summaries
K.J. Barwinski - Topographie Information supply in Europe
an perspective
Sofar, national mapping agencies were able to completely
meet existing needs by producing and making available con-
ventional map series.
Nowadays, together with technological developments and the
availability of Computers and graphical Systems, the need for
topographic Information in digital form is increasing rapidly.
The only appropriate response of the mapping agencies can
be the setting up of basic digital databases, which serve as the
source for multifunctional use, including analogue map
produetion.
To this end, in the Federal Republic of Germany the ATKIS
concept ('Amtliches Topographisch-Kartographisches Infor
mationssystem has been developed within the framework of
Cooperation between the mapping agencies of the federal
states, the IFAG (Institute for Applied Geodesy) and the Mil-
geo Amt (Military Geographical Service).
The basis for this System is a digital landscape model (DLM)
with geometric terrain data and height information. From
this, the necessary digital cartographic models (e.g. 1:50,000
and 1:250,000) are derived for analogue map produetion.
In future, ATKIS should cover all needs for digital base map
information.
Nordrhein- Westfalen is the first federal State that has now
started building a DLM database. For this purpose, the exist
ing Organization of the mapping agency had to be changed
drastically. The goal is to complete the database within 5
years. Next to map produetion, the various applications are
in the fields of physical planning, environmental manage-
ment, telecommunication, navigation and logistics.
In Europe, the deveiopment and setting up of topographic
databases has only just started. The conversion of topograph
ic maps into digital databases is a very extensive job, which
usually necessitates an adaptation of the Organization as well.
Within the framework of CERCO (in which European na
tional mapping agencies cooperate) attention is paid to,
among other things, the strueture of databases, the exchange
of data and problems of Copyright.
R.J. van Essen L.P. Heijnens - Research on quality of road
maps
Düring the second half of 1990 and the beginning of 1991 a
research project into the quality of roadmaps was carried out
by the Cartography Section of the Faculty of Geographica!
Sciences of the University of Utrecht. Principal of the project
was 'De Consumentenbond', the Netherlands Consumer Or
ganisation.
The maps which were assessed formed an as complete as pos-
sible reflection of the maps of the countries which were most
populär as a holiday destination for the dutch population
(Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Joegoslavia, Austria,
Spain and Switzerland) and which were for sale in Dutch
Stores mid 1990. The maps varied in scale from 1:125,000 to
1:4,000,000.
In the project the supposed map use of a particular road map
is seen as the main factor determining the quality of a map.
This supposed map use is seen as being dependent on several
factors, of which the scale of the map is the most prominent.
The maps are therefore divided into two categories i.e. small
scale (smaller than 1:350,000) and large scale (larger than
1:350,000). To these two categories two types of supposed
map use were linked.
The small scale map is supposed to be linked to a type of
map use characterised by efficient navigating over long dis-
tances to a prefixed destination. Although other factors next
to road characteristics and road provisions might play a role
in this activity, it will only be a subordinate one.
In the use of large scale maps, navigation, although over
shorter distances, also plays an important role. Other factors
like landscape, attraction points, deciding about possible des-
tinations on basis of the map etc. will, however, be more im
portant than in the use of small scale maps.
On the basis of these supposed map uses, factors were identi-
fied which were important for a map to possess. These fac
tors can be seen as being a part of the following qualitative
categories: contents, readability, actuality and precision. Next
to those, some factors were identified which are not map-use
dependent but still belong to the qualitative categories: the
accessibility as regards content, the physical accesibility and
the physical durability (sturdiness).
The readability of the maps was measured by confronting a
group of potential map users with certain map use tasks, rele
vant for the supposed map use. The time it took to fulfil! a
task on a certain map was seen as a measure for the readabil
ity of that map. By Statistical methods these data were trans-
formed into a measure for the readability of each map, which
were then classified into classes of readability.
For the rest of the categories checking the individual maps on
the identified factors lead to scores for each quality category
per map.
These scores were weighed and combined in order to get a fi
nal quality judgement.
This article gives a description of two parts of the investiga-
tion i.e. the parts which have dealt with the contents and with
the readability.
J.C. Müller - Towards an integrated cartographic research
model: suggestions and priorities
A research model for cartography is proposed based on the
integration of three types of activities:
1. data exploitation,
2. data analysis, and
3. data communication.
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KT 1991.XVII.2
