Web Cartography
Definition
Web cartography is the design and delivery of maps over the internet, emphasizing interactivity, performance, accessibility, and evolving data. It blends cartographic principles with web engineering: vector tiles, responsive design, progressive disclosure, and device-agnostic controls. Good web maps consider context, task, and audience, with clear legends, keyboard navigation, and graceful degradation offline.
Application
Civic dashboards, disaster portals, travel apps, and media stories rely on web cartography to communicate quickly to broad audiences on any device.
FAQ
How do vector tiles change design choices?
They enable dynamic styling, language toggles, and resolution independence, but require careful label collision handling and hierarchy rules.
What strategies keep maps fast on low-bandwidth connections?
Simplified basemaps, tile caching, compressed assets, and limiting requests per interaction keep experiences smooth.
How should interaction be signposted for non-experts?
Use clear affordances—hover tips, guided tours, and visible legends—avoiding hidden menus that bury key functions.
What testing ensures accessibility?
Keyboard-only navigation, screen-reader checks, contrast tests, and map alternatives (tables, lists) for essential information.
SUPPORT
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