Using Eye Tracking to Evaluate the Usability of Flow Maps

Dong, Weihua; Wang, Shengkai; Chen, Yizhou; Meng, Liqiu

doi:10.3390/ijgi7070281

Cited by 30 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Visual behavior can be retrieved from the analysis of locations of PORs, since, according to the 'mind-eye hypothesis' [52], people tend to look at things they are thinking about. Eye-tracking has been applied to various GIS empirical studies: to evaluate enhanced imagery evaluation [53], size and color of text on maps [54], comparison of 3D maps and 2D maps [55], features of flow maps [18], etc. The combination of eye-tracking and other methods has been used in recent studies with confirmed effectiveness [37,[56][57][58].…”

Section: Methods Of Gaining Insight Into Map-reading and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Havelková

Gołębiowska

2019

IJGI

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Thematic map analysis is a complex and challenging task that might result in map user failure for many reasons. In the study reported here, we wanted to search for differences between successful and unsuccessful map users, focusing—unlike many similar studies—on strategies applied by users who give incorrect answers. In the eye-tracking study, followed by a questionnaire survey, we collected data from 39 participants. The eye-tracking data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively to compare participants’ strategies from various perspectives. Unlike the results of some other studies, it turned out that unsuccessful participants show some similarities that are consistent across most analyzed tasks. The main issues that characterize bad solvers relate to improper use of the thematic legend, the inability to focus on relevant map layout elements, as well as on adequate map content. Moreover, they differed in the general problem-solving approach used as they, for example, tended to choose fast, less cautious, strategies. Based on the collected results, we developed tips that could help prevent unsuccessful participants ending with an incorrect answer and therefore be beneficial in map use education.

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Section: Methods Of Gaining Insight Into Map-reading and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Havelková

Gołębiowska

2019

IJGI

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“…The use of these metrics is essential. Fixations allow 1 exact determination of the user's focused attention, and together with saccades are elementary components of eye movement [62,63]. Fixations are responsible for the processing of visual information.…”

Section: Eye Movement Metricsmentioning

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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“…The results showed that improving visual hierarchy affected viewing behavior and response time. Studies of similar design were conducted with other types of materials, for example 2D and 3D pie charts [12], cartograms [13], maps of spatial accessibility [14], graduated symbols in relation to spatial distance between them [15] or flow maps [16]. All of these provided empirical evidence valuable for formulating the optimal solution for a particular map type, and guidance on how to refine a selected map type.…”

Section: Informationally Equivalent Visualizationsmentioning

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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Using Eye Tracking to Evaluate the Usability of Flow Maps

Cited by 30 publications

References 34 publications

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

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

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

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

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