Tools and Workflows in QGIS

This intermediate-level workshop is focused on common tools and workflows in QGIS. Building on basic familiarity with the QGIS interface, participants will be guided through setting up a QGIS project, finding and downloading geospatial data from the web, loading data layers onto a basemap, and selecting and editing attribute data to answer spatial questions. Familiarity with the QGIS interface is prerequisite for this workshop.

Before the Workshop!!

Review our Introduction to Mapmaking with QGIS Please note that the fundamental skills and concepts pertaining to spatial data, map types, and the QGIS interface will not be covered during this workshop. Therefore, prior to the workshop date, please review our Introduction to Mapmaking with QGIS. Review of this resources is required prior to workshop attendance.
Make sure you’ve downloaded QGIS QGIS can be downloaded from qgis.org’s Downloads page. In most cases, you’ll want to download and install the Long term release instead of the latest release. This will give you most of the functionality you’ll need without encountering the software bugs of newly released versions. See here for further guidance on installing QGIS.
Download and unzip the workshop data folder below. Download it to a folder on your physical computer, such as Desktop or Downloads, not OneDrive.

Download Workshop Data

GIS Resources at UBC:

UBC Library guide for finding and working with GIS resources: guides.library.ubc.ca/gis
Archive of Research Commons workshops
Research Commons Events Calender for upcoming facilitated workshops
Contact UBC Library’s Geospatial team: library.gis@ubc.ca
Schedule a 1:1 consult with the geospatial team here
For a more comprehensive introduction to mapping, you are welcome to explore the content of Spatial Visualization in/for Digital Humanities Research, a course developed and taught by Lily Demet and Alex Alisauskas at the 2026 Digital Humanities Summer Institute. Here, you will find comprehensive documentation (and practice data) for all kinds of mapping tools and workflows.

This workshop was authored by Lily Demet and Alex Alisauskas.