Towards a Multiobjective View of Cartographic Design

Cartographers must make numerous decisions during the process of constructing a map. In the present era, when spatial data sets are abundant and mapping software is accessible to the general public, cartographic knowledge developed in the literature is under-used and threatened with irrelevance. We view cartographic design as a multiobjective problem solving process that must meet many, often conflicting, goals. The application of this multiobjective view to cartographic design will help a new generation of cartographers develop design capabilities. We illustrate our concepts using several thematic mapping examples.