Maps as metaphors
To find our way through information, we also rely on maps that will tell us where we are in relation to the information, give us a sense of perspective, and enable us to make comparisons between information.
Maps can take a myriad of forms. A CAT scan is a map of the human body. A grocery list is a map of a trip to the grocery store. A chart of a company’s production over a year maps its output. A loan application is a map showing the route from your actual to your desired financial status. You can map ideas and concepts as well as physical places.
Maps enable us to exchange information, whether about Benares or building codes. Maps are virtually synonymous with reference information in that we use them to direct or influence the course we follow in life. The principles of photosynthesis are reference information or maps to a botanist but not to someone who doesn’t own a plant. A TV program guide is reference information only to someone who watches television.
Maps are the metaphoric means by which we can under¬ stand and act upon information from outside sources
- Forms are also maps - they map the written word, numbers, and concepts
- A diagram or chart is also a map. It makes statistics understandable,
preventing us from getting lost in a sea of unconnected numbers.