Description

This research project will be executed in co-operation with Delft University of Technology (Dr. Martijn Meijers & Professor Peter van Oosterom).

Humans have been using the concept of map scale since the early days. When moving to an interactive and dynamic digital environment, the old map scale concept is maintained (even though the term “scale” may be replaced by “resolution”) and for each different scale the whole map dataset is separately produced and stored. This is a labour intensive and expensive process and results in inconsistencies in practice. There are already map interfaces providing the feeling of vario-scale by supporting smooth zoom; e.g. Google Maps and/or Microsoft Bing Maps. However, this is just an illusion as “under the hood”, the solution is still based on a number of redundant and fixed map scale representations.

We propose a new concept named ‘vario-scale’ in which the data once stored in a vario-scale data structure can be used for generating all wanted scales in a gradual and possibly smooth way.The vario-scale project (http://varioscale.bk.tudelft.nl/) started out with the hypothesis that it is better to have small steps (content zoom) during a zoom operation. This then leads to map interaction where a delta in scale (small zoom step) leads to a small change on the map.

We are now looking for MSc students who are interested in carrying out a usability study of the vario-scale approach.

In this thesis research project vario-scale maps will be compared with fixed scale maps by designing and carrying out a usability study. The set up of the study entails eye tracking in combination with thinking aloud, screen logging, etc. when users carry out realistic map usetasks. For the comparison the initial WebGL vario-scale viewer prototype (http://varioscale.bk.tudelft.nl/gpudemo/2017/07/one/) can be used (and possibly extended with additional functionality – e.g. other types of smooth zoom interaction).

The usability study will be carried out in the usability lab of the University of Twente (ITC), where eye tracking hardware, as well as software for analysis is available.

Objectives and Methodology

Examining the usability of the vario-scale approach in interactive and dynamic mapping.

Further reading

Midtbø, T. & Nordvik, T., 2007. Effects of Animations in Zooming and Panning Operations on Web maps: A Web-based Experiment. The Cartographic Journal, 44(4), pp. 292-303.
Radan Šuba, Mattijs Driel, Martijn Meijers, Peter van Oosterom, Elmar Eisemann, Usability test plan for truly vario-scale maps, In: Proceedings of AGILE workshop on 'Automated generalisation for on-demand mapping' and 19th ICA Workshop on Generalisation and Multiple Representation (D. Burghardt, C. Duchene, eds.), Helsinki, pp. 16, 2016. http://www.gdmc.nl/publications/2016/Usability_Test_Plan_Vario-scale_Map...
Midtbø, T. (2010). Consistency in maps with altering scales - a cartographic experiment by the

use of mobile phones. ISPRS Archives - Geospatial Data and Geovisualization: Environment, Security, and Society Special Joint Symposium of ISPRS Commission IV and AutoCarto 2010, XXXVIII:1–6.