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Map Design and Symbology in GIS Environment
This document discusses key principles of map design including selection of colors, symbols, labeling, and overall layout. It emphasizes that while there are scientific rules of map design, there is also an artistic element. The document outlines topics to be covered such as map scale and generalization, symbolization, choropleth mapping, use of color, and labeling. It provides guidelines for map elements like titles, legends, and orientation indicators. It also discusses classification schemes, issues with choropleth maps, effective use of color, and best practices for labeling and typography. Ethical practices of map design to avoid deception are highlighted.
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Introduction of Asib Ahmed and the context of the presentation.
Map design combines scientific rules with artistic choices including colors, symbology, and layout.
Important concepts include classification, simplification, and symbolization for effective maps.
Key elements include layout, scale, symbolization, choropleth mapping, color, and typography.
Includes title, legend, scale indication, orientation, and neatlines for effective map presentation.
Introduction of the Golden Ratio (1.618) in visual design.
Choosing appropriate scale is crucial; affects detail on maps (large vs. small scale).
Generalization involves distortion and balance of content for clarity and legibility.
Explains the visual language (points, lines, polygons) and different symbol types used in maps.
Explores properties like shape, size, color, and location that describe symbols on a map.
Choropleth maps represent aggregated data; details on classification and color choice.
Importance of classification schemes for abstracting reality and visual representation in maps.
Demonstrates how different classification methods can visually alter choropleth maps.
Different methods: natural breaks, quantiles, equal intervals, and standard deviation.
Discusses the psychological and physiological aspects of color perception in map design.
Describes cultural significance of colors and potential issues like color blindness.
Key attributes of color: hue, saturation, and value, important for visual communication.
Color aids readability and distinguishes map features; describes qualitative conventions for color.
Key parameters for effective map text: font type, size, spacing, and placement.
The impact of different lettering styles and placements on map effectiveness.
Legibility is critical; choose typefaces carefully to avoid confusion and enhance readability.
Guidelines for ethical cartography, emphasizing honesty, data relevance, and accuracy.
Recommendations for ethical practices including source reporting and cultural awareness.
Citations of key texts in cartography and thematic map design.
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Map Design and Symbology in GIS Environment
- 1. Asib Ahmed (asib01geo@du.ac.bd) Lecture 1, Wednessday 16th April 2014
- 2. There are some(scientific) rules in map design but much artistic judgement in terms of ◦selection of colours ◦symbology ◦labelling (format and position) ◦arrangement of overall layout ◦(plus data selection, projection, scale, etc) Subtle changes in design (e.g. weight of a label font for particular objects) can yield big changes in how the map is read Use (and mis-use) the power of design. ethical practices not to deliberately deceive
- 3. 1. Classification 2.simplification 3. symbolization
- 4. 1.Map layout 2.Mapscale and generalisation 3.Symbolisation and graphic variables 4.Choropleth mapping & data classification 5.Colour 6.Labelling and typography
- 5. For presentation ofmaps, some conventions on what to include: ◦a title (or caption). clearly state what the map shows. plus relevant date of data, sources, missing values, author, contact info, etc ◦a legend, so any reader can interpret the content of the map. meaning of all symbol and colours ◦scale indication. translates distance on the map to distance on the ground ◦orientation indication (the good old north arrow) ◦borders and neatlines
- 6.
- 8. what level ofdetail is shown crucial to choose appropriate scale to work at large scale map : small surface area in high detail (e.g. city plans) small scale : large surface area in low detail (e.g. national road atlas) scale represented as a statement (“one inch equals five miles”), a graphical scale bar, (useful for measuring lengths), or as a representative fraction (1:1250) very few maps use scale consistently for every object
- 9. Key modes ofgeneralisation • distortion is inherent, inevitable, unavoidable •may have to leave features off the map altogether • avoid visual clutter, balance content and legibility
- 10. graphic language (ofpoints, lines, polygon, icons and text) used to represent ‘real’ features on the map legibility (‘practical’) harmonious (‘pretty’) symbols can be iconic, geometric or abstract symbol selection is creative aspect of design, wide choice and few firm rules symbols can have several different dimensions (properties or characteristics) which encode meaning symbols can have quantitative or qualitative meaning
- 11. shape, size, orientation colour hue, colour value, colour saturation, pattern and location of course
- 12. (Source: Larry Landweber,http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~lhl/maps/)
- 13. choro from choros(place) and pleth (value) counterpart of histogram aggregate data, usually ratio or percentage data map for discrete spatial units practical Issues ◦choice of intervals - number and their breaks ◦equal interval, equal share (quantiles), standard deviational, … choice of colors ◦important for perception of patterns misleading role of area of spatial units ◦larger areas “seem” more important
- 14. classification is akey method of abstracting reality into simplified map method of classification is important as effects ‘look’ of the map classification scheme can easily be experimented with (manipulated?) to give the pattern you want classification should ‘match’ data distribution number of classes. can reader interpret between them? recommended max of 6 distribution of zones into classes
- 15. Same data plusdifferent classification equal different looking choropleth map!
- 16. •natural breaks (Jenksmethod) •quantiles •equal interval •standard deviation
- 20. colour is oneof most exciting aspects of design colour perception is a combination of physiological (sensing in the eye and cognitive processing) and psychological reactions colour evoke emotions. subjective reaction to colour connotative meanings of colour. See Dent (1999, page 295)
- 21. cultural specific. alsocolour blindness. 7% of men and 1% of women warm colours (red, orange, yellows) cool colours (violet, blue, greens defining - hue, saturation, value (HSV) model
- 22. hue - basiccolour we perceive, eg 12 step Wheel saturation - intensity or purity compared to a neutral gray value - lightness or darkness. Can be hard to perceive variations in value
- 24. gives structure andreadability developing figure and ground relationships ◦warm colour better for figures. Said to ‘advance’ to viewer. Cool colours tend to recede perceptual grouping of like features through colour colour contrasts. using value or saturation to represent data on thematic maps qualitative conventions - blue for water, green for lush vegetation; red = warm and blue = cool in temperatures; hill shading
- 25. lettering choice canhave a significant impact to effectiveness of the map map text to label features has several key parameters ◦font typeface, size spacing ◦placement and orientation importance of type discernibility map labels can communicate important data, e.g. hierarchy of features, implying importance Chislehurst, Bromley, L O N D O N manual labelling of features can get very tedious. but automatic label placement is still far from perfect
- 26. Think about differenttypes of lettering styles and placement/orientations used and the effects it has
- 27. ◦legibility of individualletters is of paramount importance, especially in smaller type sizes. Choose a typeface in where there is little chance of confusion between c and e and i and j ◦select a typeface with a relatively large base height ◦avoid extremely bold forms ◦choose a typeface that has softer shading; extreme vertical shading is more difficult to read than rounder forms ◦do not use decorative typefaces on the map as they are difficult to read
- 28. 1. always havea straightforward agenda, and have a defining purpose or goal for each map 2. always strive to know your audience, the potential/likely map users 3. do not intentionally lie with data 4. always show relevant data whenever possible 5. data should not be discarded simply because they are contrary to the position held by the cartographer 6. at a given scale, strive for an accurate portrayal of the data
- 29. 7. the cartographershould avoid plagiarizing; report all data sources 8. symbolization should not be selected to bias the interpretation of the map 9. the mapped result should be able to be repeated by other cartographers 10. attention should be given to differing cultural values and principles
- 30. ◦Borden Dent, (1995)Cartography: Thematic Map Design, fifth edition ◦Terry Slocum, (1999) Thematic Cartography and Visualization ◦Menno-Jan Kraak and Ferjan Ormeling, (1996) Cartography: Visualization of Spatial Data