Keynote speaker, Kortdage 2008, 27-10-2008, Karel Kriz

1. Kortdage 2008
How cartographic is our society?
Department of Geography and
Regional Research
Karel Kriz
University Vienna, Austria

2. Communication Capabilities
Literacy
to posses the ability to read and write as well as to use
language proficiently.
Numeracy
comprises the capability to work with numbers and to
deal with mathematical concepts.
Articulacy
embraces the competence of being able to express
oneself fluently and coherently in a distinct, clear and
definite manner, having the power of speech.
Graphicacy
the ability to understand and use symbols, graphics,
maps, plans, in other words to communicate visually.

3. Visual Object Recognition
FINISHED FILES ARE THE
RESULT OF YEARS OF
SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

4. Visual Object Recognition

5. Visual Object Recognition
FINISHED FILES ARE THE
RESULT OF YEARS OF
SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

6. Visual Object Recognition
There are 6 F's in the sentence.
average finds 3
above average finds 4
to see 5 is rare
you are a genius to see 6
Most people forget the OFs.
The human brain tends to see them as Vs
instead of F's

7. Visual Object Recognition
Aoccdrnig to a rseearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng
is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you
can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed
ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

8. Cartography
“A picture [map] is worth a thousand words”
Cartography is like music (E. Imhof)
Single notes with specific attributes connected to
them.
These resemble the fundamentals of cartographic
depiction – the graphic variables.
Each note is aligned and combined in such a way
that the arrangement can harmonize to produce
pleasing music or disharmony.

9. Map
... can be seen as a metaphor for all products that
are produced within cartography.
... is a structured model of spatial relationships that
has the goal to transport information to the user
in order to gain extensive insight.

10. Map
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2059960,00.html

11. Map
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9905/09/kosovo.02/

15. Cartographic Communication
Universe
Cartographer User
cartographers cartogr. cartogr. users
knowledge language
MAP language knowledge

16. Initialization
Spatial Related Problem
Problem Identification
Specification, Formulization Communication
Implementation
Cartographic Knowledge Modification Action
Design
Solution
Conception Perception
Modeling
(multidimensional) Interpretation
Tools and Methods
(elementary – complex)
Interaction
Product User
Cognition

17. Cognitive (over)load
Cognitive Load
refers to the load on working memory during
problem solving, thinking and reasoning
Magical Number Seven plus or minus Two
Retention of discrete units of information
before information loss occurs
Chunks and Chunking
Structures that can be used as units of
perception and meaning
Strategy for efficient use of Chunks

18. Cognitive (over)load
431427748641

19. Cognitive (over)load

20. Cognitive (over)load
43 1 4277 486 41

21. Cognitive (over)load

24. Law of Prägnanz
Tendency to perceive a set of individual elements as
a single, recognizable pattern
“Everything should be made as simple as possible,
but not simpler” – Albert Einstein
“Make all visual distinctions as subtle as possible, but
still clear and effective” – Edward Tufte

25. Ockham‘s Razor
Simplicity is preferred to complexity
Simple and efficient

26. Turn an error into an opportunity, into a good
feeling

27. Cognitive (over)load in Cartography

29. Cartographic Artifacts - Structure
Topographic Orientation
Every map has at least one layer that contains
information for orientation.
This topographic-orientation layer serves as a base for
locating the thematic information in a spatial context.
Thematic Information
It can vary from a very simple depiction all the way to a
multi-dimensional complex base map.
Objects can be grouped together to create “chunks”
that help structure and organize the overall cartographic
representation.

36. Goals and Outlook
Enhancing methods of spatial information by
means of cartographic communication
Know-how transfer and collaboration with
neighboring disciplines
Application development and implementation
Sustainable scientific progress within
cartographic visualization and geo-
communication

37. Kortdage 2008
How cartographic is our society?
Department of Geography and
Regional Research
Karel Kriz
University Vienna, Austria