Good Map vs. Bad Map

Map design is an important part of the cartographic process; it can make or break the clarity or purpose of the proposed map. Good map design requires a cartographer to consider every aspect of map construction in order to achieve a product that is legible and appealing. In order to achieve this goal, there are certain elements that should always be kept in mind during the design process. First, good map design requires organization. A map that is unorganized is difficult to read and can affect the perceived meaning of the map. Organization also lends to a map’s aesthetic value, which is a primary aim in map design.

Map design also requires balance. A good map should utilize space in the best way possible, meaning that there should be little or no dead space and the map should not appear top heavy. Another important aspect of map design is clarity. The information on a map should not be obscured by its design; its purpose should be obvious to the average map viewer. To this end, the cartographer should always be wary of content, and more importantly, how it is transmitted through the map. Too much content can make a map confusing or complex. A map is intended to generalize, making simplicity an important goal in the design process. In terms of content, a map should also contain basic map elements, like a North arrow, a scale, a title, and a source statement. These are traditional marks of the trade and lend to a map’s overall credibility. Color and text usage are also significant in the design process. Traditional color schemes should be observed in order to avoid confusion (i.e. water is blue, forests are green), and excessive use of dark colors should be avoided. Map text should be limited to two or three fonts. More fonts than this can be distracting to the map viewer. Text should also utilize a logical hierarchy in order to indicate objects of importance.

Below is an example of “good” map design.



The map above abides by the basic elements of map design. It is both organized and balanced. The content flows from left to right, making its order easy for the audience to understand. The map design does not have excessive dead space or appear top heavy. Instead the weight of the larger image on the right is balanced by the three images on the left. The map’s intended purpose is also quite clear. The title is in a central location and written in a large font to indicate its importance. The map also utilizes a good range of colors. It uses a graduated color scheme in order convey percentage changes in the neighborhood. It uses black for high numbers, and lighter colors for lower numbers. This is a good map design strategy, because the meaning of light and dark colors is intuitive to the average map viewer.

The map on the left exemplifies poor map design. Not only is the map geographically inaccurate, it lacks a title specifying that the map is of the state of Nevada. It is missing essential map elements, like a North arrow, a key, and a title. The colors in this map are unappealing, and while it is safe to assume that the green areas represent forest areas or national parks, the map does not have a legend to verify that fact. The organization of this map is poor, in that, the map consumes the entire page, giving it an unprofessional quality.