Maps and Guidebooks

Hello everybody :)

In the last two days I haven't written many things but I read. My supervisors indicated for me a very good article about technologies and tourist guides: Of maps and guidebooks: designing geographical technologies by Barry Brown & Mark Perry -Department of Computer Science, University of Glasgow & DISC, Brunel University. In general the paper describes some definitions about space and place and how these terms and their significance interfere in tourist guides. For me it was a great piece of information because they show aspects of physical maps and guidebooks related to users. In the case of maps (spatial information), they are not very good explaining the feel of experience area (palcial information):

... maps are hard to use, particularly if you do not know a city.

So staff (tourist information) would combine a map with actually
"showing" in physical space where the destination was and how to
get there: "it's behind us on Argyle street". (Brown and Perry 2001:250).

Then, designers should think more about "specific aspects of places that make them interesting and distinct"and not only show the co-ordinates. More comparison between features of places that users know and other they want to know. As we use in development of conceptual maps - designers of contents may use familiar information to explain new concepts for users.

In the case of guidebooks, authors say that Glasgow guidebooks bring more the standardised than the specific information, so local details become essential to enjoy and plan the visit.

They show some examples of geographical systems which display maps and conclude that these systems have a lack of support user's behaviour. They highlight the importance to put together spatial information and placial information to guide activity.

Good contribution to my project :)