Map point, line and area questions

Not sure this is the right map question? See Which map question should I use?

 

  • Map point: Respondent marks a location on the map with a pin. The easiest map question that can be used to ask almost anything related to maps.
  • Map line: Respondent draws a line, typically a route, on the map.
  • Map area: Respondent draws an area on the map. This works best in surveys where the focus is on a large area. On projects with a smaller geographical scale (e.g. re-design a park), the Map point is often a better option as there won't be as much overlap between the areas that respondents draw.
Add a map question to your survey
  1. Add a background map to the questionnaire page (instructions).

  2. Add the map question from the element library.
    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.39.54.png

  3. Write the question and the drawbutton text. Respondents click the drawbutton to start drawing on the map. Drawbuttons look like this in the survey:

    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.28.43.png

    Adjust the color of the button and add an icon to fit with the visual themes of your survey. 

    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.29.17.png

  4. Click Create a pop-up to ask respondents further questions about the locations they mark/draw.
    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.31.51.png

    This is the pop up window that appears after the respondent places their mark on the map:

    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.21.10.png

  5. Test in Preview.
Ask follow-up questions about marked locations (pop-up)

You can add a pop-up to all three map questions (point, line and area). It's a good way of combining precise location data with more qualitative information.

  1. Click Create pop-up.

    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.31.51.png

  2. Add the questions you want to ask from the element library.
  3. Check how the pop-up looks in Preview:

    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.21.10.png

Edit or delete a pop-up: to change the pop-up, or delete it without deleting the whole question, open the element's drop-down menu and choose the option you need.

Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 14.08.46.png

Set the question to be mandatory

Go to the Extra settings tab > set the minimum and maximum number of responses

Restrict responses to a specific area
  1. Go to Map and layout and select the map or create one.
    Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.45.52.png
  2. Go to the question's Extra settings > Restrict area (mask layer). Select the map layer and choose whether the responses should be inside or outside the area.

Screenshot 2025-08-05 at 10.47.41.png

Restrict area size/line length that can be drawn (map line/area)

These settings can be found under Extra settings:

Screenshot 2026-03-11 at 1.49.24 PM.png

Tip! This allows you to now essentially create geobudgeting features but with areas instead of pins. 

Force respondents to zoom closer before they can draw on the map

Go to Extra settings > Minimum zoom level to set a zoom level for map responses.

Responses will not be accepted until respondent has met required zoom requirements. Detailed information about zoom levels can be found here.

Make map responses public and allow up/downvoting

Available with 'Communicate' level subscriptions.

In the map question's Extra settings, switch on Make responses public. Responses to the questions in the map question's pop-up become public too. For voting, moderation and other options, see Let users see and vote on map responses.

Change the line color and width (in Map line and Map area)

Extra settings > Line color and width

Allow respondents to "freehand" draw on the map (in Map line and Map area)

Extra settings > Enable freehand drawing

What will the responses to mapping questions look like in the results? What can I do with the results?

 

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