Output: from new maps to enhanced decisions - introduction

3 important questions on Output: from new maps to enhanced decisions - introduction

Where is GIS output used for ?

to support decision making:
-environmental sciences
-transport planning
-archaeology

What are the basic elements of these maps?

  • Figurative maps: symbols.
  • Isoline maps: isolines.
  • Chorochromatic maps: classes based on a nominal scale.
  • Dasymatric maps: classes based on ordinal, interval or ratio scale.
  • Choropleth map: administrative districts.

A nominal attribute scale has a strong relation with the perception difference. By which graphical attribute(s) can this scale best be presented? And an ordinal scale?

Differences (i.e. nominal scales) are best represented by using different colors. Other options are different orientations or different symbols.


An ordinal scale has a strong relationship with the perception of order and can best be represented by grain/texture. I would also say that a colour gradient could do the job (e.g. from deep green to deep red).

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