Map Research

Maps are a fundamental part of our society, and they perform a multitude of different tasks, from directions for motorists, to touristic points of interest and everything in between.

The map in a traditional sense, is a physical drawn (or later printed) sheet depicting an area and its infrastructure. However, as technology has advanced, the map has evolved into many interactive and digital formats. Most commonly seen in apps such as Google Maps and other similar outlets.

Printed maps especially, tend to harbour the most in-depth detail as they can only be drawn once. However this can sometimes make it hard to find what, or where, you are looking for. As things have progressed, and the aforementioned digital maps have come to light, the information can be condensed and interactive. For example, at different zoom levels it is possible to have more or less information, streamlining it dependant on level of zoom. With these, prioritisation is not necessarily a concern, unlike on printed maps where a choice has to be made as to how much or little information to display.

Road maps tend to focus on roads and street/location names, for obvious reasons. However other, more simple printed maps can feature in things like tourist guides or holiday brochures, and can simplify the format in order to highlight the most important features of the selected land mass.

To increase understanding of maps (as they are usually used when someone is in an area unknown to them) colour coding or keys are often featured. Most notable examples of this are on public transport maps (London Underground for example) where the different routes are given their own colours, this helps to streamline the information to the viewer whilst minimising any confusion.

In summary, the evolution of maps has been a blessing for viewers, and confusion can now be a thing of the past due to the interactive nature of today’s digital world.