From metaphor to method: cartographic perspectives on information visualization

By virtue of their spatio-cognitive abilities, humans are able to navigate through geographic space as well as meaningfully communicate geographic information represented in cartographic form. The current dominance of spatial metaphors in information visualization research is the result of the realization that those cognitive skills also have value in the exploration and analysis of non-geographic information. While mapping or landscape metaphors are routinely used in this field, there is a noticeable lack of consideration for existing cartographic expertise. This is especially apparent whenever problematic issues are encountered, such as graphic complexity or feature labeling. There are a number of areas in which a cartographic outlook could provide a valuable perspective. This paper discusses how geographic and cartographic notions may influence the design of visualizations for textual information spaces. Map projections, generalization, feature labeling and map design issues are discussed.