Introduction When I was at university studying GIS these three terms used to trip me up regularly when describing data. While all are similar, they have some distinct differences that you have to know when analysing data. Interpretation The first definition is interpretation. This is the first and most simple of the concepts being shown here. It is as simple and seeing what is happening in the data as it is. What are the trends or patterns being seen within the scope of the data available.
Introduction Having a large repository of spatial data is great but limited if you don’t have an effective way to display it. While tables and spreadsheets of data certainly have their place, especially around data people and engineers like ourselves, most people’s eyes begin to glaze over and any impact that your data could have is lost. That is why GIS professionals make use of apps such as dashboards and storyboards which can effectively convey not only data but knowledge or a story with it. Dashboards As mentioned above spreadsheets are great, to a degree. They contain a lot of raw data in a logical format but that’s about it. It is difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions from a spreadsheet as when it comes down to it, they’re just numbers on a page. This is where a dashboard comes into its own, the analysis of patterns and trends from your data. It does this through the use of graphs and indicators being presented in line with your spatial data. The only limit as to what kind of analysis you do with a dashboard is the extent of the data you are presenting. The applications of a dashboard are essentially limitless, if you have data, you can create a dashboard (in some sense) from it and draw more meaningful conclusions from it. Storyboards While dashboards are great for doing critical analysis of data storyboards fulfill a different niche whilst also presenting your data. Storyboards are used to tell a story with your data. Think of PowerPoint but instead of different slides you just scroll through the story. They can integrate maps, dashboards, images, videos and text all to enhance the data you are trying to convey whilst also being visually appealing to engage audiences both data driven and not. Proterra Group Examples Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to create a storyboard here at Proterra yet but there are some great examples available on Esri’s website. Dashboards, however, are Proterra Group’s specialty. See below for examples of some that we have created. Maps are a great way to visualise and disseminate your data to a wide audience of people in a short period of time.
Introduction One of the main and easiest to understand parts of my role as a GIS officer here at Proterra Group is the production of maps that go into reports to easily display information. While it may seem a simple task there is actually a lot of forethought that goes into the preparation of a map and this can be the difference between a easy to understand way to convey information and something that is almost illegible. Map Design People read a map because they want to know where something is. With this in mind, there are a few features of a map that must be included. North Arrow – An arrow that points towards North based on the orientation of the map. For the majority of maps this is just the same orientation of the page however there are cases when a different orientation is useful (when mapping a road corridor for example). Scale Bar/Label – A bar or notation of the level of zoom the map is at. This also is useful for getting accurate measurement data from your map. Legend – A legend displays what layers are on the map and what they look like. Having a legend allows you to have multiple layers of the same type (lines, points or polygons) on one map while being able to differentiate between them easily. Map Credits – This is a simple acknowledgement of who created the map, who created the data and the date the data was from. This is important not only for copyright issues but also for legitimising your data. The Importance of Colour One of the main issues the beginner GIS analysts and officers run into when designing maps is picking the right colours for different features. While this may sound trivial, picking the wrong colours can leave your readers confused and lead them to misinterpreting the data you present. The first thing you must consider is that your colours do not look too similar to one another. While they may look different when you are creating the map, they may not have the same contrast when printed or rendered by different computers. Similarly certain colours are associated with different features. For example, the colour associates with water is blue so for someone having a cursory glance at your map will see blue and assume it has something to do with water whereas if you coloured a river line feature red that same person would most likely not realise what the feature is. Handy Hints and Tricks Some other things to consider include How your features are labelled. Making sure features and labels don’t overlap covering the data you want to display. What basemap you use and how it interacts with your data. Title blocks, tables, images that can be added. The drawing of features such as arrows and shapes onto your map. Using patterns, hatching and gradients to differentiate data along with colour to be inclusive for people with sensory issues such as color blindness. And remember, maps are a great way to visualise and disseminate your data to a wide audience of people in a short period of time.
