Google My Maps
To view the map in Google My Maps, click here!
First, I placed pins for 10 locations around campus. As I placed the pins, I sorted them into two layers depending on whether it was a place that I go often (black) or a place that I thought would be interesting for a UBC visitor to see (green). I applied different colors to the different layers to make it clear to the map user. Next, I drew a polygon around the bus loop where people get on the buses. I chose to draw a polygon for this area instead of drop a pin because it is not a single point or a building like the other places that a pinned, but rather it spans across an area. Finally, I displayed the path from the bus drop off to the Chan Centre because if my family uses this map when they come for my graduation they will have to go to the Chan Centre and getting there from the bus loop is not a very straightforward path so it would be helpful to have directions.
CARTO
To view the map in CARTO, click here!
CARTO is clearly made to be user-friendly. It is easy to carry out the different functions with just a short explanation. There are, of course, different levels of expertise that a user can have in CARTO, especially if they are able to go into the code, but overall the functions of CARTO are quick and easy to learn. This can be a positive thing because it makes the software easy for anyone to use and is not just restricted to be people who have the time and ability to learn to complicated software. This is very different from ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator that were used for the infographic. These softwares are not particularly user-friendly, as they require quite a bit of knowledge to use easily. Additionally, CARTO has a pre-set design. The user can make some choices about how to display the data, but it mostly sticks to a basic layout. ArcMap and Illustrator do not assist the user at all in the map design, and therefore one must have some knowledge and creativity to make their final design aesthetically appealing. One problem with CARTO is that because it tries to make things very simple, if something is not working exactly the way the user wants it to, it is quite difficult, if not impossible, to change that. Whereas with Illustrator and ArcMap, the software does not do anything unless the user directs it to do so, and therefore, although it may take time more time to learn the software, ultimately the user has more control over their final product.
The interactive map gives more agency to the user because they can delve into areas of interest to them. The map user can filter the data displayed either by complaint call type, neighborhood, hour of call, or a combination by simply clicking on the widgets. A static infographic does not give as much power to the user because they can only view the information in the way the designer displayed it. The interactive map also allows the creator to display a lot of information in a single map without overwhelming the user. With a static map, this is much more difficult because it is hard to display a lot of information without making the map too busy or overwhelming the user. However, the static infographic allows the creator to address a larger span of information. In our infographic, there was information about many countries and many different ways of comparing carbon emissions (e.g., per capita, total, cumulative), whereas with this map it only information about one topic. Although it is possible to display multiple datasets on a CARTO map, it would still all have to be on one map. Furthermore, infographics make it easy for the designer to convey a certain message. Through the various graphics and words, the designer can walk the user through a topic and ultimately reach a single conclusion. With an interactive map, it is more up to the user to decide what conclusions they want to draw from the information they are given.