METHOD OF CHOICE OF VARIABLES AND CARTOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION
METHODS FOR COMPLEX CARTOGRAPHIC ANIMATIONS
D. R. Dukaczewski
IGiK - Institute of Geodesy and Cartography
dariusz.dukaczewski@igik.edu.pl
After over 40 years of development, cartographic
animations have become entirely operational tool for the visualization of the
dynamics. Recently it become also possible to create complex interactive
animations, including a number of sub-animations, which allows to present more
information about the correlated dynamic processes and/or about their causes.
In author’s opinion, one of the key factors of efficiency of cartographic
animations is a proper choice of the variables at suitable levels of
measurement and on an appropriate method of cartographic presentation. Using
the results of investigations on entities-cartotrophic method and new research
on complex interactive animations properties author proposes the method of
selection of variables and cartographic presentation methods for complex
temporal animations.
To achieve this goal it was necessary to propose a new
classification of cartographic animations and classification of complex
animations, to investigate possibilities of combined usage of cartographic
presentation methods in complex animations, to analyse the possibilities of
combined usage of static variables (size, value, colour, form; grain,
orientation, transparency, and (proposed) brilliance, halo/aura) and dynamic
variables (moment, duration, frequency, order, rate of change, and (proposed)
way of transition). The result was the matrix of evaluation of the combinations of 24
main types of cartographic presentation
methods. It is possible to distinguish 191 correct combinations of methods. The
most ‘connectible’ method were: ordinary level point signatures, dot method,
ordinary level point choropleth maps, ordinary level point cartodiagrams. The
next step was to create the matrix of combinations of groups of variables and
related cartographic methods. The result was the big matrix of 127 ! / 2
rows, based on correct combinations of static and dynamic variables.
The proposed method of choice of variables and
cartographic presentation methods for complex temporal animations is based on
the definition of goals and organization of the complex
cartographic animation and their sub-animations, of choice of dynamized entities and levels of measurement, the
identification of types of changes and animations, as well as the selection and
verification of groups of combinations of variables and related methods of presentation
used in sub-animations. The method employs the results of research in
possibilities of use of variables in the creation of sub-animations. It uses
also matrices of combined usage of cartographic presentation methods, as well
as matrix of combined use of groups of methods and variables in the complex
animations.