Creating StoryMaps with ArcGIS Online
This workshop is a gentle introduction to creating StoryMaps using the ArcGIS Online (AGOL) platform. StoryMaps offer a low-barrier way to visualize spatial narratives that can be shared with your friends, community, or stakeholders. The StoryMaps interface is quite intuitive, with drag and drop options that result in an aesthetic output. No prior experience necessary. This workshop makes use of the free account option, though you are welcome to work within a personal or organizational account if you have a paid subscription.
By the end of this workshop, you will:
- Know the differences between Public vs. Enterprise accounts for ArcGIS Online products, as well as be aware of the limitations of working with a free account
- Gain basic familiarity with ArcGIS StoryMaps by exploring the interface and creating a StoryMap of your own
- Learn how to add text, images, video, maps, and immersive content to a StoryMap
- Understand the workflow of creating a web map with ArcGIS Online and embedding it in a StoryMap
- Identify resources for future mapping projects
Example StoryMaps
- White Rock Lake Fire
- “We used to have a Tram”: A short history of the Lagos steam tram in the early 1900s
- Maps and History of Kaibab National Forest
- A River Interrupted
- Mapping Gentrification in Washington D.C.
- Voices of the Grand Canyon
Pre-Workshop Setup
1 Create ArcGIS Online Account
Prior to the workshop, please create a free ArcGIS Online public account. If you have a paid personal or organizational account with Esri, you can choose to use your regular sign-in or create a separate free account to follow along. See the account setup page for documentation.
2 Prepare Workshop Data
This workshop will use data from the Vancouver Open Data portal as well as multimedia collected by your workshop facilitators. Click on the ‘Download Data’ button below to start the download. Once complete, extract the contents of the .zip file.
While you are welcome to use the multimedia provided, you are encouraged to prepare at least 4 images from your daily commute or a walk you recently went on. Add these images to the storymaps-workshop folder.
GIS Resources at UBC:
- General Informational website for all things UBC GIS: gis.ubc.ca
- UBC Library’s guide for finding and working with GIS resources: guides.library.ubc.ca/gis
- UBC’s GIS Slack (create your own channel or lurk!): ubcgis.slack.com
- Archive of all Research Commons workshops
- Research Commons Events Calender for “live” facilitated workshops
- Contact UBC Library’s Geospatial team:
library.gis@ubc.ca - Schedule a 1:1 consult with the geospatial team here
This workshop was authored by Lily Demet and Alex Alisauskas.