Introducing MapStudyCarl Sack, UW-Madison Robert E. Roth, UW-Madison Kristen Vincent, UW-MadisonWhat is MapStudy? Simply put, it's a platform that aims to empower the next generation of scientific cartography experiments. Have you ever wanted to test whether a certain type of map, certain visual variables, certain interactions, or certain data are better for particular purposes? MapStudy makes it easy! This talk will cover what MapStudy can do for you, how to set it up, and what lies ahead for the project. You don't have to wait to use it though--go fork MapStudy on GitHub at github.com/uwcart/mapstudy now!
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Software Testing: How "Tests" Can Improve Map DesignAmy Lee Walton, MapboxHuman fallibility can emerge in even the most impeccable of design projects. Testing is a standard in software development but visual design typically requires the human eye. However, in the world of code-driven web maps; tests can help you and your team quickly identify and resolve even visual discrepancies. Over the past year, our cartographic team has been developing our own design testing suite. The initial goal was to automate style checks before releases and has grown into a tool that ensures design consistency across our core map styles. This talk will outline our results (both pass and fail), the iteration and evolution of our tests, and share open-source tools we used to build our testing suite. Come hear about our continuing process of error-proofing, time-saving, and codifying best practices for visual quality assurance.
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The Making of Map Use, the Eighth Edition Aileen Buckley Esri, Inc.A. Jon Kimerling, Oregon State UniversityThe eighth edition of Map Use: Reading, Analysis, Interpretation is being released even as the NACIS 2016 meeting is being held! For decades, Map Use has served as a comprehensive, foundational companion for college-level students and instructors, for professionals in a variety of fields where maps are important, and also for casual map users. This new edition fully integrates advancements in GIS, GPS, remote sensing, and web mapping into the text throughout all the chapters. It includes a new chapter highlighting map design. New to this edition, too, are almost 50 new figures, as well as an expanded glossary that defines key terms and topics. It is also available in e-book format allowing us to also include links to online maps, animations, and web sites, thus expanding the examples and resources the book offers. This presentation describes the rationale for and challenges of making the eighth edition of Map Use.
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Always have a plan: Developing a data acquisition policy at the University of Colorado Boulder
Philip White, University of Colorado at Boulder
Elise Gowen, University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
Acquisition of data from external sources is often overlooked in academic libraries' collection development policies. Library policies' inclusion of data acquisition guidelines range from well-defined to nonexistent. Recognizing a need for a coordinated approach, librarians at the University of Colorado Boulder sought to formalize data acquisition guidelines to avoid acquiring data of limited usefulness and to improve cohesion of interdepartmental data policies. We systematically reviewed literature and collection policy documents from more than 20 peer institutions to identify common approaches and explore data collection assessment strategies. We will discuss best practices for implementing a data acquisition process. Due to the dynamic nature of GIS data, we will also examine the unique policy needs of geospatial data users. This presentation discusses our findings and explores broader applications for library-wide collection development.
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