tirsdag den 6. april 2010

Maps In Modern Web Design: Showcase and Examples



En informativ og oplysende samling af sites, teknikker og anvendelser af kort ... på nettet ... Kort set fra et design og information/visualiserings synspunkt ...
/Sik



A very good compilation of sites, techniques and ways of map usage ... on the web ... Maps seen from a design and information/visualization angle ...
/Sik


Quote


Geo-location was a hot topic in 2009. With so many applications on GPS-enabled smartphones, more maps than ever were accessible to the average person. But how can Web designers and developers take advantage of an increasingly location-aware user base? This article explores existing trends, conventions and the possible future of interactive maps online.
[Offtopic: By the way, did you know that Smashing Magazine has a mobile version? Try it out if you have an iPhone, Blackberry or another capable device.]

The Fundamentals Of Online Maps

When most people think of maps on the Internet, Google, MapQuest and TomTom might come to mind. These are the giants in the industry, but they are far from the most creative. These companies provide maps as a service. As you’ll see from the mapping applications featured throughout this article, Google doesn’t own the market. There is still plenty of room for creative map innovation.
This isn’t a lesson in cartography, but understanding the purposes that maps can serve in modern Web design is important. Three main areas seem to represent the majority of tasks:
  1. Navigation and directions,
  2. Show relationships and trends geographically,
  3. Show points of interest.

Interactive Maps

The expansion of Web technology over the past decade has opened a number of doors to presenting data online. One of the most rapidly improving tools for interactive presentation is the map.
Interactive maps on the Internet present data most effectively when they invite action from the user. Showing relationships between data is easier when the user has the power to change the visuals. These are advantages that traditional print maps do not have. If a print map is not clear initially, a person can do very little to make sense of it. With online interactive maps, the simple action of moving sliders around reveals relationships between data and content.
Panning and zooming are fundamental to the interactive map. These actions enable the user to focus their browser on the amount of information that they’re comfortable with. [...]
Election-2008-county-map in Maps In Modern Web Design: Showcase and Examples



Google-maps-zoom in Maps In Modern Web Design: Showcase and Examples

Read more: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/04/06/maps-in-modern-web-design/

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