The new International Cartographic Association (ICA) Commission on Map Design was approved at the International Cartographic Conference in Paris July 2011. It is designed to foster discussion, exchange of ideas and the development and spread of the principles and practice of high quality, effective cartographic and infographic design.

Good design and better mapping is core to effective spatial communication and the Commission is focused on engaging international experts from a wide range of fields to provide a body of knowledge that guides cartography as it tackles the challenges brought about by GIS, the internet, cloud-based computing, pervasive web-based map services and the mashup culture. Such changes bring with them new map-makers who have not been formally trained in cartography yet still require knowledge of the basic tenets of good cartographic design; and new principles that are required for emerging cartographic landscapes (e.g. temporal, animated, interactive and 3D). Additionally, emerging production and display environments require new approaches to effectively implement well-understood design techniques alongside tackling the challenges and harnessing the opportunities brought about by new technologies.

The web site of the Commission is now live…if you’re reading this then you’ve already found it! Welcome…and please participate by joining using the subscribe panel on the right.