Tag Archives: data storytelling

Explore the Possibilities with ArcGIS StoryMaps

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ArcGIS StoryMaps is a handy tool for combining narrative, images, and maps to present information in an engaging way. Organizations have used StoryMaps for everything from celebrating their conservation achievements on their 25th anniversary to exploring urban diversity in Prague. The possibilities are vast, which can be both exciting and intimidating for people who are just getting started. I want to share some of my favorite StoryMap examples, which will demonstrate how certain StoryMap tools can be used and hopefully provide inspiration for your project.

A Homecoming for Gonarezhou’s Black Rhinos

Screenshot of a storymap with text about and an image of rhinos.

If GIS and map creation are a bit outside your wheel-house, no worries! A Homecoming for Gonarezhou’s Black Rhinos is a StoryMap created by the Rhino Recovery Fund that is a great example of how a StoryMap can be made without using any maps. It’s also a good example of the timeline feature as well as making great use of a custom theme by incorporating the nonprofit’s signature pink into the story’s design.

Sounds of the Wild West

Screenshot of a storymap with text about and an image of the Yellowstone River.

Sounds of the Wild West is a StoryMap created by Acoustic Atlas that takes you on an audio tour of four different Montana ecosystems. This StoryMap is a lovely example of how powerful images and audio can immerse people in a location, enhancing their understanding of the information presented. The authors also made great use of the StoryMap sidecar, layering text, images, and audio to create their tour.

California’s Superbloom

Header of the California's Superbloom StoryMap

Speaking of beautiful photos, this StoryMap about California’s Superbloom is full of them! It’s a great example of the StoryMap image gallery and “swipe” tools. The StoryMap swipe tool allows you to juxtapose different maps or images, revealing the difference between, for example, historical and modern photos, or satellite imagery during different times of year in the same region.

The Surprising State of Africa’s Giraffes

Screenshot of The Surprising State of Africa’s Giraffes StoryMap with a map highlighting the habitat of the Northern Giraffe

The Surprising State of Africa’s Giraffes is a StoryMap created by ESRI’s StoryMaps team that demonstrates another great use for the sidecar. As users scroll through the sidecar pictured above, different regions of the map are highlighted in an almost animated effect. This not only provides geographic context to the information, but does so in a dynamic way. This StoryMap also includes a great example of an express map, which is an easy way to make an interactive map without any GIS experience or complicated software.

Map Tour Examples

StoryMaps also features a tool that allows you to take users on a tour around the world – or just around your hometown. The map tour comes in two forms: a guided tour, like the one exemplified in Crowded Skies, Expanding Airports; and an explorer tour, such as The Things that Stay with Us.

StoryMaps Gallery

There are so many different forms a StoryMap can take! To see even more possibilities, check out the StoryMaps Gallery to explore nearly a hundred different examples. If you’re ready to get your feet wet but want a bit more support, keep an eye on the Savvy Researcher calendar for upcoming StoryMap workshops at the UIUC Main Library.

Data Storytelling with Scholarly Commons

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What is Data Storytelling? 

Oftentimes data is presented in a manner that is dry or incomprehensible to a general audience. Data storytelling is a more interactive and compelling way to present information. Data storytelling is defined as using visualizations to tell a narrative that communicates insights about data to a wider audience.  

Venn diagram with three circles which are narrative, visuals and data. Where visuals and narrative overlap says engage. Where visuals and data overlap says enlighten. Where narrative and data overlap says explain. In the intersection of all three circles says change.  
Brent Dykes, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons 
 

When writing a data story, start by collecting your data. Look for the most interesting trends and determine the main points you want to get across in your data story. A data story should have a complete narrative rather than being a series of barely connected data visualizations. Make sure the story you are telling is appropriate for your audience.  

Resources for Creating a Data Story: 

The Scholarly Commons Collection is located in the UIUC Main Stacks. Books in this collection are available to check out. The collection includes books that provide introductory information to data storytelling. 

  1. Effective data storytelling : how to drive change with data, narrative and visuals 

This resource is available to UIUC faculty, staff, and students online. It focuses especially on the narrative aspects of data storytelling rather than the visualization aspect. This book explains the psychology of why storytelling is such an effective communication tool.  

  1. Storytelling with data : a data visualization guide for business professionals 

This resource is only available as a physical book. Data storytelling is a method often used by business professionals to impart information in a more meaningful and persuasive way. This book speaks specifically to business professionals and explains how to consider context, determine the appropriate format for the story, and speak to an audience in a compelling way.  

  1. Storytelling with data : let’s practice! 

This book is also available online with an active illinois.edu email address. It provides over 100 hands-on exercises to help you to gain practice in choosing effective visuals, keeping your visualizations clean, and telling a story.  

Scholarly Commons also provides access to various software that can be accessed on the computers in Main Library room 220. These tools can also be accessed through UIUC Anyware. Useful software for data storytelling includes: 

  1. Tableau Public

Tableau is a popular data visualization tool with many features useful for making many types of visualizations, such as histograms, pie charts, and boxplots. Tableau also allows users to create dashboards which create a comprehensive story by combining visuals and data.  

 Dashboard created in Tableau
Marissa-anna, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

  1. ArcGIS 

ArcGIS software allows you to create maps and add data to them. This tool would be especially useful if your data is geographically focused. ArcGIS StoryMaps is an additional tool that allows you to create a story using images, texts, maps, lists, videos and other forms of media.  

Map of Covid cases created in ArcGIS

Dennis Sylvester Hurd, CC-BY 2.0, via Flickr 

If you have data you need to share with an audience, consider sharing it through a data story. Data stories are often more visually appealing and engaging than other methods of sharing data. The Scholarly Commons has lots of useful tools to help you create a data story!