Chapter 18

Storytelling with Maps

Maps as narrative. Learn how to combine interactive cartography with multimedia to tell powerful, data-driven stories that inspire change.

At a Glance

Prereqs: Chapters 02, 10 Time: 25 min read + 35 min build Deliverable: Story map outline

Learning outcomes

  • Plan a geospatial narrative with a clear question and evidence.
  • Choose visuals that match the message and uncertainty.
  • Write a short methods-and-limits statement for credibility.

Key terms

narrative, audience, evidence, annotation, uncertainty, citation

Stop & check

  1. What is the difference between storytelling and decoration?

    Answer: Storytelling ties visuals to a claim supported by data and methods.

    Why: A map should answer a question, not only look good.

    Common misconception: More layers equals more insight; clarity and relevance matter.

  2. Why include limitations in a story map?

    Answer: To prevent over-interpretation and build trust.

    Why: Spatial data has uncertainty, dates, and classification errors.

    Common misconception: Limitations weaken the story; they strengthen credibility.

Try it (5 minutes)

  1. Write a one-sentence story question (e.g., Where did flooding expand?).
  2. List 2 datasets that could serve as evidence (one should be imagery-derived).

Lab (Two Tracks)

Both tracks produce the same deliverable: a storyboard (6 panels) with titles, captions, and a cited figure list.

Desktop GIS Track (ArcGIS Pro / QGIS)

Create two maps (context + result) and draft the narrative captions and sources.

Remote Sensing Track (Google Earth Engine)

Export one imagery-derived figure (index/classification) and write captions that interpret it responsibly.

Common mistakes

  • Writing conclusions not supported by the map/analysis.
  • Omitting dates and sources.
  • Using misleading symbology or color ramps without explanation.

Further reading: https://www.ucgis.org/site/gis-t-body-of-knowledge

Geographic Inquiry: Asking Questions of Where

Before ever opening software, a GIS analyst starts with a question. "Where" is not just a coordinate; it is a relationship.

  • Concentration: Where is the phenomenon clustered?
  • Boundary: Where does it change sharply vs. gradually?
  • Uncertainty: Where is the data missing or biased?
  • Verification: Where would you stand on the ground to prove it?

📖 Narrative Cartography

Analysis is only half the battle. To be a successful GIS professional, you must be able to communicate your findings. Storytelling with Maps is the art of weaving geographic data into a compelling narrative arc—complete with a hook, a conflict, and a resolution.

The "Scrollytelling" Format: This modern web technique allows the user's scroll position to trigger changes on the map, focusing their attention on exactly what the narrator is describing.
Critical GIS: The Danger of a Single Story

Maps are powerful persuasion tools because they look objective. A well-designed "StoryMap" can convince a policy maker to fund a project or ignore a problem. But a story is always a selection of facts. By choosing what to show (and what to hide) to make the narrative "cleaner," are we acting as scientists or as propagandists?

🎨 GIS as an Art: The Narrative Arc

Great maps, like great novels, have a narrative structure. You start with the Setup (Context), introduce Conflict (The Problem/Data), and end with Resolution (Call to Action). Designing this flow is an art form—using color, scale, and timing to guide the user's emotional journey through the data.

Step 1: The Context

Start by setting the scene. Where are we in the world?

Step 2: The Data

Layer on the evidence. What problem are we seeing?

Step 3: The Call to Action

What should the reader do next? How can we solve this?

Global View
Local Heatmap
Solution Plan

🤝 Interdisciplinary GIS: Digital Humanities

Storytelling with maps has opened a new frontier in the Humanities. Historians now use "Deep Maps" to layer literature, census records, and old photographs onto a single place. Innovative Art History projects use GIS to map the social networks of Renaissance painters. This blends qualitative richness with spatial precision.

Summary of Big Ideas

  • Driving Attention: Use bookmarks and pop-ups to guide the reader's eye.
  • Multimedia Integration: A map is better when supported by photos, videos, and scientific text.
  • Mobile-First Design: Ensure your StoryMap works on a phone as well as it does on a desktop.
  • Ethical Storytelling: Always cite your data sources and avoid "lying" with maps through manipulation of scales.

Chapter 17 Checkpoint

1. What is the primary advantage of a StoryMap over a traditional paper map?

It allows for an interactive, multimedia narrative experience.
It is easier to print out for a report.

2. In "Scrollytelling", what triggers the changes in the map view?

The user clicking a "Next" button.
The user scrolling down the page.

📚 Chapter Glossary

Story Map A web-based application that combines interactive maps with multimedia content (text, photos, video, audio) to tell a story.
Scrollytelling A user interface technique where scrolling down a web page triggers dynamic changes in the map or visualization, guiding the user's attention.
Thematic Map A map designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific geographic area (e.g., population density, climate), as opposed to a general reference map.
← Chapter 17: Mobile GIS Next: Chapter 19: GIS Ethics →

BoK Alignment

Topics in the UCGIS GIS&T Body of Knowledge that support this chapter.