Get started with analysis

Insights in ArcGIS Online
Insights in ArcGIS Enterprise
Insights desktop

Analysis helps you solve spatial problems and make decisions. Use the following workflow to perform analysis in ArcGIS Insights.

Step 1
1Ask and explore
Step 2
2Model and compute
Step 3
3Examine and interpret
Step 4
4Make decisions
Step 5
5Share results

1. Ask and explore

Solving a spatial problem begins with a well-framed question based on your understanding of the problem. Getting the question right is key to deriving meaningful results. Questions that can be answered using spatial analysis include the following:

  • How is it distributed?
  • How is it related?
  • What's nearby?
  • How has it changed?

Don't know what questions you want to ask? Not a problem. Insights makes it easy to explore your data so that you can understand patterns and gain insights into your data that will help you ask the questions that matter.

2. Model and compute

ArcGIS Insights offers a suite of analysis capabilities that can be used to manipulate and quantify your data to help you answer your spatial questions. As you perform analysis, your steps are recorded behind the scenes in the Analysis view, making it easy for you to save your model.

3. Examine and interpret

Computers don't perform analysis; people do. Once you have run your analysis and created results, you must examine those results to answer your questions. Have you answered all of your questions? Are there any other questions that you need to ask? As you examine your results, you can interpret what they mean and find your answers.

4. Make decisions

After interpreting the results of the analysis, document your interpretation and decide how to respond. In some cases, you can take action based on your interpretation of the analysis results. You might implement a solution, correct a situation, create an opportunity, or mitigate a circumstance. In other cases, no action is required because your goal was to build knowledge and gain a deeper understanding. Often new questions arise that need to be addressed. These can lead to further analysis.

5. Share results

Once you have answered your question and are satisfied with the analysis, identify the audience that will benefit from your findings and determine who you want to influence. You may want to share your results with other members of your organization or the public. You can communicate your results by publishing reports or creating apps, such as story maps.

Next steps

Now that you have performed your analysis, you are ready to share your work.