Module 7 - Intellectual and Visual Hierarchies

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Define intellectual hierarchy
2. Design intellectual hierarchy that supports the map's intent
3. Define visual hierarchy
4. Establish visual hierarchy that reflects the intellectual hierarchy
5. Distinguish between poor visual hierarchy and good visual hierarchy
6. Explain the figure-ground perceptual effect
7. List several ways to enhance visual hierarchies on maps

TERMS TO KNOW

• intellectual hierarchy
• visual hierarchy
• figure-ground
• design guide
• visual difference
• detail
• edges
• closure
• layering
• texture
• shape & size

READING ASSIGNMENT

Chapter 7 of your text - MakingMaps: A Visual Guide to Map Design for GIS

The author's outline for this chapter from the class he teaches using this book - Thanks for sharing Dr. Krygier!

Figure - Ground in Map Design - Wikipedia

ACTIVE LEARNING EXERCISE

Posted last week...
http://gis251.blogspot.com/2007/03/cartographic-representation-in.html

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. How would a map help us to better understand Luke Helder's two-week spree of bombings?
2. How could map scale cause us not to understand Luke Helder's bombing spree?
3. What is intellectual hierarchy?
4. How does the importance of features related to intellectual hierarchy?
5. What is visual hierarchy?
6. What is the figure-ground perceptual effect and list several ways to enhance it on maps.