Statistics are becoming popular as people are in need of quick information delivery.Interactive maps and chart graphics are another form of infographics , a solution that is appealing and increases engagement between brands and customers.
At StatPlanet you can Create your Own Maps or Use the Existing Database
Website: StatPlanet
According to their headline StatPlanet is an award winning application for creating fully customizable interactive maps , and is free to use with some restrictions…
The Plus version is advanced and supports map importing with no limits on the data and including more features and customisation options.
It can be downloaded as software and installed on your computer or you can work online with their dashboard.
Map #1 – Mobile Cellular Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants / country
When you enter the dashboard there is a map of the world in place with data on.The colouring starts with white , goes light blue and ends in dark blue.The higher the number the darker the blue.
As we study the data on the map we notice
All countries in Europe except France are dark blue (high percentage of mobile use).The cycle of heavy use continues with Russia , Australia , Saudi Arabia , Argentina , Uruguay and Iceland.
The colouring helps in identifying these data a lot easier , imagine if you had to read every number…!
Screenshot of the full screen mode
Dashboard
At the right side there is a data panel referring to the corresponding research.
On the middle above the map there is a mini board presenting beautiful graphs as you hover your mouse on the map.
Options
- Full screen graph
- Column chart
- Bar chart
- Time series
- Scatter Plot
- Graph options (lowest to highest , alphabetical and more)
This way you can study the data in the way that is more convenient or close to your research.Very useful features.
Pre-made Data Maps
The catalogue is divided into categories.
- Demography and population
- Digital divide / ICT
- Drugs and crime
- Economy & development
- Education
- Education quality
- Environment & energy
- Gender
- Health
- Language
- Political
Each category opens new options.
On the down-left corner there are options for save / download , chart graph (open / close) , proportional symbol map , the data table ( where you can read all the data) and the option to create a custom region with the selected countries.
Options
- You can define the background colour
- Map font size and map symbol size
- Graph text size , transparency and more and
- you can save as JPG or PNG.
But I could not download the images.
I searched in the forum and the FAQ section and I believe the only solution is to download the software (free) and install it on your computer.Additionally there is an option for those that use the software to download the image as PDF and using another software to edit the image further to improve their customisation settings.
StatPlanet Map Maker v2.41 (last update May 2011) – To create fully customisable interactive maps & graphs and publish them online.
Have in mind though that in order to embed the map on your website as a flash graph you need to install a plugin.There are detailed instructions on their FAQ page on how to do that.
Map #2 – The same map zoomed on Europe
Premium Features
Custom design your maps with Flash
- You will need the Plus version
- Adobe Flash CS3 or higher
- A map file in vector format : Adobe Illustrator (.ai) , Free Hand (.fh , .ft) or Adobe Flash (.swf)
Moreover there are instructions on
- How to convert maps into vector format
- Download and use ESRI shapefile maps
- Multiple map layers
Pricing
- Desktop (free)
- Desktop with export – $395
- Web version – $395
- Mobile app – Only by requesting a quote
- Upgrade – $250
The license never expires and can be used for one domain.
Tutorials
Tons of information for those that are interested in getting their hands dirty
From the getting started guide , how to create maps with interactive cities , landmarks or other locations to the useful free GIS shapefile map tools this section is another proof that this company is helping their clients understand the software features.
StatPlanet World Bank – Open Data
With this feature you can explore world stats as the app connects to the World Bank database and automatically visualises any of the 8000+ indicators , across 5 decades , for 217 countries in 3 languages. (v3 August 2015).
The Blog
There are a few articles concerning the company and the industry.Don’t expect daily updates , the company is focused into improving the current software and to develop new products.
Company
StatSilk develops software (both for desktop and mobile apps) specialising in interactive maps.Offers implementation , data integration , customisation and training services.They can create software based on your exact needs.
Their base , Sydney of Australia , the founder , Frank Van Cappelle.He started developing the software back in 2006 and gave birth to the company only in 2011.
The flagship product StatPlanet plus has been used to map poverty in Afghanistan , visualise health risk factors in Australia or to illustrate youth voting trends in the USA.Among their clients you can find names like Dell, eBay and Samsung.
Let’s see an example of a map that one of their clients created
OECD & World Bank Innovation Policy Platform (to get a full view)
Final Words
StatPlanet is a professional solution and that can be traced on their clients.The founder’s experience with research in government departments ensures that the software is well developed.
The application runs fast and by hovering your mouse the changes take place in milliseconds.The zoom and other options are very useful and easy to follow.
Don’t underestimate statistics as they can transform and deliver a message with great results.
I hope you enjoyed another review , here on Web Market Support.As always , I am waiting for your comments and thoughts.Till next time , your online partner.
Factbrowser – Statistic Search Engine
Thanks, beautiful app
Awesome , glad to hear it , Ayunda.My best wishes.
Hey Tasos, thanks for a great post. I never even thought about adding maps to my websites so thanks for bringing that to my attention.
It has certainly gotten me thinking now. I love seeing statistics on a map, I’m not sure why but it is just more appealing to me and makes sense at a glance.
I’ll check out that website, thank you!
Right on point Lynne , this is why I love seeing stats on maps as well.Because you absorb the information so much easier.Otherwise it would be very difficult to understand , numbers and mathematics in general have to be presented in a visually appealing way.
Go on and test their services , statistics are popular and it is another way of sending out a message.So glad you liked it.Good luck.
I need StatPlanet in my life, I wish I knew something like this exists. I am geography student and I made so many maps before, with this tool it would be so much easier to make some maps that I can use in my presentations. Well at least, I can use this in the future. Thank you for opening my eyes to this really amazing program.
Welcome Urska , I am so glad you found this resource helpful.As a geography student you know first hand how difficult is to design maps alone.But there are so many tools online now that can ease this painful process.I believe that your presentations will shine now.
Thank you for the visit , your participation in the comments and your kind words.Good luck with your maps and your degree.All my best.