A symbol map uses symbols and colors to represent data variables in specific locations and allow quick, visual distribution analysis across a geographical area.
In Luzmo, creating a symbol map is straightforward. Click on add Item, then scroll to the ‘Maps’ section and select the Symbol Map from the map charts. Drag it onto your dashboard.
Upon selecting ‘data’ settings, you will be prompted to fill in three dataslots: geography, color and measure. Let's explore each one:
For a symbol map, you need geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) to place your symbols accurately. Use Luzmo's public datasets with geographic columns or upload your own. You can just add the the longitude and latitude and create a coordinate column as mentioned in our academy article here.
While we recomment coordinates for this map type, topography data can also be used. However, please keep in mind that certain use cases (for example countries with multiple territories) may generate imprecise results, with the center of the topographical area being ouside of the main country area.
After adding your geography data, and linking it to your measure dataset if needed, you can just add your measure column to the Measure slot. The data will appear immediately on the map.
You can also add color differentiation by moving your category into the Color slot. That will help you with using your Categories to define how the data is grouped. The grouping will appear immediately on the map. You can change the legends position to accomodate your chart.
Once you’ve added your data to the geography, color and measure slots, the symbols will populate the map. Customize the symbols' color in the theme settings to match your dashboard's look. You can also change map style and other functions in the settings.
For clarity, keep the number of symbol categories manageable. Too many symbols can clutter the map and obscure insights.
The hexbin and spike maps are similar to the symbol map. Instead of circular symbols, they display hexagonal symbols or spikes. More information about all available map types can be found here.