Magpi offers two types of heatmap in Magpi Reports: unweighted and weighted.


Unweighted heatmaps


With unweighted heatmaps, the intensity of the heatmap depends on the density of map points in an area.   You can easily produce an unweighted heatmap for any form for which you have geodata collected (geodata can be collected using GPS stamp, or GPS questions).  Just add a "Map Records" report element, and specify which form contains the data, and which location field contains the geodata.


Weighted heatmaps


With weighted heatmaps, the intensity of the heatmap depends on the answer to a multiple-choice question plus the density of map points. To produce a weighted heatmap for any form, just add a "Map Responses" report element (the "responses" part means that it will take into account the answers to a multiple choice question).  Note that the heatmap calculates color based on the answer to the multiple choice question.  For example, if the potential responses to the question are:

  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree


the first multiple choice option (agree) gets a weight of 3, the second gets a weight of 2, and the third gets a weight of 1.  Map points where the response was "agree" will show up as darker/redder than map points that chose neutral or agree.


Capturing Geodata on the Magpi Plus Mobile App


The Magpi Plus mobile app (download) allows the field data collector to acquire geodata in the field easily.  When answering a GPS question inserted in a Magpi form, the data collector will see the question prompt (e.g. "Please record the location").


magpi plus geodata 


Acquisition and display of geodata in Magpi Plus[/caption]


Thanks to the support of Women's Refugee Commission, we've also added some compelling new mapping features to our Magpi Reports.


Showing data records as points or heatmap with the Map Records report element


We've always had the ability to display a map with points for each place that a form was filled, using the "Map Records" element in Magpi Reports:

Map data records as points

but now we've added the option to display that same data as a heatmap, rather than data points.  This means that areas with more data points will appear more intense/red:

map records as heatmap


Showing question responses as color-coded points or heatmap with the Map Responses report element


Analogously to the Map Records information above, Magpi has had the ability to show the responses to a multiple choice question as color-coded pins for several years:

Map Responses as pins

and now we've added a second way to view the same information, as a heatmap which applies different intensity depending on the responses to the question:

map responses as heatmap


A whole new world of maps


We know these enhancements will help our 100,000+ users around the globe to more easily get their field data, create even more compelling visualizations, and better display their work to the world.  And as always, we'll be moving forward both to add even better map options, and mobile forms capability, but also to further improve the Magpi experience with big improvements aimed at our web application.  Stay tuned!