What is the difference between Insights for ArcGIS and...?

[KateKeeley]

Excuse me for being blunt, but I am having a hard time seeing what the point of Insights for ArcGIS is. It doesn't seem very different from performing analyses in AGO, visualizing data in Dashboards, and accessibility in Maps for Office. Is the purpose to combining these into a more accessible product for non-GIS specialists? Are there things it can do that other products can't do? Thank you!

[JianLange · Accepted solution]

Hi Kate,

One of the unique features of ArcGIS for Insights is its user experience. Insights takes an interactive approach that enables dynamic analysis through drag and drop.  It integrates spatial and tabular analysis not only with maps, but also with tables and charts.  You can use Insights to explore your data and get quick visual data discovery. This is valuable for users who need a jumpstart in asking questions they did not know to ask of their data or GIS analysts who want to save time and find quick answers using common spatial analysis workflows. However, it is not designed to analyze raster data or performs analysis in 3D, nor does it include all spatial analysis methods that available in other ArcGIS applications.

Spatial analysis goes beyond locations on the map and is one of the most powerful features in GIS. Our goal is to have the advanced and out of the box analysis tools across the whole ArcGIS platform. In ArcGIS, there is an analysis experience for everyone. Whether your analysis requires a simple online map viewer, a powerful desktop application, a drag and drop interactive approach, a dynamic scripting environment, or all of the above... we've got you covered. 

Hope this answers your question.

Jian Lange

Spatial Analysis Product Manager

[KateKeeley]

Thank you!

[danashney]

Am I allowed to disagree that the question has been answered? 

I would still like to know what the difference is between Insights and Dashboard.

Superficially they are both "dashboard-y" as in that they both display summary level information from a data source regarding some key indicators. 

What are the pros and cons?

What functionality overlaps and what does not?

What are some use cases for using one vs the other?

Why are there two very similar seeming products being developed in tandem?

[DerekLaw]

Hi Dan,

> I would still like to know what the difference is between Insights and Dashboard.

This question was also asked at the Esri Dev Summit last month. We posted this question in a recent Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS blog. From the blog,

"Q3. How does Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS compare with Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS and Insights for ArcGIS?

A3. Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS is the premier app for creating sophisticated dashboard apps. It offers precision charting and visualization options and uses a new “dashboard” item type in ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6.

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS has a ‘dashboard’ theme layout option, where you can create a dashboard. You can use the Infographic widget to create simple charts and visualizations quickly and easily. You can also incorporate additional functionality such as editing and geoprocessing in your apps. Existing Web AppBuilder users will likely choose this option to create dashboards.

Insights for ArcGIS is designed for both spatial and non-spatial analysis and data exploration. The analysis results are displayed in maps, charts, and tables on a worksheet – these can be interpreted to be a “dashboard”, but not in the traditional sense. The distinction here: this app’s focus is for data discovery and analysis."

While there is some functional overlap between the 2 apps, they are different and meant to be used for different use cases, as discussed in the blog answer. Insights for ArcGIS offers more charting options, but does not have a real "presentation" mode, all of its cards are simply displayed on a worksheet. Operations Dashboard has fewer chart options, but gives you many more options on configuring various aspects of the chart and is meant to be a data "presentation" app.

Hope this helps,

[JackEades]

I still do not understand why this is split into two products? Every other BI software manages to incorporate both. Can you please have a word with your marketing team and tell them to stop this ridiculous granularity of products and add functionalities into your existing ones. 

Does anyone in the world actually have a need for simply one or the other?

[RyanPaquette]

Kinda feel the same way about Collector (Map Based Mobile Data Collection Application) and Survey 1-2-3 (Form Based Mobile Data Collection Application).

Could it not just be one app with different app configuration options during the build process (whether or not you want to focus on the form or the map)

There are under the hood reasons for it apparently, however having them as multiple applications leads to unnecessary app creep IMHO...

[FionaRenton1]

I think the dashoard is a  simpler more focused app intended for high level decision makers or someone who really doesn't want to dig too far into the data.

Insights I'm guessing is meant to compete with Tableau ,and aimed at people who want to dig into a lot of data. Although I have only seen demos of Insight.

[Jack_Zhang]

Can't agree more. I always have the same question about Collector vs Survey123 vs Explorer for ArcGIS, and the need of ArcGIS QuickCapture, and now Operation Dashboard vs Insight vs ArcGIS Business Analyst (yep another one). If look at the long ESRI product list, some of them overlap a lot in function-wise, and some could be merged and configured into one. For example, Tracker for ArcGIS, couldn't it be added as a configurable function in Collector, and throw in the other 20% functions that Collector doesn't have in Survey123 and Explorer to one product? Can't the same chart module be used in both OD and Insight to provide the same user experience and capabilities? For example, we need to track our field crews while they capture field data. With the current options, they have to turn on both apps, and potentially login twice. (BTW, tracking function was not migrated to the new Collector).The effort is doubled to set up, deploy, and manage the apps. OK maybe some of these products have been designed to target a certain group of users with a pre-determination of what the users should need or focus on. But I don't find ourselves in those user groups. Personally I'd like to see ESRI focus on making the core products and the backbone technologies more advanced, modularised and extendable. 

[JakeKrall]

So, now throw in Survey123 Desktop vs. Survey123 web vs. Experience Builder vs. Solutions.  Can't all this be packaged into one?  Esri, your coders must be loving this?