The ScaleMaster: The decompostion of Pan-Scalar, Interactive Map (OSM,Google Maps,IGN scan)

The ScaleMaster diagram of Brewer and Buttenfield, "where the scaleLine replaces the timeLine", is a formal tool (Excel sheets) designed to formalize the rules for manual map design and "emphasize changes to the map display" . Inspired by Brewer and Buttenfield, we use ScaleMaster to standardize and formalize changes while zooming and exploring each of pan-scalar map (OSM,Google Maps,Scan IGN). In our methodology, however, we go a step further. The timeline of exploration is also examined in addition to the scaleline of zooming. We focus on map design practices that account for pan-scalar map exploration. For example, we account for generalization changes between scales based on empirically or theoretically justifiable reasons.

we use ScaleMaster to analyze particular and common geographic entities in the maps (including rivers, urban areas, bus stations, and administrative borders) representing but a fraction of all map ontologies (e.g., water, roads, transportation networks, relief, points-of-interest, vegetation, administrative districts).  We constructed a ScaleMaster for each of the three pan-scalar maps (OSM, Google Map, Scan IGN). 

Our hope is that this first analysis, and the resulting categories below, will lead to critique, comment, and iterative improvement in the future. In other words, our initial findings are just that – outcomes that further exploration on pan-scalar maps can add to, revise, and improve upon.