A quick post about an issue that crops up from time to time: do we compartmentalize map design concepts into Digital Map Design and Paper Map Design? And if we don’t, doesn’t this mean that we are really writing about Paper Map Design, and that therefore we are completely forgetting about that whole world of map design that exists in the digital realm and are, basically, irrelevant to today’s technology and its specialized needs?
No.
The fundamentals of good design don’t change. Sure, we could add in specifics to web design that are different from print design, but in the end we are still left with the basic goals:
- Make it readable
- Make it usable
- Put in lots of information for an audience that wants to scrutinize heavily
- Put in very little information for an audience that just wants a quick visual
- Aim for seamless-drop the little boxes around everything
- Spend a lot of time tweaking colors for hue-harmony
- If there is a focal point, make sure it stands out (yes, even web maps have some tricks for doing this)
*Including paper as a “device” too
#1 by @kennethfield on July 7, 2012 - 9:21 am
Good design is good design regardless of the device http://t.co/uMU3JttY @PetersonGIS hits the map design nail on the head