Making Maps That Communicate(Sumber: Charlie Frye, ArcMap Products Team Manager, ArcUser,The Magazine for ESRI Software Users, October-

December, 2001, pp.38-43)

Faculty of Computer ScienceUniversity of Indonesia

Dr. Aniati Murni

The purpose of making a map– Every map has a purpose– The main purpose is to provide an effective

communication– Analog to a well-written document and a good speech– Bidang yang mengajarkan bagaimana membuat map

yang baik adalah bidang kartografi dan geografi– Beberapa aksioma yang mendukung pembuatan suatu

map yang baik adalah:• Know some basic principles• Rely on common sense and well-designed

software• Get more help from a cartographer

The purpose of making a map– Maps can show where something (a city, a mountain, a river

etc.) is located.– Maps can show how something is distributed in geographic

space.– Maps can show the impact of a problem.– Maps can show why a location is important.– Typically, a map does not have more than one purpose.– Try to create a map for many purpose or to put to much thing

in one map can blur the message and can confuse the map readers.

– Better strategy: use more maps where each focused on a single message.

I. Know Some Basic Principles• A specific or special-requirement map and a general

map– A map with a specific or special requirement

• A skilled cartographer is needed– Guidelines for good general and informative maps

• Size, scale and media• Category of map: handheld, tiny, and large-format map• Focus• Correctness• Balance• Completeness• Map Publishing Tips

Audience / Map Readers– Provide any information that will be useful for least

prepared reader– Accuracy of map comprehension is also important.

Provide a map for several colleagues will be different from providing a map for larger and broader audience (that needs more factors to be considered)

– Problems that may be faced• The use of colours in a map for colour-blind readers• The use of discipline-specific terminology• The same cultural-drive perception of colour and

symbology– A list at the end of the article

A map with too much detail represented in a small-size symbols and annotations

Size, scale, and media

• The physical size of a map relative to the geographic extent / size will dictate the scale of the map

• Media: high-quality papers, newsprint, Web page, or slide presentation – Handheld map (road or analytical

maps)– Tiny (newspaper or Internet)– Large format (poster size)

• Commercially produced maps• High-quality paper can support text

size as small as six points• Map can support complex and detail

symbology• Printed on typical inkjet printer• It should be able to be read from a

distance of about 24 inches

Handheld Maps

• Display absolutely necessary features • Use simple symbology• It is not a shrinking handheld map (detail will

not be able to read)• Use the same symbol as in handheld map

but in smaller size (a red interstate highway with centreline in handheld map is shown as narrow-width red line in a tiny map).

• Tiny maps can be reproduced in newspaper or on the screen of a mobile device

Tiny Maps

Tiny and Large-Format Maps

Tiny Map Large-Format Map

• Display absolutely necessary features • Use simple symbology (the same as a tiny

map) • Use simpler and larger symbology and

annotation than those in a handheld map (text size is 25% larger, marker symbol is 50% to 100% larger and line width is 100% to 300% larger)

• The map can be read from far away• Use Bright colours (ArcMap has colour ramps

from Bright, Light to Dark)

Large-Format Maps

ArcMap Colour Ramps

• ‘Where to look first’• Figure-ground phenomenon (front and background

concept) • Figure-ground refers to the way your eye and mind

organize a visual array into contrasting areas: the figure and the ground

• The figure is a distinct shape above or in front of its surroundings. The ground is the amorphous area that recedes from and surrounds the figure.

• Use warm colours (red, yellow and solid black) for important features / to be focused on first.

• Use cool colours (blue, green, light grey) for background

Focus

• Ideally, the map maker is responsible for the correctness of the data shown in the map. He/she knows the source of the data and the intended use of the data.

• It is also possible to cross-verify the map with other similar maps.

• Check the spelling of any text, the relative location of features, the correctness of data values

• Give the organization that support the data a credit on the map.

Correctness

• Place of the map title slightly closer to the elements on the map

• All the elements should not be too close to a neat line (at least eighth of an inch)

• Avoid overlapping elements, for example: where to put a legend

• The most important part of a map should occupy the central position

• Legends may not be a single column where the symbol on the left and the description on the right

A balanced and refined-looking map

A balanced and refined-looking map

• A map should have the basic elements: title, legend, scale bar, and North arrow

• A map with longitude (runs north and south) and latitude (runs east and west) does not need North arrow

• Longitude and latitude are implicitly provide scale information but scale bar will help the reader to understand the distance in the map

• Scale bar and North arrow are not required if the reader is quite familiar with the area and is not going to take any measurement

• Legend is not required for self-evident symbol and extraneous information distract the map messages / focus

• Omit the map title if it is part / explained in the document. • Round numbers appropriately if the map provide quantitative information• Use light and conservative colours (Light to Dark ramps) if a map is to be

printed. Use bright and strong colours (Bright ramp) if a map is to be displayed on computer monitor.

Completeness

• Map file can be imported using BMP or JPEG format with high resolution of 300 dpi

• For Internet publication JPEG and PDF format is suitable with the resolution of 96 ppi)

• If the map will be printed commercially, we can use the EPS format

Several Map Publishing Tips

• Map should be as simple as possible, elegant in form, and easy to read. Using every colour in the spectrum and every stylish typeface on one map will degrade the map communication ability

• If the map exhibited superior technical expertise and exacting detail, then the information used to produce the map should also be good

• Special effect shown in professionally published maps needs more time and effort, so do not try to do that when the time is limited

II. Rely on Common Sense and Well-Designed Software

• Several books and references are available.

III. Get More Help From a Cartographer