How to Make a Hub and Spoke Network Map

Step-by-step guide

1. 1

   Add the hub from the Route menu

   Select the slide where the network should first appear, then open the arrow next to Route (1) in the Quick-Add toolbar and choose Hub & spoke network. A hub appears at the centre of the map and the network's settings open on the right. Under Hub & Spoke, type a place into Move hub to (2) and pick a result. The hub takes that place's name. Nothing is drawn until the hub has destinations.

   

2. 2

   Add the destinations

   The Destinations box takes places four ways. Type a name into Add destination and pick a result to add one at a time. Paste list (1) takes one place per line and looks each one up. Import file (1) reads a CSV with latitude and longitude columns or a name column, a plain list of places, or GeoJSON points. Use map pins appears when the map already has pins and adds them all. The X beside a destination removes it, and Clear all empties the list. Then click Frame the whole network (2) to move the camera, and the first slide's view, so the hub and every destination fit.

   

3. 3

   Choose the direction and the line type

   Direction (1) has From hub, which draws each spoke out from the hub, and Into hub, which draws each one from its destination toward the hub. Into hub suits deliveries or arrivals. Lines (2) has three types. Arcs curve gently between the two places. Direct draws straight lines. Roads follows driving routes, fetches them in the background, and is available for up to 25 destinations. A spoke with no road route falls back to a direct line.

   

4. 4

   Raise the spokes into 3D arcs

   The Height slider (1) lifts each spoke off the ground as a 3D arc. It starts at 50%, and 0 keeps the spokes flat. Height only shows when the camera is tilted, so drag the Tilt slider on the left of the map and click Update Slide to keep the tilt on the slide. Roads always stay flat, and Moving dots is switched off while spokes are raised.

   

5. 5

   Set the order the spokes draw in

   Draw order (1) sets how the spokes appear: Fan out draws them one after another around the hub, Together draws them all at once, Nearest starts with the closest destination, and One by one draws them in the order of the list. Networks always draw their spokes, so the Animation section on their Timing tab has no effect type. It has Duration, which starts at 4.0s and covers the whole network, and Delay.

   

6. 6

   Style the network

   Open Style & Labels (1) for the look. Line width runs from 1 to 8 px, White outline puts a white edge around the lines so they read on any background, Place labels shows the destination names, Hub label shows the hub name, and Moving dots adds dots that travel along flat spokes. The swatches under Line Colour set the line colour.

   

7. 7

   Or start from the template

   The Studio can build the whole thing for you. Click the sparkle icon in the top bar, choose Templates, and pick Hub & Spoke Network. Set the hub (1) and build the destination list (2) with the same search, Paste list, and Import file tools. Create my video then creates the network and three slides: a close-up of the hub, a pull-back that shows the whole network, and a final hold. It replaces what is already on the map, so use it on a new project.