Expert Perspectives on the Design and Use of Learning Materials for Neocartographic Interfaces

Abstract

The design of learning materials varies greatly across neocartographic interfaces and there has yet to be best practices established within the discipline. Learning materials vary not only in type (e.g., tutorials, tooltips, forums), but also in time of implementation, integration into the interface, type of knowledge supported, and type of media used. There are some emerging commonalities across neocartographic interfaces, such as an overview of the functionality included in the interface and a description of the basic procedures for making use of this functionality. However, domain knowledge of cartographic design rarely is supported, a topic that scholars agree is important for effective learning materials. Learnability and usability issues have been well-researched in the discipline of human-computer interaction (HCI). However, cartographic interfaces present unique challenges to learnability and usability, as the user must possess a deep understanding of cartographic principles in order to produce a well-designed map that communicates information effectively and truthfully. Domain topics in cartography include projections, linework generalization, data classification, representation methods, and visual hierarchy, among many others. The quality of a map is a direct result of the mapmaker’s knowledge of these cartographic principles. By supporting cartographic domain knowledge within neocartographic interfaces, the usability of the interface and the quality of resulting maps can be improved to support a novice user group. The purpose of this research is to identify common and best practices in the design of learning materials within cartography, with a specific focus on neocartographic interfaces and novice mapmakers. To date, there has been minimal research on the topic of learning materials within the discipline of cartography. As indicated, filling this gap is becoming increasingly important given the boom of online mapping tools targeted towards a novice audience. To address this gap, my research aimed to elicit expert opinion and viewpoints about the following research questions, serving as a foundational starting point for future work towards these questions: (1) Do learning materials improve the usability of neocartographic interfaces designed for the general public? (2) Are there existing best practices for designing learning materials in cartography? If so, what are they? (3) Are there certain contexts, user groups, or types of knowledge that determine if one type of learning material is better suited than another? (4) How should domain knowledge of cartographic principles be supported in neocartographic interfaces?