In the first example, you're setting the document's active view to the map you got from the document's maps collection. In other words, you're changing the map referenced by the document from one map (or page layout) to another. The second example doesn't work because it doesn't make any logical sense. You're getting the map in the same way but instead of using it to set the document's active view you're QI'ing from IMap to IActiveView and changing the focus map reference. The IActiveView reference you're working with is the map you got from the maps collection. Changing any of its properties is not going to affect the document because there is no relationship between the document and that map. You get the error because the action you're taking isn't implemented. In this scenario the IActiveView reference is a map. Changing the focus map of a map to another map doesn't make sense.