1. Pick the type of app

• What is the story you're trying to tell?
• Who is your audience?
• How knowledgeable is your audience about your topic?
• Decide on the essential components of your story: maps, videos, photos, or a gallery of maps and apps.
• Which app best suits the story you are trying to tell: a map-based app, a scene-based app, or a group-based app?
• Do you want to use an out-of-the-box wizard to customize the application?

2. Build maps, scenes, or groups

• If you decide on a map-based app, create a map with Map Viewer or ArcGIS Pro, or select a map that's been made available to you.
• If you decide on a scene-based app, create a scene with Scene Viewer or ArcGIS Pro, or select a scene that's been made available to you.
• If you decide on a group-based app, create a group and share items to it or select an existing group from your organization.

3. Assemble your content

Make sure the supporting material you need—photos, video, audio files, and text—are organized. Text should be as brief as possible. Most people don't like to read more than a few sentences.

4. Choose an app

• For a map-based app, you can start from Map Viewer, the content page, or the map's item page. The content page is a good option if you want to pick the app first and add a map to it. You can create a web app using a configurable app, Web AppBuilder, or Operations Dashboard. Learn more about how to create apps from maps.
• For a group-based app, you can start from the group page or the content page. The content page is a good option if you want to pick the app first and add a group to it. Learn more about how to create apps from groups.
• For a scene-based app, you can start from the content page or the scene's item page. Learn more about how to create apps from scenes.

5. Refine

Creating an effective app is an iterative process. In most cases, you'll want to repeat one or more of these steps, returning to your app and its map or group to add, delete, or change features, edit your text, choose new photos, and so on.

6. Publish

When you publish, the apps can reside on your own organization's servers or you can use third-party resources like Amazon.