Lab #7: Color and Symbol Experiments

Week 6: Typography Lab

Week 4: Elements of Design & Graphic Properties of Maps

-Maps by Elizabeth Packer, text courtesy of Wikipedia.

Week 3: Photosynth and Citizens as Sensors

 

            In theory, anyone with Windows and an internet connection can now look inside my living room. For this week’s assignment, I created a photosynth of my apartment (I had considered taking photos in the sculpture garden, but the torrential downpour was too big of a deterrent), which is now publicly available online—my personal contribution to the world of volunteered geographic information (VGI). While the 3D recreation of my living space is now part of the public domain, which raises issues of privacy and what people should be able to access online, I chose to not to include its broader context or actual geographic coordinates, so even if a stranger were to view it, they would have no idea where the room is located. In that aspect, my Photosynth does not fulfill the function of a map, as it provides no real geographic information. However, as Goodchild’s reading discusses, my Photosynth can be used to share personal information, as I employed imagery and the site’s mapping technology to create connections across space (Mom and Dad, now you can see where I live!).

            Exploring the world of Photosynth, which is heavy on synths of statues, historic squares and parks, I saw the most potential for tourism and travel guides, applications which Goodchild mentions in his article. Rather than buy a guidebook that may be a few years old, people can now turn to things like Photosynth to view sites in 3D and plan their travels using maps from GoogleEarth and by consulting Wikimaps. In these examples, the geographic information supplied by people highlights the role of ‘citizens as sensors,’ a concept that Goodchild explores. These images and maps are created by people attempting to show their corner of their world, or to showcase places they have visited and the sights they have seen. While Goodchild focuses on self-promotion as the main motivating force behind VGI, I do think that there is a certain altruism inherent to the creation of free, easily accessible maps. I like to think, and while this may seem naïve and a shade idealistic, that it is the desires to share where we have been, to explain our world by labeling the geographic features of our neighborhoods and to use images to capture the places important to us—that it is these human tendencies behind the proliferation of VGI as mapping technologies become increasingly available for the everyday internet user.

            That being said, VGI does have its pitfalls. When there are no standards, regulations or strict methods for verifying accuracy, people should exercise caution when relying on user generated maps and images. There is potential for deliberate misrepresentations, even the option that people might exploit VGI for malicious purposes, such as the planning of terrorist attacks. But I also think that realistically, errors in VGI are most likely unintentional. In the article, Goodchild mentions an inaccuracy in GoogleEarth’s satellite imagery of Santa Barbara to illustrate the room for mistakes in the world of VGI. While this misrepresentation is an error, it does not have real negative implications for most users. At the same time, it does show the potential for a general decline in mapping accuracy, as mapping technologies advance and more people participate in adding content to the realm of VGI. In the coming years it will therefore be interesting to see how VGI continues to evolve, what new applications users will find for mapping technologies and if regulations and quality filters emerge to govern the accuracy maps and imagery posted to the internet. 

Lab 2: Election 2008 Results

Above is my recreation of the map. Below is the original version published by the New York Times.

A Critique of the New York Times Map:

Overall, I think the map is a good one. I enjoyed the interactive features on the website, where you could compare electoral results from past elections. That being said, there is area for improvement. For one thing, the Times' labeling is inconsistent, which is visually unpleasant. Some states have their whole name, others have initials in all capital letters and most of the upper East coast is unlabeled. I think that each state should simply be identified by its two letter abbreviation for consistency's sake. Also, the map key is unneeded at this point in time, since the map shows final returns. Therefore the legend seems redundant to me. An additional way to improve the map would be to show the popular vote by county level, and use a gradation of colors rather than just red and blue. This would provide the viewer with a more nuanced view of how people voted, and overall create a more informative map.

Week 1: Census Lab and Good vs. Bad Maps

Maps based on U.S. 2000 Census Data

(click on maps for larger image)

What makes a map good? Comparing two maps of Madagascar


I think this is an example of a good map. It contains the elements necessary for a viewer to interpret and understand the map. There is a legend identifying the country's main cities, province boundaries and rail and road locations. Outside features like the Indian Ocean and Mozambique Channel are marked, and longitude and latitude locations are labeled, which makes it easy to put the map into context. There is also a map title and scale, which are additional elements that make this map a good one. Map accessed from: http://madagascar-gems.com/images/madagascar-map-big.jpg.






I think this is an example of a bad map. There is no scale and while the island's rivers are included, none are labeled. Additionally, since the entire country is in one color, it does not really convey any useful information and the legend seems unnecessary. The efficacy of this map would be improved with a graduated scale in color, to let people know where the highest risk malarial zones are located. I also thought that the shape of the island seems distorted, so that the overall impression from this map is that of a graphic, and not an informative map. Map accessed from: http://www.malariamaps.hps.scot.nhs.uk/

images/malariamaps/madagascar/madagascar.gif.

-Elizabeth Packer