Determining the output
There are two main ways to share a spatial story: static maps or dynamic visuals.
Static maps tell a spatial story at a single scale. Static maps can be exported as an image or PDF for print or digital publication. They can also be included in an academic paper, poster, or flyer. Dynamic maps, on the other hand, allow the user to interact with your spatial story. Dynamic maps display spatial data in an interactive fashion, allowing viewers to pan, zoom, click, and scroll in order to reveal layered information at multiple scales. Learn more about the pros and cons of static vs. dynamic maps here.
Keep in mind…
In order to determine what output best suits your project and capacities, it’s helpful to explore some examples. The following subpages introduce different kinds of static and dynamic maps. Remember, there is usually more than one way to create a desired output.
The final section of this workshop, Assembling Resources, will evaluate different tools and software options based on criteria such as accessability and learning curve. For now, focus on determining the output format of your spatial story. As you go, keep in mind the following Project Design questions:
- Who is your audience? Who is your spatial story for? To whom should it be legible?
- How do you want your audience to interact/engage with your story? Will it be a stand-alone graphic or integrated somehow in a publication or website?
- Thinking back to your overarching project objectives, is the purpose of your story to provide contextual spatial reference, convey a narrative, or visualize the results of some (already conducted) analysis?
- Do you want your output to be a static map, or something more dynamic and interactive hosted on the web? In other words, do you already know your target publication medium?
- From where do you draw inspiration? It can be helpful in this stage to gather some examples that approximate your desired output.