WEDC Economic Impact Map is the Shiny Object of the Week (WEDC)

Economic development investments made by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) are now featured on an interactive online map that shows the recipients of state investments and the projected job impact of each contract.

What economic data is included in the interactive online map?

The economic impact map includes data relating to investments made since WEDC’s establishment in July 2011. The map allows users to view summaries for regions such as senate and assembly districts. The tool also generates printable reports for individual projects as well as regional investment summaries.

Click on the map to leave Banonomics.com and visit the site.

How was the economic impact map developed?

The impact map was developed in partnership with Pangea Studios at UW-Whitewater and the State Cartographer’s Office and Cartography Lab at UW-Madison. UW-Whitewater students with Pangea provided map coding and database development, while UW-Madison students with the State Cartographer’s Office and Cartography Lab provided input on the design and functionality of the map.

“WEDC’s partnership with Pangea Studios and the State Cartographer’s Office and Cartography Lab allows us to tap into a talented pool of Wisconsin students and leverage state resources in an effective and affordable manner,” WEDC Secretary and CEO Reed Hall said. “Their specialization in developing visualization tools of qualitative economic development data helps WEDC demonstrate the impact of our investments to the public.”

Is this the first time WEDC has published economic impact data?

WEDC, like the Wisconsin Department of Commerce before it, has published an Annual Report on Economic Development and corresponding online searchable database of investments made by in conjunction with the state’s economic development programs.

These resources are also available on WEDC’s website. Plotting this information on an interactive map that allows users to filter the data according to geography, industry, award type and other criteria creates a much more visually compelling presentation of the economic development initiatives taking place in Wisconsin.