Presented at MAPII 2022 -- Map-based Interfaces and Interactions. 7th June 2022, Rome, Italy. https://www.alandix.com/academic/papers/MAPII-2022/ Maps are not mere simulacra of the ground, but imbued with meaning. This is true at a geopolitical scale, but even more so for local community mapping. However, whilst digital mapping has made it easy to embed and customise maps in local websites or printed resources, it also runs the risk of de-humanising these resources, replacing rich meaning with unnecessary precision. This paper explores examples of how meaning can sit alongside the digital in map-based interactions. It then uses this backdrop to consider new challenges to help a living community where their physical village has been all but obliterated.

1. Maps with Meaning
Alan Dix
Director of the Computational Foundry
Swansea, Wales
http://alandix.com/academic/papers/MAPII-2022/
@alanjohndix @CompFoundry

2. accuracy and precision

3. Borges, 1946, ‘Of exactitude in science’
“the Cartographers Guilds
struck a Map of the Empire
whose size was that of the Empire,
and which coincided
point for point with it.”

4. KML Tutorial
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
<Placemark>
<name>Simple placemark</name>
<description>Attached to the ground. Intelligently places itself
at the height of the underlying terrain.</description>
<Point>
<coordinates>-122.0822035425683,
37.42228990140251, 0</coordinates>
</Point>
</Placemark>
</kml>

6. local maps

7. About Tiree
poor mobile
phone
coverage
650 residents
24,000 summer visitors

8. Tiree heritage
An Iodhlann
island archive
15000 items
frasan
mobile heritage app
N.B no signal!

9. Frasan
experiencing the archive on the ground

11. maps and meaning

13. trails and tales

14. how did you get here?
• cartographic (isomorphic)
• cartographic (homomorphic)
• schematic
• linear
• episodic

16. cartography
of absence

19. envisionments

20. Troedrhiwfuwch