references/map-or-not.md

# Map or Not

## What Problem This Solves

This reference prevents geography from being used when it is not part of the reasoning.

## When to Use It

Use this before choosing a choropleth, symbol map, or spatial dashboard.

## Key Takeaways

- Use maps when position, adjacency, flow, or geography itself is analytically meaningful.
- Use non-map views when the task is ranking, precise comparison, or distribution across named regions.
- Spatial data presence alone does not justify a map.

## Common Mistakes

- Defaulting to a map because the dataset contains coordinates or region names.
- Using choropleths for counts that should be normalized or shown another way.

## Adjacent Skills

- `../SKILL.md`
- `../../visualization-strategy-and-critique/SKILL.md`

## Source Links

- [From Data to Viz](https://www.data-to-viz.com/)