"3D" displays are infiltrating our GUI's and our consciousness more and more today, sometimes for the better, and sometimes as an unnecessary addition. However, the use of 3D to help us put substance to otherwise abstract and uninteresting menu trees can be refreshing, but map making, wayfinding, and displaying 3D objects are enhanced even more by 3D. For example, while using a map in the city, the size of a city block can vary greatly, but by displaying the actual buildings such as in Google Maps, we can very quickly understand the scale through the relative and familiar size of the buildings. In other forms of wayfinding, like signage and fixed maps, size dominates the the practical expression of dimension. However, depicting 3D objects on 2D media requires different techniques. Just as in painting, using 3-point rendering techniques and accurately displaying texture gradients help us make the mental leap between a flat 2D display and a 3D object. Similarly, when it come to navigating complex decisions in digital environments, 3D can help us better organize and present the information. This is usually best accomplished through again, relative size of elements, and their organization along linear perspectives.
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