Chapter 3
Working from basic Web AppBuilder to ArcGIS Experience Builder is basically like upgrading from a basic PowerPoint layout to a completely custom website designer. Instead of getting stuck in a premade template where you can only change a few colors, Experience Builder gives you total control. You can drag and drop map tools, images, text, and buttons wherever you want, and even build multi-page web apps without needing to write a single line of code. What makes it so useful is how it turns simple map data into an interactive visual dashboard. You can display 2D maps, 3D views, photos, and text side by side. It also lets different parts of the screen talk to each other. For example, if someone clicks a building on the map, a list next to it instantly updates to show details about that specific spot.
Chapter 4
Goes into Mobile GIS, which basically takes map data out of the computer lab and puts it right onto your smartphone or tablet. The biggest takeaway is realizing just how much we interact with location data every day without thinking about it—from food delivery apps tracking drivers to weather apps pinpointing storms. Instead of just viewing static maps on a desktop, Mobile GIS allows anyone in the field to collect real-time data, update map layers on the spot, and snap geotagged photos using specialized mobile apps.
The chapter breaks down several key tools, each built for a specific kind of field work. ArcGIS Survey123 feels just like creating a Google Form, but every response automatically links to a specific point on a map. ArcGIS QuickCapture is designed for high-speed data collection, like tapping a single big button on your phone screen while riding a bike to log road damage or tree locations instantly. Other tools lettyou view hidden GIS data layered directly over your phone’s camera view of the real world.
You could use a custom dataset that would be a Interactive Campus Recycling & Sustainability App. The main screen could feature a map showing every recycling, composting, and e-waste bin across campus. Users could click quick filter buttons to show only specific bin types, like electronics or aluminum. Clicking a bin location on the map would immediately open a side panel with photos of what goes inside and the pickup schedule. You could even add a second tab that takes users on a guided virtual tour of campus green spots like solar panels and community gardens. Experience Builder makes combining all these moving pieces easy.