Type Size Selection in Map Design, a User-Preference Approach

Abstract

Map design is a complicated process that is often the key element in the successful communication of geographic ideas and patterns between the cartographer and the map user. When designing maps, cartographers often depend on existing conventions and intuition. Success in communication thus depends on the designer's experience and ability to visualize and control the characteristics of graphical symbols. There are few available guidelines pertaining to the design of maps. This study explores the possibility of establishing design guidelines with the express goal of helping cartographers in the design phase of map making. Specifically, it deals with the selection of type sizes and the association of type sizes to other kinds of cartographic symbols. The approach chosen for this attempt of establishing design guidelines is that of surveying map users' preference, or a user-preference approach. Related to these guidelines are several important issues in cartographic research, namely the problems of map complexity, the language of maps, the experience of the designer, and some methodological parameters in psychophysical experiments. The experiment established type selection design guidelines based on map users' preferences while simultaneously addressing some aspects of the above issues in cartographic research. The results indicated that there is a mean and a range of preferred type sizes associated with any dot symbol, line symbol and area. Results also indicated variations in preferred type sizes due to map complexity and other factors. Comparisons were also made between the map users' preferences and the map maker's preferences. These results, or guidelines, were documented for reference.