Looking back on successful workshop Storymapping

On Feb. 16, the Geodienst (CIT) and the Jantina Tammes School co-hosted a Storymapping workshop with the goal of looking at how to best highlight research using this tool.

The workshop was organized by Peter Merx and Rick Roodbergen of the Geodienst and Alice Klamer of the Jantina Tammes School. They asked attendees, "How do you make your research appealing?" This focal point was then used to tell a story through Story Maps: a collection of online maps and media carefully curated, contextualized and supplemented with supporting information to become a stand-alone resource. The program integrates maps, text, photos and videos and offers functionality such as swiping, pop-ups and time sliders that allow users to explore the content, and tell stories in an easy story form.

Very different stories

The Story Maps created during the workshop provide a glimpse into the program's various capabilities: participants created maps about windmills on Turkey's Karaburun Peninsula and zinc worm superglue, and from earthquakes in America's Pacific Northwest to the distrust of the Groningers after all their earthquake woes. Each Story Map is as unique as the story that accompanies it. The afternoon was very successful because the participants got to work practically, but they also interacted to get to know each other, exchange knowledge and share experiences.

The next Story Mapping course from Jantina Tammes School and the Geodienst will be held in November. Interested? Please contact geodienst rug.nl or go to rug.nl/geo for more information or early bird sign up. More information about Story Mapping can be found here.