Modernizing GIS Apps with Esri Experience Builder
- NexGen Technologies
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
Background
Many of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)'s GIS applications were originally developed in ArcGIS Web AppBuilder using the Dojo toolkit, which no longer meets modern expectations for performance, accessibility, and maintainability.
NexGen was engaged to modernize these applications using Esri Experience Builder, a
NexGen’s objective was to transform legacy applications into scalable, accessible, and maintainable solutions aligned with Esri’s technology roadmap and federal accessibility requirements.
Challenges
Experience Builder introduced functionality gaps that required custom development to replicate critical workflows. Migrating away from legacy frameworks meant rebuilding key functionality—as many workflows weren’t natively supported in Experience Builder.
NexGen needed to develop custom widgets to replicate and extend application features while improving user experience, and ensuring compliance with Section 508 and WCAG, which added additional design and testing complexity.
Additionally, BLM sought to reduce long-term maintenance costs and support multiple programs by standardizing on a sustainable, reusable application architecture.
Solution
NexGen modernized BLM’s GIS applications by rebuilding them using Esri Experience Builder’s modular, component-based architecture.
This approach emphasized performance, accessibility, and maintainability, resulting in more scalable solutions. The modernization reduced technical debt, enhanced the end-user experience, and laid a strong foundation for long-term sustainability.
Key solutions included
A custom layer list widget for the Right-of-Way (ROW) application, enabling users to toggle map layers grouped dynamically into categories and subcategories read from the underlying web map. This functionality addressed critical user needs for managing complex spatial datasets within ROW workflows.
Development of the RAPTOR Permitting System, supporting secure field collection data and permit submission by external users while giving internal BLM staff tools to review, approve, and integrate submissions directly into the enterprise GIS environment. RAPTOR streamlined permitting workflows, improved data quality, and increased transparency between external stakeholders and BLM operations.
Built-in accessibility features such as ARIA tags, keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and high-contrast UI options
A reusable widget strategy to accelerate future app builds while reducing cost and increasing UI/UX consistency
NexGen conducted rigorous automated and manual testing to confirm full compliance.
Results
NexGen delivered a suite of modern, responsive GIS applications that improved performance and streamlined workflows by:
Reducing future development time and maintenance through a standardized architecture and reusable widgets
Enhancing data quality, workflow efficiency, and user transparency through the modernization of legacy applications
Ensuring full accessibility compliance with federal standards
This effort highlights NexGen’s commitment to standardization, modernization, and sustainable GIS innovation, ensuring long-term scalability, application resilience, and operational efficiency for BLM’s geospatial services.
About NexGen:
NexGen Technologies (NexGen) provides the people, processes, and solutions that help make innovative IT transformation possible across your systems and applications.
We specialize in delivering top-tier IT support services, specifically tailored for the unique needs of the federal government. Our dedicated team combines cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise to ensure your projects meet the highest standards of quality and security.
For more information, please contact NexGen at info@nexgeninc.com or (720) 377-1800.
