4 replies to this topic

[J Wallace]

A quick question/advice-solicitation regarding legend headings and consistency:
How do you handle legends that include multiple items that fit under the same heading (i.e. Heading - Project Ranking; Items - Priority 1, Priority 2, etc.) in addition to legend items of which there is only one (legend items that cannot be grouped with other items under a single heading)?
My concern is that including headings for single-item categories is redundant at best, but if other legend items require headings/grouping, un-headed( ? ) items appear to be lonely after-thoughts.
All advice and examples appreciated!

[Dennis McClendon]

You handle them like report headings:

Watercourses

Perennial
Seasonal
Dry

Airports

with scheduled service
general aviation

National Forest boundary

Towns

pop. over 1000
smaller than 1000

[J Wallace]

You handle them like report headings:

Watercourses

Perennial
Seasonal
Dry

Airports

with scheduled service
general aviation

National Forest boundary

Towns

pop. over 1000
smaller than 1000

Thanks for the quick reply Dennis. In your example would you repeat the "National Forest boundary" as the description next to the (single) corresponding item symbol?

[David Medeiros]

You handle them like report headings:

Watercourses

Perennial
Seasonal
Dry

Airports

with scheduled service
general aviation

National Forest boundary

Towns

pop. over 1000
smaller than 1000

Thanks for the quick reply Dennis. In your example would you repeat the "National Forest boundary" as the description next to the (single) corresponding item symbol?

I don't think so. The way I do it, and I think this is what Dennis is showing, is to treat the heading as the primary description in every case, the "descriptions" are really sub headings. If a group of features can be sub divided than it gets a sub heading, otherwise not. Definitely want to avoid unnecessary redundancy in legend items, heading or descriptions.

[Dennis McClendon]

Definitely don't repeat. If you only have one that stands alone. . .

Do you need it in the legend at all? If there's only one or two examples and they're both labeled on the map (as lakes or national parks or other easily comprehended type), that's probably sufficient.

Or reconfigure the hierarchy. Maybe there should be a category called Protected Areas that includes National Forests, Wildlife Reserves, etc.

Finally, if the problem is one of design, that the symbol for National Forest is way to the left of all the other symbols, then don't indent. There are several ways to indicate hierarchy: Type weight, type size, indent level, color. I just happened to use two in my example, when one would be sufficient:

Watercourses
Perennial
Seasonal
Dry

Airports
with scheduled service
general aviation

National Forest boundary

Towns
pop. over 1000
smaller than 1000