What are the key elements of a good map?

[Faiez]

Hi!

What are the key elements of a good map and why they are important?

I knew, Title, Scale, Legend and North Arrow are some of the elements, what else?

Best,

Faiez

[RonaldHaug]

Hi Faiez,

In Cartography class we learned about essential map elements. To your list I would add the map, neatline, source credits, author name, datum and projection, relative fraction, and the date.  

Very importantly, we learned about map hierarchy, balance, unity and harmony, about where your eye goes when you look at the page, and about pulling features to the foreground so they pop and pushing them into the background so they are there but not competing for your attention.

We also learned about labeling, their placement, and label hierarchy, the three font rule, and so much more.

If you haven't taken a cartography class yet,  there is an Esri Mooc course coming up in April.

[Faiez]

Hi!

Thanks for your kind words and time. Technology has continually changed in many fields as well as in cartography to meet the demand of ArcView and Mapmakers users. I do believe that any cartography course that meets the demands of today’s cartographers generation will be useful.

Best

Faiez

[PattyLundy]

Hi,

Depending on the map, we have many people on our team who are color blind, so we try to keep colors completely different as they can tell the differences.  We also try to use slashes or dots.

Patty

[RonaldHaug]

Hi Patty,

Great point!

Color selection is another big topic in cartography class.

We visited "Color Brewer" website for color selection  https://colorbrewer2.org/#type=sequential&scheme=BuGn&n=3

and "Color blindness simulator" https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/

This is now essential as our agency requires section 508 compliance.

[MohdTowfiq]

Beside this, I would like to add up one more thing that is adding Grids/Graticules to the map would improve the map credibility...

[duworcorvah]

These elements are good for map making. 

[EricJohnson2]

Hello, Faiez.

A file path is always helpful too.

[Faiez]

Hi! 

They are all good points besides the main four elements which are title, scale, north arrow and legends, actually it depends to the purpose of creating a map. 

Best,

KF

[ODWC_GIS]

Hey Faiez!  I notice you ask these questions that would be assigned in early geography courses, eventually add an oversimplified summary as a comment, and then don't mark the question as resolved.

We're doing your homework for you, aren't we?  😢  

Could you at least let us know what our answers were marked by your instructor?