Module 2 - Typography

This week's lab assignment involved the creation of a map of Florida. The map is expected to feature various layers, including major cities, rivers, the state capital, as well as Florida's lakes and swamps. The primary goal of this assignment is to ensure accurate labeling of the map in accordance with general typographic standards, utilizing appropriate type placement for different types of features, converting labels into annotations, and ultimately designing a layout that incorporates all essential map elements.

In this lab exercise, I employed ArcGIS Pro to develop a well-structured map. I began by initiating a new project and incorporating the layers specified in the lab assignment. The initial task involved generating labels for the major cities in Florida. I applied symbology to differentiate between the two features, "County Seat" and "Populated Places," thereby establishing two distinct label classes. Each class was assigned a unique text style and size according to its ordinal value.

 

The subsequent step involved incorporating the river layer and assigning labels to it. Upon thorough review of the attribute table, it became clear that the field name RName should be utilized for labeling instead of Name, as the latter contains unnecessary additional information. Initially, it is essential to configure the label properties; otherwise, the labels will default to a setting that results in a stacked, cluttered appearance, making them difficult to read. In cartography, it is customary to use italicized text to denote water features such as rivers, lakes, and oceans, as this style visually conveys the movement of water. Additionally, blue is typically employed for these labels. Therefore, I will adjust the label properties to apply a blue effect, use italics, and select the River placement with an offset curve for positioning. Consequently, I generated annotations from these labels. The benefit of utilizing annotations lies in the fact that they are features that can be modified, unlike standard labels. I followed the same steps to create annotations for Florida swamps and marshes feature class.

 

The next step is to create a map showing Florida rivers, major cities, state capital and Florida lakes and swamps. To accomplish this task I used the layer properties definition query to show only the rivers needed in this map. I then customized the annotations by adjusting the vertices of the labels to ensure that the text aligned smoothly with the river's shape, and modified the color to correspond with the river's hue. I opted for a dark blue, bold font to enhance visibility and readability. I created a new query for the cities layer to show only the cities needed on the map. I added the state capital city layer to the map and modified the symbology from a point to a star, distinguishing it from other cities in Florida. Furthermore, I used a larger font size for the capital city's label to highlight its ordinal ranking, and I incorporated halos around the cities labels to enhance their visibility.

 

Finally, I developed a new layout and included all necessary map elements. My primary challenge was locating an appropriate basemap that lacked labels to avoid any interference with my own labeling. Unfortunately, I could not locate an available basemap that met this criterion. The only option was a grey basemap, but I desired one with more color. My only option is to customize a basemap to turn off or delete the labels. I selected the map for customization and accessed it through the Vector Tile Style Editor from ESRI. I then disabled all labels and saved the changes. Subsequently, I added the customized basemap in ArcGIS Pro, and it functioned effectively.

 

In the end, I would like to take a moment to share my experience with this lesson’s lab. Initially, I encountered an issue while creating the query for the river layer; specifically, St. Marys River appeared when it should not have. After reviewing the attribute table, I discovered that the name associated with this segment was mistakenly labeled as St. Johns River in the RName field I used for labeling. Furthermore, I utilized labeling for road centerlines at work, which had already been established by the road classes. I appreciate that this assignment guided us in creating label classes from symbology. Lastly, I was introduced to the Vector Style Tile Editor, although I had not previously used it. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to apply it in this assignment.

 

 

Module 1 - Map Critique

Our first assignment in Module 1 involved analyzing and interpreting two different maps: one that is well-designed and another that is poorly designed. The main objective of this lab is to understand and comprehend the design principles of maps, as well as to learn how to distinguish between a well-designed map and a poorly-designed one. This objective can be achieved by assessing the map's cartographic design, elements, layouts, and design concepts, and substantiating our assessment with two or three of Tufte's six principles or commandments of mapping.

Well-Designed Map

The first map I selected for the well-designed map was a map for the City of Bellevue facilities locations. The map’s main purpose is to show the locations of various facilities in the City of Bellevue, such as police stations, fire stations, community facilities, government buildings, hospitals, libraries, post offices, and schools. It is well-designed, balanced, and easy to understand, aligning with Edward Tufte's map principle that maps should present important information clearly. 

The map is made for both the citizens and visitors of Bellevue to find different facilities. The facilities are marked with distinct colors that match the symbols in the legend; for instance, schools are shown in magenta and fire stations in red. The facilities are labelled by name on the map, although addresses are not included, main roads are clearly labeled to help locate them. 

Tufte second map principle states that the purpose of maps is what drives the choice of data classification scheme. The map effectively demonstrates its purpose by using qualitative data represented through various colors and shapes. It also shows parks, categorized by different shades of green, streams in blue, and city limits in a thick dashed gray line. While there is no road symbol in the legend, road names are legibly displayed. The use of various symbols for different facilities helps recognition, and the colors chosen for parks and roads enhance the overall clarity. Areas outside the city are distinguished by a different color, making the city boundaries stand out. The map uses recognizable symbols, such as the H for hospitals and a transportation library symbol for libraries, which are easily understood. Moreover, I think that Tufte third map principle, that map labels should be effective, was implemented in this map layout.

The layout is balanced, with the map title “Bellevue Facility Locations” clearly displayed at the top. The map elements are logically arranged, and the scale bar is appropriate for the map context. Symbols, though missing for roads, are otherwise well represented in the legend, which is clearly labeled. Overall, the map is visually appealing and effectively follows cartographic design principles.

Poorly-Designed Map

The purpose of this map is to show the population of United States capitals in 1999. At first glance, the map feels overwhelming and hard to understand. It seems intended for those who want to compare the populations of capital cities, but it lacks clarity and sufficient information. It is true that maps should contain minimal unnecessary information (Tufte fourth map principle) but the map should be clear, readable, and understandable. It should contain all the elements needed to make the map complete.

Using different circle sizes to represent the populations of capital cities is a reasonable choice, but poor labeling and insufficient information make this map poorly designed. The map does not follow Tufte's first map principle, which requires all necessary information for clarity. Although circle sizes indicate population ranges, they clutter the map, making it hard to see which city each circle represents. Overlapping circles further complicate interpretation. A legend is included but is unclear and poorly labeled, not explaining what the size numbers mean or providing specific population figures. 

The layout has weak design with unused white spaces that can be utilized to add more details and supporting information. Not all necessary elements are included on the map; it is missing a scale bar, north arrow, borders, and neatlines. It is evident that Tufte's third map principle, which states that maps should be labeled effectively, is not being adhered to. The title is suitably sized but does not clarify the map's purpose, leading to an overall ineffective illustration of the city populations. This map is ultimately poorly designed.

In conclusion, a good map must successfully follows cartographic principles, ensuring clarity and usability for the map’s viewer. The use of distinct colors and symbols, along with effective labeling, enhances the map's informativeness and accessibility. 

About Me

Hello, my name is Maha! I am originally from the middle east. I have a degree in Architectural Engineering. I lived in Ohio for 19 years and then in Virginia for 5 years before moving to Florida in 2017. I started my career with the city of Columbus, Ohio working in AutoCAD mapping. I am now a GIS Analyst with the City of Tampa, transportation engineering department. Most of my experience in GIS is data editing and data analysis. Taking GIS courses will allow me to explore various functionality of GIS. I am looking forward to learn new thing. I am also interested in learning Python programming for GIS and I hope I can accomplish my goal.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0f80b133572646a0b41b2d2165b2d4b0

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