A good map helps people learn about space or helps people make decisions and act in space. Beyond aesthetic qualities, a map should function for an intended audience, purpose, environment and scale.
Through the careful selection, management, and creation of data, a mapmaker develops coherence in their presentation by thinking about what they could show versus what they should show.
WET BORDERS
DETAIL OF SCALE
A map provides a spatial reference frame that helps people recognize both a region of the world and the inherent flaws of the map’s representation of it. Think about these patterns early in your workflow, especially when making a static paper map, because if you change your mind about them late in the workflow then you will likely lose a lot of work.
SUGGESTED NEIGHBOR
BORDER INDEX
A map layout includes not just a picture of a region but also some supporting elements, such as a title, scale, legend, sources, credits, etc. Think about the elements you will need to include on your map carefully (every map does not require a scale bar and north arrow!) You can begin to think about how you want to arrange these elements in the early stages of your workflow by sketching a mockup of your layout so that you can see different ways that the elements can work together before you have finished making the elements themselves.
A map visually signals what is important and what is supportive to the audience. To do this well, you should try to develop a visual depth to your map, where some features appear at the top (or in the foreground) and other features appear in the background.
One of the most basic functions of a map is to help help people distinguish and associate locations.
Beyond recognizing different kinds of things, some maps aim to help people recognize the order of locations. This includes showing connections between locations (how one location is linked to another location).
A third thematic function of some maps concerns helping people recognize difference and similarities of quantities at locations.
Maps meaningful represent the world with a language of signs. While developing these semantics, consider how symbols (things on the map) relate to referents (things in the world) and concepts (things in people’s head). The more intuitive you make your language, the less you will need to explain it to people.
A map uses reference features as supportive information to help the reader understand “where” things are. Consider how the appearance of reference features can distract the reader’s attention, making the features appear like stars when they should serve supporting roles. To avoid this, think about how you can make reference features legible but not loud.
BORDERS IN BACKGROUND
EUROPEAN STREETS
For many specific kinds of features, consider how you can make representations realistic, by mimicking how the feature generally appears to people in their experiences of the world.
ALPEN GLOW
A map helps people navigate, when it does not simply show where things are, but also aims aims to help people find ways to move from here to there.
Some pictorial symbols on maps need verbal explanations. The spatial contiguity of text and pictorial symbols will influence how people read, associate, and remember these two kinds of signs.
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This was posted by Jeff Howarth on Wednesday, January 14th, 2015 at 4:54 pm. Bookmark the permalink.
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