North West Geography
Volume 2, Number 2, 2002
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Abstract
The landscape of the Lake District is world famous,
highly distinctive and widely cherished but it often tends to be taken for granted.
This article develops the idea that landscapes, as cultural constructs, are frequently
contested between dominant and more marginalised groups, to consider the wide range of
tensions and conflicts which have helped to shape the landscape of the Lake District
in the past and are still active at the present day.
Abstract
This paper reports on continuing research into the design of tactile maps,
focusing on production technologies and methodologies for evaluating map designs.
Experiments have been carried out contrasting microcapsule with thermoform-based map production.
The campus of the University of Manchester has been mapped by sighted students using these technologies.
Meanwhile an evaluation has been carried out of thermoform-based maps of open spaces in the North West of England.
The evaluation involved real world use of complex real tactile maps, as well as use indoors.
Results suggest that design should be iterative and actively involve users and that video evidence in map user
studies in a multi-method framework offers great potential.
Well-designed thermoformed tactile maps may have significant advantages over other production technologies
but the context and ethnography of map use should be central in any map evaluation.
Ordnance Survey 25 inch Maps of Lancashire
Stockport Green A-Z, Section 1: Brinnington, Reddish and the Heatons