M3 Lab: Cartographic Design

 

Introduction & Overview

This week's lab assignment involved creating a map of public schools in Ward 7, Washington D.C., using Gestalt's Principles. We needed to use design principles that not only help convey information but do so in an immediately intuitive way to the viewer. This involves careful consideration of color, contrast, figure-ground distinction, map space and scale, and selective inclusion and exclusion in our cartographic design. 

Applying Gestalt’s Principles

  • Visual Hierarchy: Use symbol sizes and colors to differentiate between school levels, ensuring that the most important features catch the viewer’s attention first.
  • Contrast: Choose a color palette that allows features to stand out while maintaining a coherent overall design. Avoid too many contrasting colors, which can clutter the visual field and detract from the map's legibility.
  • Figure-Ground: Make Ward 7 the focal point by using a lighter color than the surrounding areas. This will draw the viewer’s eyes directly to the area of interest.
  • Balance: Ensure that the map feels stable and anchored by evenly distributing the visual weight of map elements such as the title, legend, scale bar, and inset map.

Design Considerations

  • Color: Use ColorBrewer to select a color scheme that brings attention to schools while subduing base data. Environmental features should be symbolized intuitively.
  • Contrast: Create a subtle contrast between Ward 7's roads and background to show connectivity without overpowering the main features.
  • Figure-Ground Distinction: Lighten Ward 7 to ensure it stands out as the area of interest against a background of a similar hue.
  • Map Space and Scale: Zoom in on Ward 7 so that it occupies most of the map space, indicating its importance.
  • Selective Inclusion and Exclusion: Include detailed information within Ward 7 while using less detail for the surrounding D.C. area to keep the focus localized.
  • Inset Maps and Extent Indicators: Use the inset map for geographic reference with major transportation arteries and consistent coloring to avoid confusion.

Creating the Map in ArcGIS Pro

With the guidelines set, the map creation begins by:
  1. Adjusting symbology to differentiate school types.
  2. Choosing appropriate symbols for schools that are clear and distinguishable at a glance.
  3. Creating a Locator Inset Map for Ward 7 with all essential map elements included.
  4. Labeling one neighborhood for each cluster within Ward 7 and manually labeling the Anacostia River.

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