Adding a question to a mapping page

This article is for Citizen Space Geospatial. Please speak to your customer success manager if you are interested in learning more about it.

Mapping pages deal with questions differently to normal online surveys. Our article Online survey - how do I add questions? shows how to add a question to a normal survey page.

The key differences between mapping page questions and normal survey questions are:

Mapping pages only allow one question per page.
Mapping page questions require you to create a map interaction and an accessible (non-map) interaction for the question.
Mapping page questions contain specific guidance about making changes to the mapping interaction if any responses have already been submitted due to the impact that can have on your response data. (See Editing Geospatial Select questions when responses have already been submitted)

In this article we’ll go through the following steps to help with adding a question to a mapping page:

Step 1 - Add the question
Step 2 - Add the map interaction
Step 3 - Add you accessible (non-map) interaction
Step 4 - Preview your work

Step 1 - Add the question

Once you have finished adding a mapping page you will have additional options under the page heading on the left hand panel.

Select Add a question.
Enter your question in the text box. We recommend being as descriptive as possible as to what sort of data you'd like the respondent to give. Bear in mind that this question will be shown for the map version and the accessible text version of the question so should apply to both.

Note: If you tick the Is this question used for reporting and analysis only? box, the question will not be visible to the public and will only be used for analysis purposes. Read this article Analyst questions - what are analyst or 'hidden' questions? for more information.

Step 2 - Add the map interaction

Specify how you want people to respond on the map by choosing from the 'Choose and interaction' dropdown list: (If you are unsure of which interaction type you require, take a look at our Geospatial demo site at each of the interaction types listed in separate activities)
- 'Draw one or more unconnected points' - for example points to mark exact locations.
- 'Draw a connected sequence of points - for example a line or route'.
- 'Draw an enclosed boundary or area' - for example a shape or polygon to show an area or a site.
- 'Select an option from the map' - we have an article that covers how to add this interaction type.
Select Add map component.Add the maximum number of features you'd like to be added to the question in Feature Count, or set it to 0 for no limit.
Type a heading for the reporting field.

Step 3 - Add your accessible (non-map) interaction

The text version of the map gives users an alternative, accessible way to respond to the question. This is useful if they are accessing the map in a different way (for example, if they use a screen reader or other assistive technology).

The accessible interaction works in a similar way to non-mapping page questions. You can add multiple answer components to enable respondents with the opportunity to respond accordingly if they have chosen not to use the mapping interaction.

Choose your answer component from the list and select Add Answer Component.
Enter the relevant details or answer options.
You will then return to the question screen with your component added.
You can choose to add multiple answer components to get all the data you require.
You can move answer components up and down using the 'Move up' and 'Move down' arrows on the right hand side.

Recommendations for accessible interactions

We recommend adding a text field to explain your organisation's service process for non-map responses, so people know what to expect next.

For example, you might have designed a process where non-map responses will be followed up with a telephone call to better understand the exact submission, so a text field explaining this and a telephone answer component would be the best solution.

Step 4 - Preview your work

Previewing your work is always important, and any testing that can be done in advance of publishing is always beneficial.