Cartography Basic, Mod 1. Design Principles

Greetings everyone,

Module 1 as the title eludes is all about the principles of Map Design with a sprinkling of the fundamental history of Cartography. 

Cartographer Edward Tufte is the focus here, as he created 20 "Tufteisms" which outline the quintessential do's and dont's of map design and making. 

The course here took those 20 and then distilled them into 6 Commandments.

1. Map Substantial Information

2. Don't Lie with Maps

3. Effectively Label Your Map

4. Minimize Map Crap and Chart Junk

5. Layout is Key for How the Map Feels and Looks

6. Evaluate Your Map. Does it do what you wanted? 

With those commandments in mind the task was straightforward. Find and evaluate an example of a good and bad map. What follows are the two choices that I pulled with a couple comments on what makes them to me good and or bad representations of the commandments above. 

Good Map:

This is a fairly simple and straightforward choropleth map depicting median age range at first marriage across the United States found on Facebooks "Amazing Maps" page. You have a color comparison of it being higher or lower in age, then the actual median age presented by state. 

 I think it follows the majority of the commandments without issue, it is a specific piece of information being portrayed, and the focus is on that data. The design choices are simple yet efficient. Background information is subdued, there is not extraneous map crap nor undue symbology. Its layout is appropriate for the shape of the states, and makes use of both the labeling on the eastern side and the location of Alaska and Hawaii is fairly standard. Note that there is not an associated scale bar, nor particular graticule or grid reference lines. That is not the intent of this thematic map. But those are elements we will be incorporating into most projects that we do ourselves through the course. 

Poor Map:

Found on Facebooks "Terrible Maps" page this is a great example for violating the commandments above. 

It may be as simple as the original creator not having the time to create a finished product. It could be that the subject matter is irrelevant. After looking at the details long enough you will see the context clues that this is supposed to show you a US counties distance, in counties, from a coastline. 

I do like that this example is also a type of choropleth thematic map, and with the same big picture subject and mapped area, the United States, as the good map above. This can really highlight the differences between the good and the bad. 

This is a minimalist approach without much map crap, but the elements present are poorly executed. The legend is ineffective, lack of title and explanatory text make it difficult to comprehend at first glance. the background blends with the subject matter, and it is too difficult to be able to see how the distance calculation is made. Evaluating this map is easy in that regard. Its mostly all wrong, and the most we get out of it, is that yes the center of the country is the most counties away from a coastline. 

Ultimately, in this course, we will be applying the design principles and modern advantages of numerous software to hopefully create well-thought-out and individually designed pieces of cartographic excellence. Please enjoy the things to come.

v/r

Brandon