What is a Service Map
A service map is a searchable directory of relevant services and activities available in a particular location. When done well, service maps empower users to more effectively meet their needs. Service maps can also be used by service providers as a coordination tool and to support referrals for their clients. On the back end, this data is an important layer in analyzing where services are versus where needs and environmental risks are.
The Service Map is an interactive map of services for refugees or other displaced and crisis affected populations. Though we refer to it as the “map”, it has both a list view and a map view, and more often, it is the list view that is more effective for finding services This is because, in list view, services can be filtered by location and by service category, which you will set while drafting the entry in the Content Management System (CMS). You can also search for services by keyword, though it’s worth noting that the results will not be limited to services but will also include content from the rest of the website.
In the list view, the user sees the services in a grid orientation. Below each service, the Service provider is displayed together with other categories that the service is associated with, i.e., a service will have a primary category icon and below all associated category icons like accommodation, hygiene, etc.
What Distinguishes the Signpost Map?
- We communicate to our audiences what services are available for them and how to access them, taking their needs, preferences, and vulnerabilities into account.
- User-driven content and design
- Action-oriented and focused on the practical details a user needs to decide whether this service is appropriate for him/her
- Sensitive to specific access barriers and access strategies for women, people with disabilities, or other marginalized groups
- Written in collaboration with service providers
- Draws on user testing and continuous two-way communication with affected communities on what they need and want to know before seeking a service
- Searchable in multiple ways
- Easy to share
- Frequently updated