The Map : A case study of NYC's new interactive subway map
In this paper, I examine and analyze MTA's new live map. I discuss the features of the map, its precedents, and how it interacts with users and services. Additionally, I attempt to document how the public and experts have responded to the map's release.
I also analyse how the map works by exploring how it mines data from the physical infrastructure to produce real-time data that is then used to create its features. I argue that the new map is essentially a Geographic Information System that provides people with control over scale, user-friendly access to information, and an understandable "mirror world" of a complex system.
Finally, I discuss the power of MTA's open data and how it has enabled citizen participation in mapping the NYC subway system. I also discuss certain limitations that may be holding it back from achieving its full potential.
You can find the live map here.