andrew doyle. "How to Lie with Maps"

This article left me torn between two reactions: First, view the article as a series of clever tips to be used to "trick" people using map and diagrams; and Second, strive to avoid these techniques as a moral designer. Many valid points are made here surrounding the idea of maps as a powerful form of persuasion. For example, "Concept diagrams have a compelling, mysterious attraction........These maps encourage the viewer to want to see the plan, not to wonder whether it will work." One can't help but take a statement such as this as a "tip" for proposing a project, although this may not have been the author's intention. Landscape Architecture has always been a profession associated with thorough and morally sound decision-making, however, one cannot simply ignore these observations about how maps and diagrams can both support a design, and manipulate how stakeholders interpret your proposal.