Telling Stories with Maps: Allen Carroll on the Art of Map-Based Storytelling

Welcome back to the show! In this week’s episode, I chat with Allen Carroll , former Chief Cartographer at National Geographic and part of Esri’s StoryMaps team. We talk about his new book, Telling Stories with Maps , which explores how maps can communicate meaning, emotion, and narrative. Allen shares his journey from analog map design to interactive, multimedia storytelling—and how digital tools are transforming the way we visualize place and data. We also discuss design choices, the balance between creativity and accessibility, and why storytelling is at the heart of effective communication. It’s a fascinating look at the intersection of geography, design, and technology. Check out Allen's book on Amazon or wherever you get your books.

You can listen to Telling Stories with Maps: Allen Carroll on the Art of Map-Based Storytelling online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Telling Stories with Maps: Allen Carroll on the Art of Map-Based Storytelling is an episode from The PolicyViz Podcast by The PolicyViz Podcast.

This episode is 29:46 long.

This episode was published on Nov 5, 2025.

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