ArcGIS Web Editor: why another product?

[MappyIan]

I like the look of the new ArcGIS Web Editor that was released this week for ArcGIS Online.  But it does raise the question of why add this functionality to another new application rather than simply extend the editing functionality that already exists in Map Viewer.  I'm baffled by the continual development of new products that perform subtly different tasks from existing products (Quick Capture, Field Maps, and Survey 123; Experience Builder and Dashboards).  Surely a better approach would be to consolidate and enhance the functionality in a single application?  In the case of Web Editor, it does seem like this functionality could have been integrated in to Map Viewer.

Just my thoughts.

[RichardHowe]

I totally take the point. I'm guessing there was some dev reason they couldn't incorporate it, but if that's the case just launch a newer version of map viewer.

I do however consider this an improvement on experience builder though. I accept you can perform a lot of the editing in there via a widget, but I don't need the hassle of making/maintaining a new EXB item for every map, just to be able to do slightly more than basic edits. At least this way I have a way of opening existing items with an app to do it

[MappyIan]

Thanks for the comments @RichardHowe.  Regarding Experience Builder, I wasn't meaning that the editing tools in EB should be enhanced in line with the new Web Editor, I was merely making the comment that EB and Dashboards offer a lot of overlapping functionality (much like Quick Capture, Field Maps and Survey123 also do).  The proliferation of multiple products that have a lot of similar functionality doesn't seem like an efficient use of resources when the time could be spent enhancing a single product instead.

[RichardHowe]

Haha, I don;t disagree 🙂

[LarryYoung]

Hi All,

First off, much time and thought went into whether to augment existing applications or create a new application.  In the end we decided a separate application was best and i'll give you two main reasons:

1. Creating a focused app - by creating an application just for editing it gives us the ability to streamline workflows for that purpose.  If you create a single app to do everything, then you have to genericize some process as a result.  An example would be the toolbars across the top of Web Editor which are context based knowing the user is editing.
2. Configuration - In a future release we will support configuration of  Web Editor to further support streamlining workflows.  For instance, you could configure Web Editor to support only updating attributes and save that as an instance of the application.  If the editing capabilities are rolled into Map Viewer, then the options for configuration are reduced if not eliminated.

Hope that helps.  Also worth noting much of the functionality of Web Editor will make its way into web components that will be available in Experience Builder and Map Viewer at the discretion of those teams (i.e., does it make sense for the application and its purpose) and in the context of those applications.

[ClayDonaldsonSWCA]

Thanks Larry - this makes sense and I am loving the new editor.

My main issue is that map viewer allows mobile workers to editor their data, but for some reason it was decided they cany use Web-Editor. Considering my organization has about 1000 mobile workers who use map viewer or experiences to review and edit their data. It seems like this is an unnecessary restriction to sell more creator accounts, rather than improving user experience. 

I am hoping that restriction is lifted, otherwise very few individuals in my organization will actually use this great application.

[RichardHowe]

@ClayDonaldsonSWCA  I could not agree more. Please consider supporting the suggestion I have put forward here, and adding your own rationale for wanting this in the comments, to support the idea:

ArcGIS Ideas - Make web editor available to mobile workers 

[marksm_macomb]

I feel this. I opened the Web Editor to familiarize myself with it. I have a layer with many overlapping features and usually when I edit it in Pro, I will apply a definition query to only see the features I want to edit. Or I'll set my symbology to show where I've edited a certain attribute or not. Turns out you can't apply a filter or change symbology in Web Editor! Then I thought it would be much easier if these edit options were available in MapViewer where I can filter/symbolize how I want to aid in my editing.

[ClayDonaldsonSWCA]

I imagine that the intent is to eventually integrate with map viewer and experience builder.

Personally, I am looking forward to more of the functionality being available within the ArcGIS Maps Javascript SDK.