Graphic narratives for emergency mapping

Designing maps for disaster response can be especially difficult because map users can vary widely not only in their experience in managing and carrying out evacuations and relief efforts but also in their knowledge of the area and the data as well as their skills in map reading and interpretation. Without specific efforts to tailor presentations to both the stressful context of a crisis and the variable abilities of users, increased use of geographic information systems and electronic graphics is unlikely to meet the cartographic needs of emergency management agencies. Graphic narratives offer a promising strategy for improving cartographic communication in a crisis. A multimedia solution that recognizes an inherent need for more than one map, graph, diagram, or text screen, the graphic narrative promotes interpretation and understanding through an ordered, coherent sequence of displays. This paper discusses the graphic script and other concepts of narrative graphics. -Author