Collaborative Cart

Working with others on cartographic projects is a great way to get things done quickly and efficiently. Data collection and map design can be enormous tasks on their own, so having others there to share the workload can make a project run much more smoothly. More importantly, collaborative cartography makes for a more aesthetically pleasing and organized map. Two sets of eyes are better than one, just as three sets are better than two. Every person sees and understands things differently. This being the case, map editing is improved with input from varying perspectives. Collaboration requires compromise, and because the ultimate goal is pleasing the map viewer, the final product will not doubt be the best solution to the public’s needs.

Mapping Nevada

There are countless ways to map the state of Nevada, so to narrow down my discussion, I performed a google image search for “Nevada Maps” to see what popped up first. Surprisingly, the first map to appear was a USGS map documenting major volcanic areas in Nevada. Who knew!?! The map doesn’t articulate what “major volcanic activity” is, so for all we know they are volcanoes that quit erupting eons ago.

Highway maps are the most common form of cartography the average person will encounter, so not surprisingly, most of the maps that appeared were road and highway maps. This is important because cartography is a form of discourse that shapes our perceptions of the world. More importantly, cartographic representations of the world are taken at face value for their credibility, meaning people trust maps no matter the content. Road maps, then, define how the average person mentally maps the world. Highway maps are one dimensional and lack specific imagery. They define the world in terms of transportation and rest stops, making the world seem very plain and very impersonal. The world is nothing more than a means to a destination. It ignores sense of place and other defining attributes of geographic spaces.

Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds are animated recreations of the physical world and its functions. At first thought, a virtual world may seem silly or useless, but virtual worlds have a multitude of purposes, ranging from education to recreation.

For example, many teachers use virtual worlds in the classroom to bring their students in closer contact with places and spaces. While a virtual world is not a perfect representation, it beats a one dimensional photo in a text book! Some teachers create virtual worlds for their classes, allowing students to interact in an alternate educational universe. Students may practice skills in an interactive web-based community.

In terms of recreation, virtual worlds are used in a number of video games (many multiplayer), including The Sims, World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Guild Wars. These games are enjoyed by people of all ages and provide people with a different sense of place and space. For instance, the Sims removes the player from his or her physical surroundings to control an artificial reality. Because virtual worlds are three dimensional, they are incredibly life like. In addition to video games, some virtual worlds are used by everyday people to document experiences. For instance, the blog below provides a virtual world tour of bars he visited in the UK. In this case, the virtual world is an opportunity for the blogger to provide the public with more detailed information about a particular place.

http://barblog.lastminuteliving.com/my_weblog/virtual_bars/index.html

Very Spatial Games

Spatial games are modern forms of cartography with unique benefits. Spatial games can be designed for any age group, but they all have one attribute in common: learning. Spatial games are a great way to learn where states, countries, and other geographic features are located, but they are also a wonderful way for children and young adults to develop their spatial cognizance. At any age, it is important to know where important landmarks and other places are located. Knowing this information sheds context on the world and provides for an enriched understanding of other places and cultures. Spatial games are a fun way to learn and remember locations.

Spatial cognizance is also important. Our world is growing day by day, becoming more interconnected. This being the case, it is important to grasp direction and sense of place in this ever changing world. It may not be the same a few years from now, making the ability to spatially readjust ever more important.

Below is a great spatial game for young kids:
http://www.meddybemps.com/9.600.html

Political Maps

Maps are incredibly useful tools for conveying information about a particular place or region. Complicated ideas can be reduced to generalized imagery, making difficult ideas easier for the average person to grasp. This, of course, is not without disadvantage. Maps are often employed for political ends, which in and of itself is not a bad thing. The problem is that politically charged maps are created with a clear purpose and intended message. Political maps can be used to define a particular issue or persuade the public towards a certain position. Maps are ideal for political use, because they are credible and easy to understand. By this, I mean maps are considered a legitimate source of information. Below is an example of a map with a political purpose.

This map was created by an individual interested in tracking terrorist activity. The subject matter of this map is political by itself, but clearly, the mapmaker has a political message in mind. Note the symbolization. The author is tracking Al-Qaeda and the “Axis of Evil.” This is significant, because the author singles out a terrorist organization that has history with the United States and uses George W. Bush’s threat-constructing nickname for a host of countries he considers enemies of the United States. Clearly, this map is ethnocentric in content and made in support of the “War on Terror.”

Political maps can be useful and legitimate sources of information, but it is important to be wary of politically motivated maps.

Mapping Technology

Mapping technology is a broad topic area for discussion, because it encompasses a variety of tools and software programs. For the lay map user, the first thing that comes to mind might be virtual mapping resources, like Mapquest or Google Earth. For the cartographer, other technology comes to mind. Most notably: GIS, Map Viewer, Illustrator, and mapping tools, like GPS. Rather than speaking to the merits or weaknesses of any particular type of mapping technology, I’d like to comment on what technology means for cartography. First, the growing use and development of technology for cartographic design indicates a dramatic change in how our world is portrayed. Mapmaking began with the most primitive tools and designs. There was little standardization, and accuracy was wanting. As time has progressed, cartographers have developed tools to standardize and improve accuracy. Pen and paper is certainly a thing of the past. Today, almost anyone is capable of creating a map. Mapmaking technology has simplified the cartographic process. Mapmaking technology has also improved the accessiblity and utility of maps. Maps are everywhere; classrooms, stores, the internet. Not only are maps everywhere, thanks to technology, they are interactive. Modern mapmaking technology allows the mapmaker to make maps more informative and more useful to the average user.


The interactive map above is a great example of mapping technology’s utility. The map above tracks a bike rider’s path around the Iberian Peninsula. The mapviewer can click on different points in order to learn more about that location.

3D Cartography

3D Cartography is a developing area of cartographic design that has entered the mainstream through popular software programs, like Google Earth. 3D Cartography has unique benefits that cannot be replicated via traditional cartographic design. First, 3D Cartography provides a more detailed representation of an area. Google Earth maps display the map from every angle, and more importantly, can be zoomed as far/close away as the map viewer desires. Second, 3D Cartography provides better context for the map viewer. Because Google Earth, and other software programs, use satellite imagery, the map viewer is able to see the location of a city, state, country relative to the rest of the world with greater ease and greater accuracy. Traditional cartographic maps utilize projections that provide accuracy for one area at the expense of an area. 3D Cartography eliminates this problem, because the location is being projected in its original form.

The image above is a screen capture from Google Earth’s 3D imaging database. The image is a view of Manhattan in New York City. Clearly, Google Earth, and other 3D Cartographic programs, are superior in their unique ability to create a sense of place in their imagery. This image, for instance, depicts the buildings, road systems, and water bodies of Manhattan. Being able to see these features in 3D allows the map viewer to gain a sense of what locales are like in reality.