[TZGISUG] Fwd: Tanzania Cartography Rules / Guideline?

Mike Shand Mike.Shand at glasgow.ac.uk
Tue Aug 9 14:36:00 EAT 2016


Hi Elisante,

I think your question and the answers by Aloyce and Simon cover _three_ 
separate but interrelated aspects to mapping:
Cartographic Design; Map Specification; and Spatial Data Standards.

*Cartographic Design*
There are existing guidelines, rules and conventions for good map design 
to ensure a map is "designed for the purpose(s) it is intended to be used".
This aspect of mapping can only be mastered through training in the 
principles of cartography (formal courses or informal through books or 
online) and experience gained adopting these principles. Feedback from 
colleagues and map users is also vital if you wish to understand if a 
map you create is fit for purpose.
A number of standard and classic cartography text books (Cynthia Brewer 
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/Designing-Better-Maps-Guide-Users/dp/1589480899>; 
A H Robinson 
<https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Cartography-Arthur-H-Robinson/dp/0471555797>; 
John Keates 
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cartographic-Design-Production-Keates-J/dp/0470210710>; 
Jacques Bertin <http://www.esri.com/news/releases/10_4qtr/bertin.html>; 
Erwin Raisz 
<https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2zYIAQAAIAAJ&source=gbs_similarbooks> 
) can be purchased or viewed online and there are many free online 
courses of modules can be sourced from the internet. A useful guide to 
cartography sources can be found here 
http://www.cartography.org.uk/considering-cartography/

*Map Specification*
This is really the responsibility of any organisation or NGO to create 
its own unique set of precise specifications for point, line, area 
symbols and lettering on their maps.  It should also cover templates for 
map layouts at various scales or for differing map themes.   Once 
created your symbols and templates can be saved in QGIS and accessed by 
any cartographer in the Honeyguide to ensure standardisation in design 
when desired.  These specifications should follow basic cartographic 
design rules but customised to meet the specific needs of the end user.  
In Tanzania the Surveys & Mapping Division have a set of design 
specifications for their 1:50,000 maps, but their design will differ 
(slightly or significantly depending on symbol) from a 1:50,000 map 
specification for say UK, France, South Africa, Egypt, China etc., as 
each is designed to meet a different user in differing environments.  So 
"one design fits all" is mostly not possible in mapping.

*Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI)* /or Data and Metadata Standards/
Unfortunately this issue has been kick-stated several times in Tanzania 
(and other countries) and has generally any initiative has stalled 
through lack of long term interest, leadership or finance.

A quick look at the Honeyguide website and reports indicate that your 
maps are generally well designed at present but could benefit from some 
final 'polishing' to improve their design and usability.  If you wish I 
could comment on specific examples offline.  You may recall the courses 
I conducted at TZCRC <http://www.tzcrc.org/wp/>, Arusha in 2015, in 
particular the course "Cartographic Design and Map Publication with QGIS 
<http://www.tzcrc.org/wp/cartographic-design-and-map-publication-with-qgis/>", 
if you can check the resources I supplied to each student, it included 
illustrated presentations on Cartographic Communication; Map Design; Map 
Layout; Lettering; Colour in Maps etc, revisiting these may be a useful 
starting point.

Regards,
Mike
(University of Glasgow)

On 09/08/2016 09:40, Elisante Japhet via TZGISUG wrote:
> Hi TZGISUG Team,
>
> I've been looking for Mapping rules / guidelines that could be used 
> with Cartographers while working on Tanzania maps. So I'm wondering if 
> you might have come across rules used by TANAPA, TAWIRI, or by 
> Government and Non - Government Organization that are allowed to share?
>
> ps: /The guidelines can be in such a way that, Maps created can also 
> be accepted in various institutes and organization./
> /
> /
> Thank you,
> Elisante.
>
>
>
> GIS & Mapping Officer.
>
>
> P O Box 8271
>
> Arusha. Tanzania.
>
> Mobile contact: +255 (0) 756 629362 <tel:%2B255%20%280%29%20756%20629362>
>
> Office line: _+255 677 175117 <tel:%2B255%20677%20175117>_
>
> Email: elisante at honeyguide.org <mailto:elisante at honeyguide.org>
>
> Website:www.honeyguide.org <http://www.honeyguide.org/>
>
> Skype address:elisante.japhet
>
>
> /Dedicated to the long term support of communities and their 
> conservation of wildlife and natural resources//./
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________
> TZGISUG mailing list TZGISUG at lists.habari.co.tz
> List Info: http://mail.habari.co.tz/mailman/listinfo/tzgisug
> Web Site: http://www.tzgisug.org
> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tzgisug


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.habari.co.tz/pipermail/tzgisug/attachments/20160809/a2b8f638/attachment-0001.html>


More information about the TZGISUG mailing list