Numbers on Thematic Maps: Helpful Simplicity or Too Raw to Be Useful for Map Reading?

Korycka-Skorupa, Jolanta; Gołębiowska, Izabela

doi:10.3390/ijgi9070415

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…These kinds of characteristics are covered by many metrics: preference of choice [30,31], perceived level of difficulty [18,19,32,33], perceived level of confidence [18,19,34,35], rating of frustration/comfort when using a tested tool, and perceived speed of own performance [32].…”

Section: Importance Of Subjective Metricsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Different Map Types Support Map Reading Equally? Comparing Choropleth, Graduated Symbols, and Isoline Maps for Map Use Tasks

Słomska-Przech

Gołębiowska

2021

IJGI

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It is acknowledged that various types of thematic maps emphasize different aspects of mapped phenomena and thus support different map users’ tasks. To provide empirical evidence, a user study with 366 participants was carried out comparing three map types showing the same input data. The aim of the study is to compare the effect of using choropleth, graduated symbols, and isoline maps to solve basic map user tasks. Three metrics were examined: two performance metrics (answer accuracy and time) and one subjective metric (difficulty). The results showed that the performance metrics differed between the analyzed map types, and better performances were recorded using the choropleth map. It was also proven that map users find the most commonly applied type of the map, choropleth map, as the easiest. In addition, the subjective metric matched the performance metrics. We conclude with the statement that the choropleth map can be a sufficient solution for solving various tasks. However, it should be remembered that making this type of map correctly may seem easy, but it is not. Moreover, we believe that the richness of thematic cartography should not be abandoned, and work should not be limited to one favorable map type only.

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Section: Importance Of Subjective Metricsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Different Map Types Support Map Reading Equally? Comparing Choropleth, Graduated Symbols, and Isoline Maps for Map Use Tasks

Słomska-Przech

Gołębiowska

2021

IJGI

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“…Comparing and evaluating design solutions within thematic map types is a common aim in empirical research in cartography [30][31][32][33]. Yet, heat maps have rarely been used as study material in empirical cartographic user-centered research.…”

Section: Heat Maps and Generalization In Cartographymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Subjective metrics are as substantial in usability studies as objective metrics [43,44]. They include not only preferences [4,30,45,46], but also an assessment of the difficulty of the task [32,41,42], the confidence of the response [41,42], a response time assessment and the users' comfort level [47].…”

Section: Objective and Subjective Metricsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat Maps: Perfect Maps for Quick Reading? Comparing Usability of Heat Maps with Different Levels of Generalization

Słomska-Przech

Panecki

Pokojski

2021

IJGI

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Recently, due to Web 2.0 and neocartography, heat maps have become a popular map type for quick reading. Heat maps are graphical representations of geographic data density in the form of raster maps, elaborated by applying kernel density estimation with a given radius on point- or linear-input data. The aim of this study was to compare the usability of heat maps with different levels of generalization (defined by radii of 10, 20, 30, and 40 pixels) for basic map user tasks. A user study with 412 participants (16–20 years old, high school students) was carried out in order to compare heat maps that showed the same input data. The study was conducted in schools during geography or IT lessons. Objective (the correctness of the answer, response times) and subjective (response time self-assessment, task difficulty, preferences) metrics were measured. The results show that the smaller radius resulted in the higher correctness of the answers. A larger radius did not result in faster response times. The participants perceived the more generalized maps as easier to use, although this result did not match the performance metrics. Overall, we believe that heat maps, in given circumstances and appropriate design settings, can be considered an efficient method for spatial data presentation.

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“…Recent research shows that the effectiveness and efficiency of a given map can be explained by how the user observes it. In this case, eye-tracking studies are helpful [26,27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of Memorizing an Animated Route—Comparing Satellite and Road Map Differences in the Eye-Tracking Study

Cybulski¹

2021

IJGI

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There is no consensus on the importance of satellite images in the process of memorizing a route from a map image, especially if the route is displayed on the Internet using dynamic (animated) cartographic visualization. In modern dynamic maps built with JavaScript APIs, background layers can be easily altered by map users. The animation attracts people’s attention better than static images, but it causes some perceptual problems. This study examined the influence of the number of turns on the effectiveness (correctness) and efficiency of memorizing the animated route on different cartographic backgrounds. The routes of three difficulty levels, based on satellite and road background, were compared. The results show that the satellite background was not a significant factor influencing the efficiency and effectiveness of route memorizing. Recordings of the eye movement confirmed this. The study reveals that there were intergroup differences in participants' visual behavior. Participants who described their spatial abilities as “very good” performed better (in terms of effectiveness and efficiency) in route memorizing tasks. For future research, there is a need to study route variability and its impact on participants’ performance. Moreover, future studies should involve differences in route visualization (e.g., without and with ephemeral or permanent trail).

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Numbers on Thematic Maps: Helpful Simplicity or Too Raw to Be Useful for Map Reading?

Cited by 11 publications

References 52 publications

Do Different Map Types Support Map Reading Equally? Comparing Choropleth, Graduated Symbols, and Isoline Maps for Map Use Tasks

Do Different Map Types Support Map Reading Equally? Comparing Choropleth, Graduated Symbols, and Isoline Maps for Map Use Tasks

Heat Maps: Perfect Maps for Quick Reading? Comparing Usability of Heat Maps with Different Levels of Generalization

Effectiveness of Memorizing an Animated Route—Comparing Satellite and Road Map Differences in the Eye-Tracking Study

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