Cognitive and Usability Issues in Geovisualization

We provide a research agenda for the International Cartographic Association's Commission on Visualization and Virtual Environment Working Group on Cognitive and Usability Issues in Geovisualization. Developments in hardware and software have led to (and will continue to stimulate) numerous novel methods for visualizing geospatial data. It is our belief that these novel methods will be of little use if they are not developed within a theoretical cognitive framework and iteratively tested using usability engineering principles. We argue that cognitive and usability issues should be considered in the context of six major research themes: 1) geospatial virtual environments (GeoVEs); 2) dynamic representations (including animated and interactive maps); 3) metaphors and schemata in user interface design; 4) individual and group differences; 5) collaborative geovisualization; and 6) evaluating the effectiveness of geovisualization methods. A key point underlying our use of theoretical cognitive principles is that traditional cognitive theory for static two-dimensional maps may not be applicable to interactive three-dimensional immersive GeoVEs and dynamic representations—thus new cognitive theory may need to be developed. Usability engineering extends beyond the traditional cartographic practice of "user testing" by evaluating software effectiveness throughout a lifecycle (including design, development, and deployment). Applying usability engineering to geovisualization, however, may be problematic because of the novelty of geovisualization and the associated difficulty of defining the nature of users and their tasks. Tackling the research themes is likely to require an interdisciplinary effort involving geographic information scientists, cognitive scientists, usability engineers, computer scientists, and others.     

Visualizing Geospatial Information Uncertainty: What We Know and What We Need to Know

Developing reliable methods for representing and managing information uncertainty remains a persistent and relevant challenge to GIScience. Information uncertainty is an intricate idea, and recent examinations of this concept have generated many perspectives on its representation and visualization, with perspectives emerging from a wide range of disciplines and application contexts. In this paper, we review and assess progress toward visual tools and methods to help analysts manage and understand information uncertainty. Specifically, we report on efforts to conceptualize uncertainty, decision making with uncertainty, frameworks for representing uncertainty, visual representation and user control of displays of information uncertainty, and evaluative efforts to assess the use and usability of visual displays of uncertainty. We conclude by identifying seven key research challenges in visualizing information uncertainty, particularly as it applies to decision making and analysis.     

John Stanley Keates: Curriculum Vitae and List of Publications

Abstract

The first BCS President of the twenty-first century reflects on the cartography of the twentieth century and identifies those 'maps' that he believes have had significant influence on the development of the discipline during that century.     

Testing the Usability of Interactive Maps in CommonGIS

The paper reports on an experimental study aimed at assessing the usability of five different interactive tools for exploratory analysis of geographically referenced data implemented in CommonGIS. Usability was assessed in terms of tool learnability, memorability, and user satisfaction. The study provided valuable data concerning the usability of each individual tool; we also derived some conclusions relevant to geovisualization techniques in general. We found that users were, in principle, able to understand and adopt the new ideas of map interactivity and manipulability. However, these ideas needed to be appropriately introduced; people could hardly grasp them just from the appearance of the maps and controls. An introductory demonstration was sufficient to understand the purposes of the interactive tools, and a short training session enabled people to use them. The importance of educating users is a particular challenge for geovisualization tools that are intended to be accessed over the Internet.     

Geospatial Information Visualization User Interface Issues

User interfaces for geospatial information are the tools by which users interact with and explore that information. The provision of appropriate interface tools for exploiting the potential of contemporary geospatial visualization products is essential if they are to be used efficiently and effectively. This paper addresses issues and challenges in interface development and usage that are identified as paramount within the geospatial visualization community.     

Using Eye-tracking and Mouse Metrics to Test Usability of Web Mapping Navigation

The growth of web-based mapping is transforming geovisualization. Use of web mapping has become ubiquitous throughout much of the world and has sparked greater public interest in GIS and mapping. Despite the rapid growth of web mapping, there has been relatively little study of the design and usability of web maps. Moreover, the design and function of popular web mapping programs are sometimes at odds with standard GIS and cartographic practices for even the simplest of functions such as zooming into a feature of interest. This study advances understanding of web mapping design via web usability testing based on mouse metrics and eye tracking technology to assess the utility of four different web map navigation schemes: pan zoom; double clicking; zoom by rectangle; and wheel zoom. We found significant differences among the various interfaces, with marked preference for the standard GIS approach of rectangle zoom, followed closely by wheel zoom. Far fewer users preferred the web mapping standard of pan zoom or click zoom. In addition to finding significant differences in usability among these approaches, this work illustrates the broader utility of usability testing and eye tracking technology for creating a better web mapping experience for users.     

Constraints as Means of Controlling Usage of Geovirtual Environments

In this paper a concept for controlling the usage of geovirtual environments by means of constraints is developed. Constraints serve to improve the usability of geovirtual environments by guarding the navigation and interaction processes of users. In addition, they facilitate the implementation of Digital Rights Management for geovirtual environments. The presented approach distinguishes spatial constraints, structural constraints, and redistribution constraints. Several types of spatial constraints have been identified for navigation in geovirtual environments. To demonstrate their applications, this paper reports on using constraints in virtual 3D city models.     

Evaluating the Usability of a Tool for Visualizing the Uncertainty of the Future Global Water Balance

We describe the development of software that is intended to enable decision makers (and their scientific advisors) to visualize uncertainties associated with the future global water balance. This is an important task because the future water balance is a function of numerous factors that are not precisely known, including the historical climatology, the model of potential evapotranspiration, the soil water holding capacity, and the global circulation models (GCMs) used to predict the effect of increased CO₂ in the atmosphere. In developing the software, we utilized the principles of usability engineering. In our case, we utilized six steps: prototype development, evaluation by domain experts, software revision, evaluation by usability experts, software revision, and evaluation by decision makers. Although this approach led to an improved piece of software, decision makers should have been involved earlier in the software design process, possibly at step two (instead of the domain experts). Decision makers found the notion of uncertainty discomforting, but their positive comments regarding the software suggest that it could prove beneficial, especially with improvements in spatial and temporal resolution. One interesting characteristic of our approach was the utilization of a wall-size display measuring 25 x 6 feet. The wall-size display engendered great interest, but determining whether it is truly effective will require a study that directly compares it with more traditional approaches.