The annual Esri User Conference (UC 2024) offers an ideal opportunity to engage with the storytelling community and discover the newest updates and features of ArcGIS StoryMaps. A professional storytelling tool, ArcGIS StoryMaps enables you to transform your geographic work into interactive content to inform and inspire others. It makes it easy to explain complex topics related to your knowledge and experience.
Discover virtual and in-person sessions scheduled throughout the conference and connect with the Esri StoryMaps team in the showcase from Tuesday, July 16 to Thursday, July 18, 2024, at the San Diego Convention Center in California. Get ready for the event by exploring some of the key highlights and must-see ArcGIS StoryMaps sessions.
What’s New
Exciting New Features for Enhanced Interaction: Introducing Sidecar with Media Actions
We’re thrilled to announce a significant update that transforms how you can present media to your readers. With the new media actions block in the sidecar narrative panel, you now have the ability to add a button that will swap the content in your sidecar slide to a completely different piece of media—be it images, maps, videos, or various embeds. This feature not only enhances the visual appeal of your stories but also provides a dynamic way for readers to interact with multiple media formats without leaving the page. Whether you’re aiming to provide a more immersive experience or simply want to offer more depth to your stories, the sidecar with media actions is your go-to solution.
Major Updates to Briefings: Printing, Autoplay, and New Content Blocks
Keeping your content fresh and engaging is easier than ever with our latest updates to ArcGIS StoryMaps briefings. You now have the option to print your briefings, making it easy to get a PDF or hard copy of your work. From the print preview, configure the zoom extent of how maps and 3D scenes appear in the printed version. Any links remain clickable in the PDF. Presenting a briefing in an unattended setting? The autoplay feature ensures your content flows smoothly, captivating your audience without manual intervention. We’ve also expanded the types of content you can include in your briefings by introducing image gallery, code, and table blocks. These new additions allow for a richer, more organized presentation of information, catering to a diverse range of needs and enhancing the overall user experience.
Briefings is also available in ArcGIS Enterprise 11.3. To learn more about the available features visit the What’s New in ArcGIS StoryMaps on ArcGIS Enterprise 11.3 blog!
Streamline Your Workflow with Easy Duplication of Stories, Themes, and Collections
Creating multiple stories, themes, or collections has never been simpler, thanks to our new duplication feature. This tool is designed to save you time and effort by allowing you to replicate existing projects quickly. Whether you’re looking to create variations of a theme or reuse a successful story structure, duplication makes it effortless. This means more time to focus on creating great content and less time spent on setup and configuration.
Enhanced Story Management with the ArcGIS API for Python
For those who utilize the ArcGIS platform, managing your stories has become more efficient with improvements to the ArcGIS API for Python. This streamlined approach allows for better integration and manipulation of geographic information within your stories. Whether you’re handling large datasets or need precise control over your geographic data presentations, the updated API provides the tools necessary to manage your content effectively and with greater ease.
These updates are part of our ongoing commitment to provide you with the best tools and features to tell your stories in the most engaging and effective way possible. We hope you find these enhancements helpful and look forward to seeing how they inspire and elevate your content creation efforts.
Upcoming Features to Enhance Your Storytelling Experience
As we continue to innovate and improve, we are excited to share a sneak peek into some of the fantastic features that are on the horizon. These upcoming additions are designed to make your storytelling experience even more intuitive and engaging.
Mobile App for On-the-Go Story Access
We understand the importance of mobility in today’s fast-paced world. To cater to this need, we are evaluating the need for a mobile app specifically for stories. We are looking to gather better feedback on how to better support authors to create, edit, and view stories directly from your mobile device, and provide you with the flexibility to manage your content wherever you are. Your feedback is important to make this possible, please meet us in the usability testing area next to the ArcGIS StoryMaps kiosk in the showcase to connect with the team.
Streamlined Creation with Customizable Templates
To help maintain consistency across your organization and speed up the creation process, we are introducing customizable templates. These templates will serve as a blueprint for your stories, ensuring that every piece of content not only meets the quality standards of your organization but also maintains a consistent brand voice and style. This feature is perfect for teams looking to streamline their workflow and produce high-quality content efficiently.
Map-Based Collection Layout
For those who love to incorporate geographic data into their storytelling, we are excited to announce a new map-based collection layout. This feature will allow readers to browse collection items by location, with each item displayed as a pin on the map. It’s an excellent tool for visualizing stories that are geographically spread out, such as travel diaries, historical events, or location-based portfolios. By providing a spatial context, this layout will help your audience connect more deeply with your content.
These upcoming features are part of our commitment to providing you with the tools you need to tell your stories in the most effective and engaging way possible. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to expand and enhance our platform to better serve your storytelling needs.
Connect with the ArcGIS StoryMaps team at the Esri UC Expo
Stop by the Apps Area on Tuesday, July 16th and Wednesday, July 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, July 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Find our kiosk and more on the interactive map of the showcase area here.
Follow along with the ArcGIS StoryMaps team on Twitter to keep up to date with us during the conference.
ArcGIS StoryMaps: Sessions and Demo Theaters at a Glance
Storytelling with maps
Our greatest challenges—including climate change, sustainability, and social and economic inequality—are interrelated and inherently tied to geography. A science-based, geographic approach helps us understand these interconnected problems holistically and communicate challenges and solutions through place-based stories.
And we’re celebrating those stories, storytellers, and storytelling techniques at the Esri 2024 International User Conference. Explore the walk-through display during the Map Gallery Reception and all week, and check out our fireside “story chats.”
Attend fireside “story chats”
Take a little break from the technical sessions and demos. Join the StoryMaps team for lunch and a chat with inspiring storytellers in the Sails Pavilion. The conversations begin Tuesday through Thursday at 11:30am PT.
Tuesday, July 16
Discovering the story in science communication
Dr. Dawn Wright and John Nelson, Esri
Wednesday, July 17
Adding depth to your stories with 3D
Katie Grillo, City of Cambridge, and Craig McCabe, Esri
Thursday, July 18
Connecting local stories with global communities people
Jennifer Kelleher, International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Brian Hettler, Amazon Conservation Team
Custom Agenda
We’ve created a custom agenda just for ArcGIS StoryMaps sessions at UC 2024, tailored to enhance your storytelling skills. Take a moment to review and add these specially selected sessions to your schedule, ensuring a personalized and enriching conference experience. Explore the custom agenda here.
Not yet signed up for the user conference? There’s still time. You can attend the event in person, register for digital access, or simply tune in for the Plenary Session.
Sign up here!
See you all soon!
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