Selling ArcGIS Pro

[DaveTenney]

All,

  beyond all the major talking points of ArcGIS Pro...

can anyone help we out with how to sell ArcGIS Pro as a useful too within the company?

what would you say to a boss who says well i already have desktop, why should we roll out Pro?

thanks

Dave

[DanPatterson_Retired]

for me... 64 bit support ... python 3.4.x and numpy 1.9, SciPy, Pandas etc ... that's it

my other impressions ...

• the 2D - 3D stuff you have read (I rarely make maps) and
• the integration with the web stuff (which I don't use)
• less analytical capability than 10.3.x
• new interface...downside for some...just another change for others.

Really? if you have no reason to sell it ... don't.  Sometimes, it is better to ride the wave when the beach is cleared of debris

[TrippCorbin]

ArcGIS Pro has a much more intuitive interface than ArcMap, ArcScene, ArcGlobe or ArcCatalog especially for new users. The responsive contextual tabs make it easier to find related functionality. ArcGIS Pro makes use of the now common Ribbon interface. This makes it appear more similar to other applications such as Word, Excel and even AutoCAD. Having a similar interface to other applications adds to the easy and comfort of use especially for new users.

ArcGIS Pro has several functionality and technical benefits over ArcGIS for Desktop. As was mentioned it is a true 64 bit application. As such it can take full advantage of all the hardware you can through at it. It is not limited to 4 GB of RAM and can use hyper-threading unlike the traditional Esri desktop applications. Even with the 64 bit geoprocessing patch ArcMap and ArcCatalog were still at their heart a 32 bit application which meant they did not take full advantage of current hardware capabilities. ArcGIS Pro also supports the use of 3D data without having to have an extension. You can create 3D maps right out of the box. ArcGIS Pro is also better integrated with ArcGIS Online and/or Portal for ArcGIS making sharing data and maps much easier.

Taking the long view, I believe ArcGIS Pro will ultimately replace ArcMap and ArcCatalog. The question is when. It is similar to when ArcGIS first came out. Many long time Esri users stuck with ArcInfo Workstation and ArcView GIS until it was too late. While those applications were amazing for their time, they became eclipsed by ArcGIS. Many had to scramble to catch up. The sooner you can begin learning to use ArcGIS Pro the less catch up you will have to do when the day comes.   

[MichaelVolz]

If you have a small organization it is probably easier to support both 32 and 64 bit operating systems, but if you have a large organization and you have to manage both 32 and 64 bit operating systems you might want to hold off on going to Pro until it is a more mature product.

[KirstenPinkston]

Thanks for this question, Dave. There are some great answers above-- also informing your boss and colleagues that the ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro applications can run on the same machine at the same time, might be helpful. If you're already running 64bit machines, it's easy to get started with Pro, learn about what it has to offer and incorporate it where it fits best for your workflows overtime. A lot of great functionality is planned for future releases of Pro, so suggesting that your colleagues install it and take advantage of the in-app automatic update notifications, will also give them immediate access to the latest functionality as it comes.

Of course, identifying the functionality that might benefit your current workflows and needs is likely what your boss is looking for (i.e. maybe it's the ability to view multiple maps and layouts in one application for example, the ability to publish webmaps to ArcGIS Online and/ or Portal, or maybe the use of Tasks to capture best practice workflows and improve efficiency, etc.). What are your primary uses of ArcGIS for Desktop (ArcMap) currently?

[CharlesFinley]

If you make a lot of maps for your company, Pro has some great cartographic improvements upon arcmap:

- Text anti-aliasing and more dynamic graphic inputs make for appealing map products.

- Multiple layout functionality and the demise of those ridiculously slow dialog windows for everything from labeling and symbology to text and graphic input make for more streamlined production.

- The side-by 3D views are super cool, but without the hardware and network support capabilities, they will crash your system, and make you question the meaning of your cubicle-bound existence.

It's definitely got great capability, however I'm not yet seeing the intuitiveness, and speed, for which is being touted.

[BenGrod]

Hi Dave,

This isn't necessarily a selling topic but I attended the Esri UC. I sat in on two technical session where they demo'd new or beta products, both of the sessions utilized tools that will only be available in ArcGIS Pro. Esri is developing and releasing products that are not backwards compatible with ArcMap/Catalog. It will be a long time before ArcMap/Catalog are no longer on your desktop but it seems inevitable. I can remember the days of ArcInfo and ArcView and I would say learning ArcGIS Pro and slowly transitioning to it is important for the future of your company if they utilize GIS.