International Crisis Group: Focus on international crises and a Mapcreator partner
The International Crisis Group, founded in 1995, is a global independent organization with experts across the world, working to positively impact the crisis situations on which they work through research, analysis and advocacy.
Their mission: working to prevent wars and shape policies that will build a more peaceful world.
Claire Boccon-Gibod, Data Visualization and Publications Officer in the Brussels office sums it up: “as an organization, we engage directly with a range of conflict actors to seek and share information to bring about fresh perspectives that can enable action for peace.”
How does Mapcreator fit in?
Boccon-Gibod: Crisis Group is “adjusting to an ever-changing media landscape, one that is increasingly visual in the way that we absorb and share information…in this space, maps have a unique power to compress complex information, to synthesize it.” With Mapcreator “our map production is increasing, which is a part of a bigger effort for visual storytelling”.
Mapcreator Advantages
Speed and accuracy: Mapcreator now lets Crisis Group “better cater to the needs of our team with the analysts. With a customized basemap at hand, it is now much faster to bridge spatial data with design software. This means we can spend more time on design – the visual hierarchy, typography and colors – that will determine whether the audience emotionally ‘enters’ the map” says Boccon-Gibod. “It lets us focus exactly on the story we’re telling.”
Enhanced workflow: Designers frequently use Mapcreator’s Adobe compatibility—exporting maps and using Illustrator to selectively add finishing touches. Mapcreator is designed to fit this very common and important workflow, matching easy and accurate mapmaking to design tools already used to streamline production.
Boccon-Gibod explains, “That step is also important because we need to remove certain elements and add others—to make sure we support and enhance the expertise of our analysts who have in-depth insights into contextual sensitivities”
The Verdict
“Overall it has proven to be a very complete tool, I’m very happy with it.”
