The document discusses how digital maps have evolved to navigate the human condition. Digital maps have moved beyond simply representing geographic space and now incorporate personal goals and metrics to track health, relationships, gaming achievements and more. This evolution was driven by cultural forces like increased personal participation and self-measurement, as well as technological forces such as ubiquitous hardware, exploding data availability, and open network access. Today's digital maps are more fluid systems that connect personal goals and metrics in real-time, rather than static artifacts representing impersonal geographic spaces. The future of maps remains uncertain as technology and human needs continue to change.

1. How Digital Maps Navigate the
Human Condition!
!
Guy Gould-Davies | SapientNitro ! !
3.10.2012

4. A visual representation
of a space in support of
future action!

5. We are all going somewhere.!

7. 1. “rivers” 4. “passes” 6. spirals
2. “mountains”, and 7. crescents
“relief” design “access”
8. plane or break
3. “flooded land” 5. “paths” lines

8. a. deer, frontal view d. ibex, profile view f. large
anthropomorphic figure
b. deer, profile view e. ibex horns
g. two upside down
c. group of ibex
animals

14. The unique and
inescapable features of
being human!
The irreducible part of
humanity that is inherent
and universal!

15. Lack of Meaning!
Loss of Freedom!
Fear of Isolation!
Fear of Death!

18. Lack of Meaning!
Loss of Freedom!
Fear of Isolation!
Fear of Death!

19. Goal-directed
behavior!
Spatial
wayfaring!

20. GOAL!

21. GOAL!

22. GOAL!

23. Time!
! ffort!
E GOAL!
! $$!
$
!

26. Video +
EpicMIX dashboard image

27. Video +
EpicMIX dashboard image

28. Video +
EpicMIX dashboard image

42. Why did the evolution
in digital maps occur?!

43. Cultural force!
 Peopleʼs increasing participation in – and shaping of – choices
and outcomes!
 A growing interest in self-measurement !
 Place, time and progress reference points!
 Rise in gamification!

44. Technology force!
 Hardware!
 Became ubiquitous; Mooreʼs Law holds; Computers become faster,
cheaper, smaller!
 Data!
 Cheaper storage; Tools to create data; Explosion of geographic and
relational data creates opportunities for innovation!
 Access!
 Birth of networking and openness of standards gives everyone access to
data to use as they please!

45. Technology Timeline!

48. How maps behave differently today!
14,000 BC 2012 AD
Space Geographic Health, love, gaming,
fitness, accomplishment
Form Artifact System
Status Subject Object
Connection Impersonal Personal
Dynamics Fixed Fluid
Time None Real-time

49. The future. !
It ainʼt what it used to be.!

52. Closing remarks!

53. Thank you!