A map is an abstract recording of reality that communicates information about our surroundings and the relationships between the elements in our surroundings. Its navigation properties help us find our way efficiently. In its traditional paper format, a map ranks with a book in its ability to capture knowledge in a compact and portable way. A map is also similar to paper money in its ability to capture value to convey property and ownership
A map is a powerful tool, and the age of digital representation of map data coupled with handheld navigation and tracking devices, add a geographic dimension to everything we do as we transact with our physical world.
Reference and Treasure
As an avid reader, maps that accompany books have been a fascination of mine since childhood. Whether the map is of real or imagined places, the use of maps by authors to convey a deeper understanding of places provides an alternative means of imagining. As books capture us and convey a story line, maps of the stories allow us to do our own rambling and imagining of place with reference points that bring greater meaning to the story.
Maps provide a critical function as reference works to understand news and stories. Putting information into geographic context helps relate information to our own experience and places us much closer to the action.
Maps that were created in the past are significant treasures both for their artistic merit and for their view into the thought and understanding of our ancestors. Maps provide a fascinating view of history and cultural and physical development. We can compare the perceived reality of the past with our own present knowledge to gain a greater understanding of historical time.
The Digital Map Difference
Geographic information systems gave us the ability to layer details, transform map information and switch seamlessly between different presentations of mapped data to obtain the greatest insight. GIS turned the map from a communication tool into a decision making device.
The ability to view a number of different spatial information inputs onto a local view has allowed us to analyze and better understand our surroundings. The map database combines our spatial information such as weather, wildlife, natural resource, demographics, navigation, etc.
The ability to reference and relate information from myriad inputs adds much greater power to the information rather than the presentation of the information. Knowing that we can review mapped information, update it quickly and easily and present it in the ways of our choosing, puts less emphasis on the creation of a map product.
Maps Are Increasingly Active
As technology has advanced it has increased our ability to travel more quickly, view from higher vantage points, and capture and display map information more accurately and completely. The incorporation of tracking and sensing technologies give life to maps and provide a living view that
A recent talk that I attended discussed the word “building†as both a noun and a verb. The word “map†is both a noun and a verb much in the same way. As a noun, a map is a physical representation and presentation. As a verb the spatial data is obtained through the act of mapping. Increasingly our maps are created and obtained with less human involvement as sensors and other actors create input that can be mapped for an informational map dashboard in close to real time.
As technologies advance, the verb of mapping will likely become more collaborative and much less static. Maps that are constantly in a state of update will communicate increasing amounts of information in channels that are specific to the user’s purpose.
Geographic exploration systems have given us a new means to display and view our geographic information. These products and other technical developments have provided a surge of interest in mapping and map data. A widening audience is becoming interested in viewing maps and map data and creating their own maps and adding their input to map data.
Virtual Realities
There are a number of advancements that allow us to display our map data in a more realistic fashion. The surge of three dimensional representations provides better context for information and allows us to view and visit areas virtually prior to actual travel.
The ability to map accurately and completely is on a continuing upward spiral. We now have the ability to collect and represent our data in three dimensions with increasing accuracy. We’ll start to unlock more meaning from our mapped data as this realism reveals details about the relationships within our physical world.
References
Harley, J.B. 1989. Deconstructing the Map . Cartographica 26(2), pp. 1-20.
Read Jeff Thurston’s take on this topic here.
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