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A conceptual framework for interactive cartographic storytelling

Landaverde Cortés, Noé Abraham (2018) A conceptual framework for interactive cartographic storytelling.

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Abstract:Storytelling is one of the oldest traditions humans have held since ancient times, serving purposes of communication and expression. It has become a notable topic of interest in several applications of visualization, due to the identified capabilities storytelling has for conveying messages and producing meaning effectively. The recognized capabilities of storytelling have also made it an attractive method for the dissemination of geospatial data. Yet, compared to the advancements on storytelling in visualization, minimal research has been carried out for this purposes in the field of interactive cartography: there is a lack of knowledge regarding approaches which can be utilized to structure map(s) as narratives. To reduce this knowledge gap, this study looked first into the existent techniques for storytelling used in visualization, static cartography, and interactive cartography; theorizing the “Story Map” as a cartographic product which follows a structure analogous to literary works. Second, it integrated storytelling concepts from these fields into a framework which described and grouped the techniques, according to the function and purpose they might have in a Story Map. These two steps were executed via qualitative research methods. Then, the concepts in the framework were searched for in a curated sample of online maps (via a quantitative content analysis) in order to test for their existence and forms of application within a cartographic context. Results and observations revealed that data stories and Story Maps are similar conceptually and in practice, conceivably making the framework useful as a toolset for the description and construction of this type of maps. Results also evidenced the potential implications certain groups of storytelling techniques might have in terms of perception and interpretation. This framework might be useful for visualization designers, cartographers, and newcomers willing to approach storytelling in cartography. In addition, the theoretical approach to the Story Map, the concepts introduced, as well the reported results may motivate further research on narrative approaches in cartography. All of this, ensuing from the well-known value and power information gains, when it is communicated and consumed as a story.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:ITC: Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation
Programme:Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation MSc (75014)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/85868
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