com.au, including all the information that you'll need to get started.

Now, we'd also love to hear from you, any of your tips and tricks, so please jump onto the website to send them through or connect each of us on LinkedIn and hopefully we can feature some of your tips as part of our upcoming episodes.

Wayne: Looking forward to hearing from everybody on the socials.

That's it for us from the GIS Directions Podcast today. Stay spatial. Thanks for joining us.

Mary: Until next time.

Ta: Happy mapping.