The Complexity of Map-Making for Large-Scale Community Redevelopment

A big part of my job responsibility is to make maps to facilitate my boss to make complex decisions on community redevelopment strategies. Each time, when a new "fork" of decision point or a new layer of information appears, my job is to visualize it. What is on my mind is always about how to vividly present all the information in a concise manner, highlighting the main point while also trying to be thought provoking. Call me over-thinking, over-analyzing or unrealistic - Yes, I want my maps to do it all.

My have benefited from the workflow that I have developed overtime.

Step 1: Use ArcMap to analyze the raw data, and do the basic graphics without trying too hard to make it pretty (for example, not make any layer transparent, which not only makes the file size smaller, but also insures the maximized compatibility with the next step through the usage of vector images). Export to PDF.

Step1: Analyze raw data in ArcMap and complete basic graphic composition.

Step 2: Bring the PDF into Adobe Illustrator and focus on improving the graphics, for the purpose of not just making it pretty, but also better presenting data through several dimensions of visualization: colorization, lightweight, transparency, and text (including spell-check), etc. 

Step 2: Go deep in data visualization in graphic programs, such as Adobe Illustrator. 

 I am working on a map right now, which is not a brand new project, but rather it is a project/product builds upon past thoughts with new ideas. It is a challenge, because these are the things that I concern myself with,

1. Purpose: Every map is a presentation. My ultimate goal is to tell a story (to the general audience) and to provoke further thoughts (of my boss, an intelligent decision maker).

2. Data content: For this particular project/product, I am supposed to show the community development pattern in the past (through density analysis in ArcMap Spatial Analyst), the current conditions (through zone identification) and future marketing strategies (through zone visualization and narratives).

3. Data presentation: For this project/product, I am confronted with the challenge of presenting the "changes" as well as the "continuity" between the past and future. In my mind, the way to go is through delicate usage of several dimensions of data presentation, i.e. the cooperation between text, graphics and white space. I would love to have animation as another dimension of visualization, but in the end these maps will need to be printed. So I will have to stick with static approaches.

4. Audience: I perceive a working map serves dual purposes. The first is to serve the decision maker by reflecting his vision and possibly inspire new thoughts, and the second is to always keep the general audience in mind by maintaining the integrity of a good map product.

After I wrote about everything, I realized that all four of my concerns are interrelated, and I came up with this graphic to show what I mean.

The interrelation between purpose, data content and presentation, and audience.

After all, map-making is a task requires logical as well as creative problem solving skills. I need to get back to my task for this project. I hope I can achieve what I hope to do. Wish me luck!