GSS 2245: Feminist Geographies : StoryMaps

ArcGIS StoryMaps is available through ArcGIS Online. ArcGIS Online (AGOL) is a platform developed by Esri that provides tools to create, analyze, and share interactive maps, spatial data, and more. The platform is web-based and does not require you to download anything.

Log-In

To log-in, navigate to the Vanderbilt University (https://vanderbilt.maps.arcgis.com/) home page for ArcGIS Online. In the upper-right hand corner, click 'Sign In'. 

Next, you will be prompted to log-in. Select 'Vanderbilt ArcGIS Login'.

You will be prompted to log-in using your VUNETID. And now you have access to ArcGIS Online!

Navigating ArcGIS Online

In the top ribbon, there are several tabs.

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• Home: Features a lidar point cloud of Vanderbilt's campus.
• Gallery: View projects and data that have been shared to the Organization by users on ArcGIS Online.
• Map: Opens Map Viewer where you can add data to a map, customize symbology, and use analysis tools.
• Scene: Opens the Scene Viewer where you can view 3D information.
• Notebook: Create scripting Notebooks to create geospatial workflows, automate tasks, etc.
• Groups: Designed to facilitate collaboration by allowing users to join or create Groups. Think of this as a shared Google Drive folder where everyone you share information with will have easy access to it.
  • Please request membership to join the group for the class: GSS 2245
• Content: Content is everything you have created in ArcGIS Online, like a StoryMap, or anything you have uploaded, for example an image.
• Organization: Organization tab will tell you information about the Vanderbilt University Organization using ArcGIS. It is primarily used by admins for the Esri licensing to configure permissions, control access, etc. 

ArcGIS StoryMaps

In the top-right corner, next to your user name, there is a menu button of 9 dots. This allows you to access the various tools within ArcGIS Online, like StoryMaps.

Click-on ArcGIS StoryMaps to open the application.

You will be taken to the StoryMaps page.

• A Story is a single, stand-alone project within ArcGIS StoryMaps. 
• Briefings is similar to a PowerPoint. They work well for presentations.
• Collections allows you to group multiple Stories and related content into one place.
• Themes are customizable design templates that will control the style of the StoryMaps such as font, color, and layout elements.

To start a StoryMap, you can create a new story by clicking-on the 'Create Story' icon. 

You will be presented with 4 options when creating a new Story:

• Start from scratch: start from scratch gives you an empty layout to begin your StoryMap.
• Sidecar: an immersive block with side-by-side narrative panel and medial panel.
• Guided map tour: an immersive block that numbers points on a map in sequential order and readers can scroll through the locations.
• Explorer map tour: an immersive block that highlights unordered locations on a map.

Note: You can start your StoryMap using one of the non-start from scratch options, and if you change your mind, you can simply delete it!

StoryMap Structure

Cover

The Story Cover appears at the top of every StoryMap. This is where you provide a title and information about your Story. You can also add a cover image along with an attribution to give credit to the source of the image.

Content

You will be prompted to add content to the StoryMap using the blue '+' icon. The type of content you can add is binned into 3 categories: basic, media, and immersive. With StoryMaps you can add different content types dependent on your needs and what you would like to use for your narrative.

• Basic: includes text, button, separator, code, and table
• Media: includes map, image, image gallery, video, audio, embedded, swipe, timeline
• Immersive: includes sidecar, map tour, and explorer map options

Examples of each type of content: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1dbc789ac2b44cfea2bb4d119fb6a764

Design

In the top ribbon of the StoryMap, there is a button called "Design". This allows you to change the style of your StoryMap. There are many pre-made theme/style options. Or you can customize your own theme.

Things to remember: 

• Color: The choice of color can convey emotions and imply significance. For example, red might be used to signify danger or urgency, while blue might suggest calmness or neutrality. Color contrast can also highlight or diminish the visibility of certain aspects you are displaying on a map or in your StoryMap.
• Color Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between elements (e.g., text, symbols, background).
• Colorblind-Friendly Palettes: Use color schemes that are distinguishable by individuals with color vision deficiencies. 
• Alternative Text: Include descriptive alt text for media elements to support screen readers.

• Symbols and Icons: The symbols used on a map can carry meaning beyond their literal representation. For instance, using a large, bold icon to represent a city suggests importance or dominance, while smaller or faded icons might imply lesser significance.

Design Resources

• How? Building maps for Vision Deficiency, A personal approach to making maps by Andy Skinner: a StoryMap with tips for accessibility in maps
• How? Working with Color, A personal approach to making maps by Andy Skinner: a StoryMap with tips on color choices in maps
• ColorBrewer: A go-to tool for selecting color schemes tailored for different types of maps (e.g., sequential, diverging, qualitative). It also offers options for colorblind-friendly palettes.
• Adobe Color: This tool lets you create custom color schemes based on color theory and export them for use in your mapping software.
• CARTOColors: A collection of color palettes designed specifically for cartography, with an emphasis on clarity and legibility.
• Contrast Checker (WebAIM): Ensure your map’s text and colors meet accessibility standards with this contrast checking tool.
• Accessible Colors: This tool helps you find color combinations that are both visually appealing and accessible for those with color vision deficiencies.
• Siegemedia: Color contrast checker allowing you to test color combinations for sufficient contrast.

Sharing You Story

As you are creating your StoryMap it will automatically save itself. Until you publish your Story, it will be in draft mode. 

Preview

Before publishing your story, or sharing it with others, you can preview what your StoryMap will look like. This is very useful to test the layout and order of your media and narrative text. 

Publish

Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your StoryMap, you can publish it!

Once you publish the StoryMap, this is the version that everyone can see. You can continue editing the StoryMap or making adjustments, but you will need to re-publish any changes.

Sharing Settings

There are 3 levels for sharing in ArcGIS StoryMaps and ArcGIS Online at large: 

• Private: When sharing is set to private on you can view the item
• Organization: When sharing is set to Organization, anyone in the Vanderbilt University ArcGIS Online Organization can view your item
• Everyone (Public): When shared to the public, anyone can view the item

Private it a good setting to start with when you are still editing an item. Sharing to the Organization can be useful when you want to share the StoryMap with other people at Vanderbilt University. And sharing to the public mean anyone can view it without having to log-in to ArcGIS Online.

Resources for ArcGIS StoryMaps

• Getting Started with ArcGIS StoryMaps created by Allen Carroll, Esri's StoryMaps team
• Getting started with accessible storytelling created by Esri's StoryMaps Team
• Nine Steps to Great Storytelling created by Allen Carroll, Esri's StoryMaps team