It’s been quiet on the blog this week as it’s nose-to-the-grindstone here, and for the next 5 weeks. I’m putting the finishing touches on the manuscript for the 2nd edition of GIS Cartography: A Guide to Effective Map Design. Not the finishing, finishing, finishing touches yet. Just the first stage of the finishing touches. Anyone who’s ever authored anything, you know what I mean.

We’re thinking about changing the title to “Geospatial Cartography: A Guide to Effective Map Design”. Better, but long.

A shout-out to our mapping colleagues doing great work to support the emergency efforts during the Front Range (Fort Collins, Boulder, Lafayette, Greeley, Longmont, Loveland, Johnstown, etc.) flooding and keeping us updated with their tweets. This isn’t everyone, I’m sure, so let me know who I’ve missed and I’ll add to the list.

Jacob Mundt, GIS Coordinator, Weld County
Jill M Terlaak, GIS Coordinator, City of Greeley
Brian Sullivan, Municipal GIS Manager, City of Greeley
Brendan Heberton, brendansweather.com
Royce Simpson, GIS Application Developer, Larimer County
Kelly (@GreeleyGeek)
David H (@dvdhns)
Rich Ruh (@RichRuh)
Brian Sullivan (@Taliesn)
@COsmitty

MAPS
Colorado Flood Threat Portal
2013 Boulder Floods Crisis Map
Boulder County Road Closures
Jefferson County Flood Map
Three Day Rainfall Totals

I’m currently writing a chapter on projections to be published in an upcoming book. I’m seeking submittals of maps for potential inclusion but WITH THE CATCH that you have to tell me how you went about choosing the projection for the map. This is to teach people how we cartographers pick a suitable projection based on the following variables: map purpose (which informs the distortion in area, angle, distance, and direction that we are willing to compromise on), scale, directionality (east-west, north-south), map user familiarity with the projection, and location (poles vs. equator for example).

Not all of these aspects need to be addressed in your particular choice of projection, but at least a few do need to have been involved in your decision. The map will probably be published as well, so it has to be non-copyrighted. The map will be published in a very small format, maybe as small as 3″ by 3″ so it need not be detailed or it may be just a piece of the map. I’ll be considering anywhere from 1 to 4 maps and their associated narratives for the book. You don’t have to do the writing, I’ll do that part as long as you can at least list out your decision making process.

Please use the “Contact” link in the right sidebar to email me with inquiries. Thank you!

Thanks OpenGeo for including me on the list of top 25 influencers in geo! A great group to be a part of. I can’t wait to see your next list on the top 25 emerging influencers.

Check out who else made the list here:

The Top 100 Geospatial Influencers

It’s interesting that Amanda got placed #1 and myself #2. Amanda was the person who initially got me started on twitter, helping me to figure out who to follow. I remember the conversation took place as we sat in the back of the room during a conference. I think it was the Washington URISA conference, probably 2009, in Seattle or Bellevue. Never underestimate the value of a good conference!

Work was fantastically busy this week and consequently my blogging was non-existent. If you’ve been busy too, perhaps a little summary of the Week In Maps might be in order for you too:

• This morning Hugo Ahlenius posted a map of African terrestrial ecosystems and a link to the data behind the map, which was apparently put together by “37 experts from 18 countries”. Amazing.
• My geojoke for the week: One ArcMap polygon said to another, “you auto-complete me”. This came to me after several hours of polygon auto-completing for a Colorado neighborhoods project.
• The people I follow on twitter are some of the nicest souls around. After tweeting a picture of the amazing Colorado blue sky two wonderful twitter folk, @jonahadkins and @JohnNelsonIDV, immediately sent some matching hex colors.
• The Guardian published every person in England and Wales on a map.
• Speaking of The Guardian, but having nothing to do with maps, you’ll be surprised to hear that I know all about the founder of Radio Flyer if you read the comments to this bit that I was a featured expert in. …(there were other much more knowledgeable experts than I) at The Guardian’s Live Q&A Reinvesting in Your Business that I took part in last November.
• The Center for Biological Diversity uses maps for a cause in their America’s Dangerous Pipelines video. I’m not thrilled with the pie charts that come later in the article though. See Stephen Few’s seminal Save the Pies for Dessert (pdf).

The winners of the 2013 Esri User Conference map gallery contest are showcased here. It’s definitely a good place look for some inspiration. Looking at the categories alone reveals how many types of maps exist today:

• Analytic
• Series or atlas – in-house
• Series or atlas – press
• Single map – in-house
• Single map – press
• Single map small format
• Data integration (infographic)
• Software integration
• Student
• Unique
• Instructional