Semiotics in Mapping and Emergency Response

Semiotics, Mapping and Emergencies

Signs, Symbols and Information Architecture

Noreen WhyselNew York Public Library, Morningside BranchNovember 1, 2014

Mapping Symbology

Features of the real world symbolized on maps as:

Points Lines Areas

Source: Semiotics. GIS Wiki. http://gis.com/wiki/index.php/Semiotics/

Geographic Information Systems

Cartographic symbols represent

Direction Location Distance Function

Source: Semiotics. GIS Wiki. http://gis.com/wiki/index.php/Semiotics/

3 Branches of Semiotics

Syntax: Relation between objects on a map and the real world.

Semantics: Relation between objects on a map and the data they represent.

Pragmatics: Relation between the objects and the person viewing the map.

Source: Semiotics. GIS Wiki. http://gis.com/wiki/index.php/Semiotics/

Syntax

Semantics

Blue Rivers and Bodies of Water

Compass Rose pointingNorth

Distance gauge

Identifying Labels

Population Areas

Source: 1869 Kitchen - Shannon Map of New York City. Geographicus.

Source: Massimo Vignelli’s Iconic 1972 NYC Subway Map http://cdn8.openculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/vignelli-subway-map-19721.jpg

Pragmatics

How the map user responds to the map symbology.

Context

Mental Model

e.g., Wayfinding

Pragmatics

Semiology of Graphics

Jacques Bertin. Semiology of Graphics. 1967.

Monosemic: “A system is monosemic when the meaning of each sign is known prior to observation of the collection of signs.”[citation needed] An example of a monosemic sign is a mathematical problem, a painting, or a map.

Monosemic is when the meaning of a sign was understood beforehand (Google map)

Source: Semiotics. GIS Wiki. http://gis.com/wiki/index.php/Semiotics/

Semiology of Graphics

Jacques Bertin. Semiology of Graphics. 1967.

Polysemic: “A system is polysemic when the meaning of the individual signs follows and is deduced from considerations of the collection of signs.”[citation needed]An example of polysemic is a an abstract painting or a verbal expression.

Polysemic is when the sign is better understood after studying the sign (Yelp Monocle or Massimo’s subway map, unusual orientations).

Source: Semiotics. GIS Wiki. http://gis.com/wiki/index.php/Semiotics/

Semiotics and Emergency Response

RED

Source: Colours in Cultures. Information is Beautiful

AngerDangerHeat

Good LuckLovePassionSuccess

Source: Colours in Cultures. Information is Beautiful.

Emergency Response Symbology

Points Hospitals and first aid stations Police and first responder stations Call boxes Fire hydrants, standpipes Points of entrance and egress

Lines Evacuation routes, major roads and intersections

Areas Flood zones, Disaster areas, Quarantine zones

Emergency Response Symbology

Source: FDNY. http://events.esri.com/conference/sagList/?fa=Detail&SID=1845#

Standard Symbol for Emergency?

Symbol sets support Common Operating Picture

United States Department of Homeland Security

Canada EMS, Influenced by HSWG - Homeland Security Working Group (ANSI INCITIS 415-2006

and the related mil spec: MIL-STD 2525C) CAP-CP - Canadian Profile of the Common Alerting Protocol NIDM - Canadian National Infrastructure Data Model (which was

heavily influenced by the US-Canada Cross-Border Infrastructure Plan)

There are no standard symbol sets for emergency response.

Source: Symbology. GIS Wiki. http://wiki.gis.com/wiki/index.php/Symbology

Canada EMS

Funded by GeoConnections

Supports emergencymanagement applications

national Multi-Agency Situation Awareness Systems (MASAS)

Targets web applicationsbut can be used with desktop appliations

Source: Symbology. GIS Wiki. http://wiki.gis.com/wiki/index.php/Symbology

U.S. Standard Symbol Set

Partners: Department of Homeland Security Pennsylvania State University GeoVISTA Center

Deliverables: Distributed, collaborative process and toolset Web-based Symbology service

Source: US Dept of Homeland Security, http://www.fgdc.gov/HSWG/index.html

Distributed Process and Toolkit

1. A distributed, collaborative web based process and toolset that allow users to:

Review their existing symbology Identify missing, redundant, ambiguous symbols Identify poor symbol labels and definitions Develop logical symbol categories

Source: US Dept of Homeland Security, http://www.fgdc.gov/HSWG/index.html

Web-Based Symbology Service

SymbolStore.com

Find relevant symbols using keyword search

Review available symbols along with metadata such as: symbol name and description; where they are used (what organizations); are they part of a standard; etc.

Preview symbols on different scale maps

Select and download symbols

Publish symbols and symbol libraries to the Symbol Store

Source: US Dept of Homeland Security, http://www.fgdc.gov/HSWG/index.html

Web-Based Symbology Service

SymbolStore Prototype

ANSI 415-2006 (FGDC HSWG) HSIP FEMA DHS NPPD

Source: US Dept of Homeland Security, http://www.fgdc.gov/HSWG/index.html

SymbolStore

Source: SymbolStore. http://www.symbolstore.com

Thanks!

Noreen Y. Whysel

@nwhysel

http://www.whysel.com

Information Architecture Institute (iainstitute.org)

GISMO (gismonyc.org)

IDESG (idecosystem.org)

OWASP KBA Project (owasp.org)