A Design Pattern Approach to Cartography with Big Geospatial Data

Abstract

A design pattern approach for conceptualizing the cartographic design process is presented. A design pattern presents a solution to a problem by describing solutions for the commonalities in problems to be solved. The commonalities of the cartographic design process are identified and MapDesign is described, a design pattern for generating a set of maps from big geospatial data. The MapDesign pattern allows increased map throughput through automation and distributed processing, which frees up time for cartographers and geographic information scientists to make sense of big geospatial data and to select and refine map designs. The description of the MapDesign pattern can aid software developers in understanding how to build tools that allow automation and distributed processing in parts of the map design process for visualizing big geospatial data. Conversely, the visual nature of design patterns can assist cartographers with understanding how software components interact to produce maps.

Keywords:

• Cartography
• map design
• design pattern
• big data
• big geospatial data

ORCID

Serena Coetzee http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8683-8047

Victoria Rautenbach http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0581-302X

Notes

1 http://docs.geotools.org/latest/userguide/tutorial/factory.html

2 https://netbeans.org

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Serena Coetzee

Serena Coetzee is associate professor in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology and Director of the Centre for Geoinformation Science (CGIS) at the University of Pretoria. Her research focuses on spatial data infrastructures, addressing, geographic information standards and open source for geospatial software. She chairs the Commission on SDIs and Standards of the International Cartographic Association (ICA). Under her leadership, CGIS joined the ICA-OSGeo-ISPRS Lab Network and the GeoforAll initiative. Serena actively participates in geographic information standardization at ISO/TC 211, Geographic Information/Geomatics: as project lead of ISO 19160, Addressing, and as chair of the Programme Maintenance Group.