Innovative forms of graduted symbol maps and its design

The main aim of the master thesis was the analysis of traditional and non-traditional forms of graduated symbols used in modern cartography and the survey concerning the ways to design them. The main aim of the thesis was fulfilled by fulfilling the set partial aims of the thesis which were set on the basis of consultations with the supervisor, both for theoretical and practical part of the work.

The partial theoretical aims include the analysis of the issue of graduated symbols and their designing. A list of the existing geographical information systems in which the method of a graduated symbol can be used was created during the research as well as the list of graphic softwares which can be used for the designing of the given non-traditional graduated symbols.

A questionnaire survey was performed within the scope of the diploma thesis and it focused on the issue of graduated symbols. The total number of answers was almost 100. The respondents answered the questions related to the given topic and the main aim was to find out what softwares are used in real conditions and what problems the respondents have when using the method of graduated symbols.

Then, the practical part was adapted accordingly and divided into individual partial aims on the basis of the information gathered using the questionnaires. Besides this service, the concept of a manual was adapted according to discussions with selected persons who were shown the current version of the manual and introduced to the whole concept. The asked persons commented on the manual and its individual sheets. On the basis of these two applied methods, the concept of the final manual was decided and it was adapted while working on the thesis until the current final version came into existence. The key element was the decision about the creation of non-traditional as well as traditional graduated symbols. Based on this, there was the need of the unified classification of graduated symbols which was created by the author in cooperation with the thesis supervisor on the basis of a research in a great number of cartographic papers, both from Czech and foreign authors. The traditional graduated symbols are divided on the basis of the performed classification in the manual.

The manual consists of the introductory sheets with general information about maps, composition elements of map works, graduated symbols and general information on the design of value measures. Then, there are samples of the design of all traditional graduated symbols listed in the created classification. After traditional graduated symbols, there are non-traditional ones where the sample consists of a map work with the application of the given modern graduated symbol and the design of these graduated symbols is subsequently described. The manual presents a complex overview of traditional and non-traditional methods of graduated symbol. The manual has 150 pages in total.

In the end of the thesis, the formal requirements necessary for the assignment were met. The whole diploma thesis (text, appendices, outputs and a website where the manual can be found) is stored on DVD (Appendix 4). A website was created on the basis of this diploma thesis and it is available on the website of the Department of Geometrics of Palack University in Olomouc. Also, a poster was created for the thesis and it is Appendix 3 and it is also on DVD.

All the set aims of the thesis were fulfilled. During the work, the individual steps were consulted and the partial results of the work were verified. The results of the thesis can be directly used and serve to introduce the topic of the design of traditional graduated symbols in greater details and to create non-traditional graduated symbols. The author sees the potential of the work in its possible further benefit due to non-traditional ideas and innovations for cartography from the side of map creators who will be inspired by this manual. The constructed non-traditional graduated symbols do not only have to serve as the types of graduated symbols which can be applied to data but also as a source of inspiration for the design of more modern innovative infographic graduated symbols for all creators of map works.