Dr. Patricia Solís, ASU and Elodie Nix, American Geographical Society

Communicating Results and Story Mapping

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YOUTHMAPPERS Workshop June 9-18, 2024

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Leadership Moment

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Leadership is not something you do to people. It is something you do with people.

Communicating Scientific Results

Dr. Patricia Solís

The world-famous 😊 PQRS communication tool

• We will start writing your group presentation story map now!
• PQRS helps both to
• Focus your intervention on open mapping
• Develop a succinct message to communicate action
• Give you a framework for the presentation
• You will want to iterate the narrative inside the design process, over time, engaged ethically with your community participants and home use case - but this is a good starting point! You can use this for ANY writing task.

Creating Your PQRS communication framework

PROBLEM: What is the RISK faced by your ENTITY in the context of impacts of climate change? Start with the global and pick 2+ local examples. Introduce some vocabulary to your audience.

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Creating Your PQRS communication framework

PROBLEM: What is the RISK faced by your ENTITY in the context of impacts of climate change? Start with the global and pick 2+ local examples. Introduce some vocabulary to your audience.

QUESTION: What are we trying to know? Ask in the language of your missing spatial data on EXPOSURE (where?) and VULNERABILITIES (who?). Visualize the data.

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Creating Your PQRS communication framework

PROBLEM: What is the RISK faced by your ENTITY in the context of impacts of climate change? Start with the global and pick 2+ local examples. Introduce some vocabulary to your audience.

QUESTION: What are we trying to know? Ask in the language of your missing spatial data on EXPOSURE (where?) and VULNERABILITIES (who?). Visualize the data.

RESPONSE: Articulate what SOLUTIONS are available, to build ADAPTIVE CAPACITY and SOCIAL COHESION? Mention which OSM feature or attribute to collect (trees? clinics? cooling center?), and how to analyze it or optimize it to become more resilient to heat.

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Creating Your PQRS communication framework

PROBLEM: What is the RISK faced by your ENTITY in the context of impacts of climate change? Start with the global and pick 2+ local examples. Introduce some vocabulary to your audience.

QUESTION: What are we trying to know? Ask in the language of your missing spatial data on EXPOSURE (where?) and VULNERABILITIES (who?). Visualize the data.

RESPONSE: Articulate what SOLUTIONS are available, to build ADAPTIVE CAPACITY and SOCIAL COHESION? Mention which OSM feature or attribute to collect (trees? clinics? cooling center?), and how to analyze it or optimize it to become more resilient to heat.

SO WHAT? Identify what OUTCOME will result, how you will know you accomplished it through one or more SDG 13 INDICATORS, and why the resulting change matters.

Mapping Extreme Heat Deaths and Mobile Homes in Arizona

Extreme heat related deaths in Maricopa County, Arizona have quadrupled in the last seven years. Nearly one-third of these deaths occur indoors. People who live in mobile homes are 6 to 8 times more likely to die than residents in other types of housing.

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Little data exists on where mobile homes even exist in Arizona, let alone detailed information such as the age of the unit, where older structures corresponds to poorer efficiencies, a sign of inadequate shelter from heat. In this study, we ask, where are the oldest units which have the least shade cover located? Who lives there?

We can better understand the landscape of exposure to extreme heat in Arizona by mapping the locations of mobile homes across the state, relative to the current tree cover which provides cooling to residents. We collected this data by tracing building footprint features on OpenStreetMap in known park areas designated by state tax records, marking the age of units found as a key attribute. We compared these locations to an NDVI analysis of satellite imagery to discern the sites of greatest vulnerability and exposure. The result is an optimized location to provide heat relief.

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By identifying the places where residents of Arizona experience the greatest risk to a changing climate, we will inform state policymakers and city zoning officials where to locate Resilience Hubs, where to direct new green infrastructure like planting trees, and where to incentivize utility companies to enact innovative energy solutions. Fewer people will die of heat in Arizona.

Activity : Write your statements together

https://tinyurl.com/SDG13-PQRS

SDG 13 and the Sendai Framework - in light of MAPPING

• B-1: Number of directly affected people attributed to disasters, per 100,000 population. (how can we estimate people in an area of interest?)
• C-4: Direct economic loss in the housing sector attributed to disasters. (why we map buildings in OSM)
• D-6: Number of disruptions to educational services attributed to disasters. (why we should map schools)
• D-7: Number of disruptions to health services attributed to disasters. (why we should map hospitals/clinics)
• E-2: Percentage of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national strategies. (Trees/green infrastructure are a risk reduction strategy, where should they go?)

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Demo: Story Mapping with ArGIS StoryMaps

Elodie Nix

Tips & Tricks

• Avoid jargon and use accessible language. It’s not about dumbing down; it’s about striving for clarity and simplicity.

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• Craft your title to be active and descriptive. “A Walking Tour of Springfield” is okay, but “Discover the Hidden Treasures of Springfield” is better.

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• You will naturally want to emphasize certain aspects/information in your StoryMap/PQRS– how can you create visual weight?

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• Don’t include outbound hyperlinks in your introduction that would distract someone from starting to navigate through your story—put those at the end.

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• Don’t be afraid to ask your peers or professors for feedback on your work, having an outside perspective can help you see the best possible way to tell your results.

Think these through!

Content and Storytelling

1. Is the purpose of the story map clear? Does the story map effectively communicate its main message or objective?
2. Is the story engaging and interesting to the audience? What parts are particularly compelling or need improvement?
3. Are all the elements (text, images, maps, etc.) relevant to the story? Do any parts seem out of place or unnecessary?

Maps and Data

4. Are the maps easy to understand? Are the layers and data clearly labeled and explained?
5. Is the geographical data accurate and properly sourced? Are there any noticeable errors or inconsistencies in the maps?
6. Are the visualizations (charts, graphs, etc.) clear and helpful in explaining the data? Are they effectively integrated into the story?

Design and Layout

7. Is the layout of the story map logical and easy to follow? Does the sequence of information make sense?
8. Is the design visually appealing? Are the colors, fonts, and overall style consistent and appropriate for the topic?
9. Is the story map easy to navigate? Are interactive elements (buttons, links, etc.) intuitive and functioning correctly?

Technical Aspects

10. Do all interactive elements work as intended? Are there any technical issues that need to be addressed?
11. Does the story map load quickly and run smoothly? Are there any performance issues, such as slow loading times for maps or images?

Audience and Feedback

12. Is the story map appropriate for its intended audience? Does it cater to their level of knowledge and interest?
13. What suggestions do you have for improving the story map? Are there any specific areas that need more work or refinement?
14. Were there any parts of the story map that were confusing or unclear? What questions do you have after viewing the story map?

Overall Impression

15. What are the strongest aspects of the story map? What are its weaknesses?

What is a Story Map?

• StoryMaps are Esri’s cloud-based mapping and GIS platform.

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• Digital storytelling platform that utilizes customizable maps

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• A StoryMap is a place-based storytelling tool, which combines interactive maps (maps created in desktop, Pro, and ArcGIS Online), with multimedia content (photos, videos, audios), and text to tell stories.

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• You can access the StoryMap App by logging into your ArcGIS Online account.

StoryMap Structure

Structure

• Section 1: Problem (P)
• What maps or interactive elements can you include to help sell or emphasize the importance of the problem you are researching?
• What maps or data visualizations are already available for you to use?
• This is your hook!

Structure

• Section 1: Problem (P)
• What maps or interactive elements can you include to help sell or emphasize the importance of the problem you are researching?
• What maps or data visualizations are already available for you to use?
• This is your hook!
• Section 2: Questions (Q)
• Create visual weight on the question

Structure

• Section 1: Problem (P)
• Include your P statement in the first section: works to introduce readers to what you are trying to solve and why
• What maps or interactive elements can you include to help emphasize the importance of it?
• Section 2: Questions (Q)
• Create visual weight on the question
• Section 3: Research Method (R)
• Typically a dense section– how can you use spacing, text blocks, images, and other media to break it down into digestible chunks for the reader to understand?

Structure

• Section 1: Problem (P)
• Include your P statement in the first section: works to introduce readers to what you are trying to solve and why
• What maps or interactive elements can you include to help emphasize the importance of it?
• Section 2: Questions (Q)
• Create visual weight on the question
• Section 3: Research Method (R)
• Typically a dense section– how can you use spacing, text blocks, images, and other media to break it down into digestible chunks for the reader to understand?
• Section 4: So What? (S)
• Include pictures, videos, maps, etc. to sell the “So What?” to the reader
• What is the final word you want to leave the reader with?

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Structure

• Section 1: Problem (P)
• Include your P statement in the first section: works to introduce readers to what you are trying to solve and why
• What maps or interactive elements can you include to help emphasize the importance of it?
• Section 2: Questions (Q)
• Create visual weight on the question
• Section 3: Research Method (R)
• Typically a dense section– how can you use spacing, text blocks, images, and other media to break it down into digestible chunks for the reader to understand?
• Section 4: So What? (S)
• Include pictures, videos, maps, etc. to sell the “So What?” to the reader
• What is the final word you want to leave the reader with?
• Section 5: Next Steps/Field Work
• Use this section to discuss and lay out your next steps and fieldwork

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Tips & Tricks

• Avoid jargon and use accessible language. It’s not about dumbing down; it’s about striving for clarity and simplicity.

​

• Craft your title to be active and descriptive. “A Walking Tour of Springfield” is okay, but “Discover the Hidden Treasures of Springfield” is better.

​

• You will naturally want to emphasize certain aspects/information in your StoryMap/PQRS– how can you create visual weight?

​

• Don’t include outbound hyperlinks in your introduction that would distract someone from starting to navigate through your story—put those at the end.

​

• Don’t be afraid to ask your peers or professors for feedback on your work, having an outside perspective can help you see the best possible way to tell your results.

Make Easy to Read Maps

• Make sure your maps are as simple, clear, and user-friendly as possible while incorporating cartography that matches your project.

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• Edit your map to eliminate unnecessary detail.

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• Think about what custom pop-ups, legends, and symbology you want to provide to deliver your map’s message.

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StoryMap Examples

• Heat Havens and Hazards: Mapping Vulnerability in Arizona’s Mobile Home Communities https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a851086ff2924d338856543aa6b5f38e

Time for a Demo!

Demo Overview

• Navigate to ArcGIS Online: https://www.arcgis.com/index.html
• Starting a Story Map
• Designing your StoryMap
• Building Your Narrative
• Block Palette
• Adding media: texts, images, maps,
• Moving Items around

Free time to work on your StoryMap!

StoryMap Structure:

• 5 Total Sections
• 4 Sections in your StoryMap that covers each portion of the PQRS Statement
• 1 Section on what you plan to do next or on the fieldwork

Peer Review!

Think these through!

Content and Storytelling

• Is the purpose of the story map clear? Does the story map effectively communicate its main message or objective?
• Is the story engaging and interesting to the audience? What parts are particularly compelling or need improvement?
• Are all the elements (text, images, maps, etc.) relevant to the story? Do any parts seem out of place or unnecessary?

Maps and Data

• Are the maps easy to understand? Are the layers and data clearly labeled and explained?
• Is the geographical data accurate and properly sourced? Are there any noticeable errors or inconsistencies in the maps?
• Are the visualizations (charts, graphs, etc.) clear and helpful in explaining the data? Are they effectively integrated into the story?

Design and Layout

• Is the layout of the story map logical and easy to follow? Does the sequence of information make sense?
• Is the design visually appealing? Are the colors, fonts, and overall style consistent and appropriate for the topic?
• Is the story map easy to navigate? Are interactive elements (buttons, links, etc.) intuitive and functioning correctly?

Technical Aspects

• Do all interactive elements work as intended? Are there any technical issues that need to be addressed?
• Does the story map load quickly and run smoothly? Are there any performance issues, such as slow loading times for maps or images?

Audience and Feedback

• Is the story map appropriate for its intended audience? Does it cater to their level of knowledge and interest?
• What suggestions do you have for improving the story map? Are there any specific areas that need more work or refinement?
• Were there any parts of the story map that were confusing or unclear? What questions do you have after viewing the story map?

Overall Impression

• What are the strongest aspects of the story map? What are its weaknesses?

Thank You!

1. Connecting with your audience

• Before you build your story map, think about who will be seeing it and craft your text, maps, and other content to suit your audience.

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• Connecting with your readers or audience in a Storytelling, especially with StoryMaps is a crucial way to start your project

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• Try to put yourself in the shoes of your audience when asking these questions. What would you like to see for this topic? How much background would you want to know before you reach the main point of the story

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• Avoid jargon and use accessible language. It’s not about dumbing down; it’s about striving for clarity and simplicity.

2. Lure People In

• Start your story with a bang!

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• Some people like to have pictures carry most of the intrigue while others focus on a impressive title to start the narrative
• Choose an image that’s exciting and attractive.
• Craft your title to be active and descriptive. “A Walking Tour of Springfield” is okay, but “Discover the Hidden Treasures of Springfield” is better.

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• Put your core concepts at the beginning rather than the end.

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• Don’t include outbound hyperlinks in your introduction that would distract someone from starting to navigate through your story—put those at the end.

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3. Create the Best Format for the Experience

• Every story has a beginning, middle, and end.

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• Make sure that you have a full idea as to what you want to include and how you want to include it before you even start drafting your StoryMap

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• Drafting out different ideas as to how you can format your story helps you visualize the best way possible to tell you story

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• Don’t be afraid to ask your peers or professors for feedback on your format, having an outside perspective can help you see the best possible way to tell your story

4. Make Easy to Read Maps

• Make sure your maps are as simple, clear, and user-friendly as possible while incorporating cartography that matches your project.

​

• Edit your map to eliminate unnecessary detail.

​

• Think about what custom pop-ups, legends, and symbology you want to provide to deliver your map’s message.

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5. Strive for Simplicity

• Stories are distillations.

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• The more you do to remove nonessential elements, the more effectively you can communicate.

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• Remember that attention spans are short in the digital age.

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• Shorten your text and simplify your maps—and then go back and do it again.

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• A person should not have to get to the fifth or sixth section in your story to understand its underlying concepts and mission.

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