Friday, January 23, 2009

Bad map


http://www.salemstate.edu/maps/


I think this a bad for a few reasons. One the image doesn't contain the dot items, if the second page is separated you are lost. While semi pleasant to look at there is much busy artwork to confuse or lead some astray. Lastly and maybe more importantly it has the north arrow pointing down on the paper. It can confuse the viewer in two ways: if you missed the north arrow among the pretty graphic you heading the wrong once you figure out where you are at and want to go. If you made it past that issue, most people or myself would turn the map around so north is up. Once you do that, all the text is upside down and confusion is had by all. All the work to make it pretty is lost once the map reader can't easily use the map to get around.

1 comment:

  1. Nicely done. This is what happens when the mapmaker tries to be a little too artistic...you loose functionality. Personally I like it when the north arrow points up.

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