Eye-tracking Evaluation of Weather Web Maps

Abstract

Weather is one of the things that interest almost everyone. Weather maps are therefore widely used and many users use them in everyday life. To identify the potential usability problems of weather web maps, the presented research was conducted. Five weather maps were selected for an eye-tracking experiment based on the results of an online questionnaire: DarkSky, In-Počasí, Windy, YR.no, and Wundermap. The experiment was conducted with 34 respondents and consisted of introductory, dynamic, and static sections. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of recorded data was performed together with a think-aloud protocol. The main part of the paper describes the results of the eye-tracking experiment and the implemented research, which identify the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluated weather web maps and point out the differences between strategies in using maps by the respondents. The results include findings such as the following: users worked with web maps in the simplest form and they did not look for hidden functions in the menu or attempt to find any advanced functionality; if expandable control panels were available, the respondents only looked at them after they had examined other elements; map interactivity was not an obstacle unless it contained too much information or options to choose from; searching was quicker in static menus that respondents did not have to switch on or off; the graphic design significantly influenced respondents and their work with the web maps. The results of the work may be useful for further scientific research on weather web maps and related user issues.

What Went Wrong for Bad Solvers during Thematic Map Analysis? Lessons Learned from an Eye-Tracking Study

“…Thinking aloud may also be applied upon task completion [47]. This method helps to collect valuable qualitative data on the map-reading process (e.g., [35,37,48]); however, it may also result in cognitive overload [49]. Another commonly applied method is eye-tracking that enables direct data collection and does not distract visual behavior during performance [50].…”

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Cartographic Symbology for Crisis Mapping: A Comparative Study

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Designing Geovisual Analytics Environments and Displays with Humans in Mind

“…Another map type that is used in popular media regularly is a weather map. Popelka et al (2019) [21] examine the usability of five selected online weather maps in a comparative manner (DarkSky, In-Počasí, Windy, YR.no, and Wundermap), complemented with an eye movement analysis. Their selection of these five maps for a controlled lab study was informed by an online study.…”