Our interactive StoryMap that displays interactive locations of our archived photographs
Our interactive timeline that catagorizes and displays the chronological order in which the photographs were taken
Our Data
Our primary source was the Stork Photography Digital Collection from the Carleton Archives. We put the metadata into a google spreadsheet with IIIF links, latitude and longitude of the images, the year the photo was taken, and relevant tags. We cleaned out images that did not have necessary information, such as location.
What Tools / Techniques?
We used the StoryMaps tool in ArcGIS to create our guided tour map and TimelineJS to create our timelines. The timeline feature links to a google spreadsheet with all of our data.
What is the Data Visualization Doing?
The Story Map is an interactive map that allows users to explore student life on campus. By linking the photos from the archives to their location, current students can better understand the culture of the late 1800s to early 1900s and the connections between previous student activities and specific campus locations.
For the themed timelines, users can see how the student activities may have evolved over a period of time. For example, if the user clicks on the ‘hazing’ collection, they can explore a timeline of all of our photographs that involve that topic, such as Cane Rush and Paddle Gauntlet. We also chose to pair these timeline data visualizations with articles and short descriptions that elaborate on these cultural themes.
Stylization
To ensure a clear understanding of our StoryMap visualization, we distributed our points so each one was visible to the user for interaction. Originally, they were all compiled at the same coordinate points which meant it was difficult to discern one point from another. By slightly moving the points away from each other while still maintaining the general area they are from, our visualization choices allowed for clarity and accuracy.
Using the TimelineJS tool allowed our pictures to be organized chronologically and with the clarity of a slideshow. By organizing these timelines on a page separate from the main map overview, the user can clearly interact with the timeline visualization separate from the other elements.
Overall, we also stuck to the thematic color palette across the entire project which creates an aesthetically pleasing and clear presentation.
