Map Design and Map Composition

Question 1

6 steps of the map design process

Answer 1

Problem Identification
Planning/Preliminary Ideas
Design Refinement
Data Analysis
Presentation (Layout)
Production/Implementation

Question 2

Map Composition

Answer 2

The arrangement of the map’s elements

Question 3

2 major factors in visual balance

Answer 3

Visual Weight
Visual Direction

Question 4

Visual Weight

Answer 4

Visual weight is heavily tied to symmetry and balance in design
Geometric center vs optical center

Question 5

5 ways to increase the visual weight of an object

Answer 5

Different color
Isolation - Move it away from other objects
Make it look different or more complex
Convergence - Point to it
Make it bigger
Value - tone and contrast

Question 6

Intraparallelism

Answer 6

Internal organization
Aligning elements with each other to simplify design, reducing tension in perception

Question 7

Contrast generally

Answer 7

…leads to perceptual differentiation
Useful in figure-ground distinction

Question 8

Interposition

Answer 8

perceptual tendency for one object to appear behind another

Question 9

Visual Acuity

Answer 9

A measure of the size threshold. Determine ones ability to see & discriminate between small objects or symbols

Question 10

Resolution Acuity

Answer 10

A measure of detectable separation between objects. Ability of the human eye to differentiate fine details

Question 11

7 ways to enhance figure-ground seperation

Answer 11

closed form
color value
land-water differentiation
variation of detail
familiarity
interposition
line & texture contrast

Question 12

3 big elements of map composition

Answer 12

Balance
Focus attention
Intraparallelism (internal organization)