The purpose of this weeks assignment is to familiarize ourselves with the efficacy of the visual presentation of different maps. We were provided a series of different maps and were tasked with selecting two, one of which had to represent a well-designed map and one that represented a poorly designed map.
In determining what defines a well-designed or poorly-designed we were instructed to follow a collection of twenty principles popularized by professor Edward Tufte. These can be characterized into a smaller subset of 6 general principles:
1. Mapping substantial information.
2. Not spreading false information or ambiguous information with maps.
3. Effectively labeling maps.
4. Minimizing unnecessary map information.
5. Being aware of the layout of a map.
6. Evaluating and editing your map.
There principles were then to be utilized in determining which maps we thought were good representations and poor representations.
This is the map which I believe, though simple, provides and excellent example of displaying only substantial information, being effectively labeled, uncluttered, and constituting an excellent layout. The substantive objective of this map was to show the geological time periods the state of Florida is currently comprised of.
Although I believe the overall map extent for the image of Florida could be enhanced (some of the narrower swaths in the northern regions are difficult to see), the entire display appears to be excellently balanced. The symbology in regard to the different epochs of geological composition is represented well due to the highly differentiated symbology. The staunchly different color selection delineates the different geologies effectively. In addition, the map conveys the information of which counties these regions fall into without having to add any additional visuals outside of the polygons representing the counties within the state. This follows Edward Tufte's third principle which states that there should be the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time with the least 'ink.' The map contains all the appropriate sources and citations as well as two well-sized scale bars and north arrow. The text information is sized in order of important with the larger being the more necessary of the two. This removes the need for chart clutter, his 18th principle, and maximizes the data to display ration, his 14th principle.
The map that I chose to represent a poorly designed map intends on showing the differential in dialect, dependent on how collections of individuals stress their vowels, across North America. This map is a disaster. Outside of lacking any semblance of balance it is entirely too cluttered. This design failed Tufte's third principle, which we saw exemplified in the previous map, which again is showing the greatest number of ideas, in the shortest time, in the least amount of space. This map does the opposite.
The symbology is horrendous in this image. There are no scales, north arrows, or sources. The creator and the date are written illegibly at the bottom. Labels are redundant and some are even cut out of the frame. This conflicts with Tufte's principle number 16 which insists that one should omit redundant information.
The legends in the image are either untitled or a continuation of a description found in another legend elsewhere on the map. In regard to map extent, there is too large of an area to attempt to convey while displaying this much information. Across the map are map subsets that are not labeled as to which area on the map they represent.
Lastly, the title text is broken up and difficult to understand. It is also inappropriately sized for a map of this magnitude while the remaining text is not in a size order contingent on importance.
Some of the difficulties encountered in this assignment were that there were several maps that present certain information very well. Their layout and balance was, in my opinion, the best. However, there was omitted information on them that disqualified them from selection. Outside of the errors, these maps had stylistic choices regarding how the data was displayed that were insightful due to their aligning with stylistic choices I would like to make on my subsequent maps. However, in having to select only one, the first map displayed really captured what I believe a well-balanced map to be relative to its intended purpose.
Comments
Post a Comment