Map Use - Perspectives in Geographic Undergraduate Education

1997 ◽  
pp. 25-28
Author(s):  
Derek Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Undergraduate Education ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Spatial Reasoning ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Computer Mapping ◽  
Reasoning Process ◽  
Map Reading ◽  
Map Design

The author introduces junior-level students with no background to various tasks involving maps, computer mapping and GIS as part of a project called Urban World. A concern is how to evaluate the student's learning as well as the products the students produce, whether on paper or electronically. Three challenges are posed to the cartographic community. What can we offer in terms of map reading strategies? Do we have guidelines for good cartographic practice and helpful hints about map design? What research has there been on the complexities of the individualistic analysis and decision-making that are major elements of the spatial reasoning process?

scholarly journals Modeling Patterns in Map Use Contexts and Mobile Map Design Usability

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 527
Author(s):  
Mona Bartling ◽  
Clemens R. Havas ◽  
Stefan Wegenkittl ◽  
Tumasch Reichenbacher ◽  
Bernd Resch
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Archetypal Analysis ◽  
Map Reading ◽  
Map Design ◽  
Use Context ◽  
Context Data ◽  
Reading Activities

Mobile map applications are increasingly used in various aspects of our lives, leading to an increase in different map use situations and, therefore, map use contexts. Several empirical usability studies have identified how map design is associated with and impacted by selected map use context attributes. This research seeks to expand on these studies and analyzes combinations of map use contexts to identify relevant contextual factors that influence mobile map design usability. In a study with 50 participants from Colombia, we assessed in an online survey the usability of 27 map design variations (consisting of three map-reading tasks, three base map styles, and three interactivity variants). We found that the overall map design is critical in supporting map-reading activities (e.g., identifying a location on a map was supported by a simplified base map, whereas selecting points on the map was supported by a more detailed base map). We then evaluated user patterns in the collected data with archetypal analysis. It was possible to create archetypal representations of the participants with a corresponding map design profile and establish a workflow for modeling patterns in usability and context data. We recommend that future research continues assessing archetypal analysis as it provides a means for context-based decision-making on map design adaptation and transferability.

scholarly journals Improving the search for victims in mountain environments with geovisualization and competing hypotheses management

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthieu Viry ◽  
Marlène Villanova-Oliver ◽  
Jacques Gautier ◽  
Matthew Sreeves ◽  
Paule-Annick Davoine
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Spatial Reasoning ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Uncertain Information ◽  
Spatial Filters ◽  
Mountain Environments ◽  
Simultaneous Management ◽  
Competing Hypotheses ◽  
Search Approach ◽  
Precise Area

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> This article is part of a research program aimed at improving the location of victims in the mountains. The search for victim location is a process involving various elements, few of them falls within the scope of our team such as the modelling of the process of spatial reasoning of the rescuer and the geovisualization of multidimensional and uncertain information for decision-making. After having reviewed the various scientific challenges we propose a prototype of interface. The strengths of our approach are the transformation of location clues into a list of spatial filters, the addition of these filters within a search scenario to create probable location area(s) as well as the simultaneous management of competing search scenarios. We also present the results of user tests, validating the interest of such an approach to objectify the area of probable location of the victim and obtain a more precise area than during the traditional search approach. Finally, we will discuss the improvements underway on the basis of this prototype, in particular how we plan to better account for the uncertainty in the decision-making process and how we plan to allow a future prototype to suggest questions to the rescuer in order to help him/her refine his/her research.</p>

SNA Based Expert Knowledge Map Design for Ship-Block Scheduling Decision-Making

2013 ◽  
Vol 694-697 ◽  
pp. 3522-3525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Wen Huang ◽  
Zu Hua Jiang ◽  
Li Jun Liu
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Block Scheduling ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Map ◽  
Map Building ◽  
Map Design ◽  
Reliable Basis

To organize the experts rationally and facilitate the sharing of expert knowledge, an expert knowledge map framework based on social network analysis (SNA) for ship-block scheduling is proposed. The function of expert knowledge map is analyzed, and the approaches of SNA based knowledge map building are introduced. Then, the network structure was analyzed quantitatively to find the factors that hold back the spreading and innovating of knowledge by SNA. The result indicates that SNA can offer the reliable basis on how to take strong measures to organize the experts, which can improve the expert knowledge map’s structure and the effectiveness of knowledge navigation and sharing.

Group Decision-Making Oriented Civil Engineering Undergraduate Education Reform in China

2012 ◽  
Vol 591-593 ◽  
pp. 2180-2185
Author(s):  
Chun Ying Huang ◽  
Xiao Ming Wang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Group Decision Making ◽  
Undergraduate Education ◽  
Civil Engineering ◽  
Group Decision ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Education In China

This paper studies civil engineering undergraduate education reform in China in the context of sustainable development. At first, from the perspective of sustainable development and symbiosis, group decision-making for the construction project aiming at the sustainability and the harmony of development is very necessary for ensuring the common and long-term interests of all the stakeholders and their successors, which should be performed based on the consensus and cooperation of all the decision-makers. Secondly, some present problems of civil engineering undergraduate education in China, which can do harm to group decision-making, are discussed. In the end, this paper gives some suggestions for civil engineering undergraduate education reform in China, to help the undergraduates establish the concepts of sustainable development, harmonious symbiosis and group decision-making in their minds consciously, so as to make them achieve sustainable development and harmonious relationship between the construction project and the environment actively during their future work.

scholarly journals Measuring effective map design for route guidance: An experiment comparing electronic map display principles

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Porathe
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Route Guidance ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Electronic Map ◽  
The World ◽  
Map Design ◽  
Guidance Systems

Route guidance systems in vehicles has started to use an oblique, slanted view of the map, mimicking something of the egocentric perspective the driver sees through the windscreen. Is this an effective strategy? What is the most effective map design to convey route guidance to drivers, and how can this be measured? In an experiment with four different modes of map displays the speed of decision making and accuracy of navigation have been tested. The four map types were: the traditional paper map, the northup electronic map with position plotting (the symbol of the vehicle moving in the static map), the head-up electronic map (map moving, the position of the vehicle static and facing up) and the egocentric view map display, a 3-D scenery mimicking the world outside the wind screen. The experiment showed clearly that the egocentric 3-D view was the most effective.

scholarly journals Accuracy and Coordination of Spatial Frames of Reference during the Exploration of Virtual Maps: Interest for Orientation and Mobility of Blind People?

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Simonnet ◽  
Stéphane Vieilledent
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Reasoning ◽  
Frames Of Reference ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Spatial Representations ◽  
Blind People ◽  
Orientation Programs ◽  
Map Reading ◽  
Spatial Frames Of Reference ◽  
Maritime Environment ◽  
Reference Strategy

Even if their spatial reasoning capabilities remain quite similar to those of sighted people, blind people encounter difficulties in getting distant information from their surroundings. Thus, whole body displacements, tactile map consultations, or auditory solutions are needed to establish physical contacts with their environment. Therefore, the accuracy of nonvisual spatial representations heavily relies upon the efficiency of exploration strategies and the ability to coordinate egocentric and allocentric spatial frames of reference. This study aims to better understand the mechanisms of this coordination without vision by analyzing cartographic exploration strategies and assessing their influence on mental spatial representations. Six blind sailors were immersed within a virtual haptic and auditory maritime environment. They were required to learn the layout of the map. Their movements were recorded and we identified some exploration strategies. Then they had to estimate the directions of six particular seamarks in aligned and misaligned situations. Better accuracy and coordination were obtained when participants used the “central point of reference” strategy. Our discussion relative to the articulation between geometric enduring representations and salient transient perceptions provides implications on map reading techniques and on mobility and orientation programs for blind people.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document