Izabela MICHNA

The role of a map legend - why to study the issue?

Michna, I.: The role of a map legend - why to study the issue? Kartografické listy, 2009, 17, 7 figs., 18 refs.

Abstract: Cartographers’ care about use and user issues has led to series of studies on how people read and interpret maps. The main aim of these studies is to adjust map design to the cognitive abilities of map user and make the whole process more effective. However, there are still many problems that need to be studied carefully. Despite the fact, that a legend constitutes the key for the map understanding, it has been undervalued so far. In many popular Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software packages there is available a limited scope of legend con-structions, many of them with poor graphic design. Also in the process of map elaboration this element of map is often treated as a marginal issue, so that it is often prepared without the proper care.However, a map legend serves a wide range of functions. It can help map user understanding presented themes, their hierarchy and a way of classification. Map legend can also indicate the way of map reading and unrevealing “hidden” information. On the other hand, there is a wide scope of map legend constructions which can asses map reading. The questions that seem to be worth answering are: If differently designed legends result in various ways in task solution? Do some legend constructions determine more effective processes of map read-ing and decision making depending on the kind of a task? In the era of GIS in cartography and sciences related to spatial information, many decisions are made on the basis of maps, hence it is important to investigate thoroughly how legends could influence this process.

Keywords: map legend, functions of map legend, map use, map design, map design research