Abstract
This article provides a review of the current state of science regarding cartographic interaction, a complement to the traditional focus within cartography on cartographic representation. Cartographic interaction is defined as the dialog between a human and map, mediated through a computing device, and is essential to the research into interactive cartography, geovisualization, and geovisual analytics. The review is structured around six fundamental questions facing a science of cartographic interaction: (1) what is cartographic interaction (e.g., digital versus analog interactions, interaction versus interfaces, stages of interaction, interactive maps versus mapping systems versus map mash-ups); (2) why provide cartographic interaction (e.g., visual thinking, geographic insight, the stages of science, the cartographic problematic); (3) when should cartographic interaction be provided (e.g., static versus interactive maps, interface complexity, the productivity paradox, flexibility versus constraint, work versus enabling interactions); (4) who should be provided with cartographic interaction (e.g., user-centered design, user ability, expertise, and motivation, adaptive cartography and geocollaboration); (5) where should cartographic interaction be provided (e.g., input capabilities, bandwidth and processing power, display capabilities, mobile mapping and location-based services); and (6) how should cartographic interaction be provided (e.g., interaction primitives, objective-based versus operator-based versus operand-based taxonomies, interface styles, interface design)? The article concludes with a summary of research questions facing cartographic interaction and offers an outlook for cartography as a field of study moving forward.
Highlights
Cartography commonly is defined as the art and science of mapmaking and map use
This article provides a review of the current state of science regarding cartographic interaction
The content is organized into six key themes, each presented as a fundamental question facing the science of cartographic interaction
Summary
Cartography commonly is defined as the art and science of mapmaking and map use. stemming from artisan roots, cartography emerged as a legitimate scientific discipline following the Second World War in the wake of growing interest in empirical map design research and, more broadly, the quantitative revolution within geography. The guiding philosophy during what Robinson [230] called the “Golden Era of Cartography” was functional design, or the scientific generation of cartographic design guidelines based upon the perceptual and cognitive limits of the intended map user This approach to cartographic research gave rise to the communication model, which describes the map as a conduit through which a message can be passed from the mapmaker to the map user [19, 144, 231]. I argue that cartographic science must expand its reach to provide actionable knowledge about and practical guidelines for the design and use of this new generation of interactive maps. Communication model cartographic representation mapmaking map use critical cartography cartographic interaction interactive cartography geovisualization geovisual analytics
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