Lecture 07:

Map Layout
Prof. Sr. Dr. Mohd Razali bin Mahmud
& Dr. Aimi binti Musa

Credit Photo: Endeavormd, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes

1) Describe the process of designing map layouts.

2) Explain the principles in map design.
3) Describe how to evaluate a map.

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 Lecture Outline
Lecture Outline

▪ What is Map Layout?

▪ Map Design
▪ Principle in Map Design
▪ Map Critiques

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 What is map layout?
What is map layout?

▪ The gathering of the various elements of a map into

a single whole, including the map itself, its legend,
title, scale bars, and other map elements.
▪ Also called as map composition or (cartographic)
page layout.
▪ Determines the aesthetic quality of a map.
▪ Involves the map design process.

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 What to Include in the Map Layout?
Map Layout

Map Elements..

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 Elements of Map

▪ Elements that may be included: neat line, map

body, graticule, insets, title, legend, label, scale,
Map Layout

north arrow, source of data, map projection,

generalization, author, date, border, grid, graphs
etc.
▪ However, not all map elements are required for
every map.
▪ P/S: Please refer Prof. Razali’s Lecture 05.

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 Design Layouts

▪ When designing the map layout, always consider

Map Design

your map design first.

▪ Do not be afraid to start over from scratch if your
first map design is not working. Why?
▪ Because cartography is a creative process that
often requires multiple iterations of design.

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 Design Layouts (cont.)

▪ Once the map design is created, evaluate the map

Map Design

critically.
▪ What to evaluate?
a) Is it suited the user’s need?
b) Not overly complicated or too simplistic
c) Make sure included all the relevant information the user need
d) Map should be easy to use
e) An ACCURATE representation of reality

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 Design Layouts (cont.)

▪ The language of the map should relate to the

Map Design

elements represented.
▪ Map design should be clear, legible and attractive.
How to identify this? – expert, colleagues, friends
▪ Always remember, map must be useful to the user.

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 Principles of Map Design

▪ Five of the main design principles are;

Map Design

a) Legibility
b) Visual contrast
c) Figure-ground
d) Hierarchical organization, and
e) Balance

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 Principles of Map Design:
a) LEGIBILITY
▪ “The ability to be seen and
understood”
Map Design

▪ It depends on good decision-making

for selecting symbols that are
familiar and choosing appropriate
size.
▪ For example, geometric symbols are
easier to read at smaller sizes; more
complex symbols needs larger sizes

Credit: https://www.esri.com

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 Principles of Map Design:
b) VISUAL CONSTRAST
▪ Relates to how map features and
page elements contrast with each
Map Design

other and their background.

▪ The higher the contrast between
features, the more something will
stand out, usually the feature that is
darker or brighter.
▪ A map that has low visual contrast
can be used to promote a more

Credit: https://www.esri.com
subtle impression.
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 Principles of Map Design:
c) FIGURE-GROUND

▪ The spontaneous separation of the

Map Design

figure in the foreground from an

“amorphous” background.
▪ This will help map users/readers find
the area of the map or page to focus
on.
▪ For example, using a closed forms
(A), white wash (B), a drop shadow
(C), or feathering (D).
Credit: https://www.esri.com

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 Principles of Map Design:
d) HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATION

▪ One of the major objective in map making is “separate meaningful

characteristics and to portray likenesses, differences, and
Map Design

interrelationships” – (Robinson, et al,. 1995, p. 327)

▪ Think of a hierarchy as the visual separation of your map into
layers of information.
▪ Some types of features will be seen as more important than other
kinds of features, and some features will seem more important
than other features of the same type.

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 Principles of Map Design:
e) BALANCE

▪ Involves the organization of the map and other

Map Layout

elements on the page.

▪ A well-balanced map page results in an impression of
equilibrium and harmony.

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 Principles of Map Design:
e) BALANCE
Map Layout

Which of the top six maps

seems most balanced?

Credit: https://www.esri.com 16
 Principles of Map Design:
e) BALANCE
▪ (F) has visual equilibrium, usually
achieved by placing the central
Map Layout

figure slightly above center on

the page.
▪ However, the addition of page
elements, such as the title and
legend, will modify the visual
impression, so all content on the
page should be evaluated
together to judge balance.
Credit: https://www.esri.com 17
 Example of
Map Critiques
Map Layout

Critically evaluate
this map by
considering the
map elements in
map making…

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 Example of Map Critiques

▪ Map title: The title is fairly vague

▪ North arrow: Maybe too large for this map?
Map Layout

▪ Author and data source: Text too large- font size

▪ Scale bars: instead of 0-32, why not 0-30?
▪ What else..? Identify..

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Map Layout

Credit: https://alg.manifoldapp.org
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 THANK YOU

In the Name of God for Mankind

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