Maps

When maps are helpful

Maps help when:

users need each bit of data presented visually in the context of a specific location

users need to see visible distribution or clustering of data.

If your user needs information about a specific postcode or address, they don't necessarily need visual context to that location. It might be appropriate to display geographic information as text, which could be presented as a list, table or postcode look-up.

Google Maps

Google Maps are a great way to present a set of points on a map, or a simple diversion route. They can be embedded on a page and are easily edited.

Icons and legend should be easy to understand, preferably without needing to open the legend itself (side drawer on top left).

Example of a Google Map

Storymaps

Storymaps from ArcGIS are a great way to share information tied to a specific geographical location. They can be ideal for showing things like large development projects or proposed changes to roads, for example.

Storymaps should only include content that is specifically related to the mapped area. For example, a text description of work happening around that area of the map.

All other content should remain on hertfordshire.gov.uk, linking off to Storymaps in context. This is for quality assurance (including accessibility and content standards) and search engine optimisation.

Maps guide for developers

Maps matrix
Features	Story Map	Dashboard	Instant Atlas Profiles	Web map App	Google maps	Javascript API (developed application)
Summary	Mini webpage - text, images and maps	Single map - pulls out key figures - can be developed for collection	Maps to navigate text based information and graphs	Map viewer with widgets	Map viewer	Anything you like!
Audience	Public or internal	Public or internal	Public or internal	Public or internal	Public	Public
OS Data	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓
Single points (single records)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Show outline of areas	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓ only if manually drawn	✓
Measure straight line between points	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓
Measure area	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓
Route plotting	✓ - only with dev	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
Find shortest route	✓ - only with dev	✗	✗	✓ only with dev	✓	✓
Produce table output	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓ limited formats	✓
Links to external data	✓	✓	✓	✓	Can do, but only google sheets API	✓
Address search	✓ and other layers	✓ and other layers	✓ and other layers	✓ and other layers	✓	✓ and other layers
Queryable Features	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Feature selections (analysis results)	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓
Import data	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓
Export data	✓	✓	✓	✓	Limited filetypes	✓
Annotation/Graphics	✓	✗	✗	✓	Very limited	✓
Dataset creation	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗
Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA )	✗ - needs to have description in text on page too	✗ - needs to have description in text on page too	✗- needs to have description in text on page too	✗- needs to have description in text on page too	✗- needs to have description in text on page too	✗ - needs to have description in text on page too
Mobile friendly	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Can be embedded into web page	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Developed by:	Highways: Transport Data Team Non Highways: GIS Team	GIS Team/Community Intelligence & Data Science	Community Intelligence & Data Science	GIS Team/Can be made by anyone with editor access	Web team	Serco/Other 3rd party developer
Easy to build	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗
Easy to maintain	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗
Speed of creation	1-5 days	3 days	3 days	1 day	5 days	Depends on complexity
Cost	License subject to availability	£nil	£nil	£nil	£	£££
Who to contact	Highways tpdata@hertfordshire.gov.uk Non Highways gis@hertfordshire.gov.uk	gis@hertfordshire.gov.uk	hertsinsight@hertfordshire.gov.uk	gis@hertfordshire.gov.uk	web.team@hertfordshire.gov.uk	gis@hertfordshire.gov.uk

When maps are helpful

Google Maps

Example of a Google Map

Storymaps

How to get a map

Maps guide for developers

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