Thematic Uncertainty Visualization Usability – Basic Methods Comparison

KUBÍČEK, Petr and Čeněk ŠAŠINKA. Thematic Uncertainty Visualization Usability – Basic Methods Comparison. Annals of GIS. Honkong: Taylor &Francis, 2011, vol. 17, No 4, p. 253-263. ISSN 1947-5683. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19475683.2011.625978.

Basic information

• Original name: Thematic Uncertainty Visualization Usability – Basic Methods Comparison
• Name in Czech: Srovnání základních metod vizualizace tematické nejistoty
• Authors: KUBÍČEK, Petr (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Čeněk ŠAŠINKA (203 Czech Republic).
• Edition: Annals of GIS, Honkong, Taylor &Francis, 2011, 1947-5683.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: Earth magnetism, geodesy, geography
• Country of publisher: China
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/11:00059640
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19475683.2011.625978
• Keywords (in Czech): vizualizace nejistoty; kombinované a srovnávací mapy; ohodnocení; kognice; paralelní a sériové zpracování informace.
• Keywords in English: uncertainty visualization; kriging; maps combined and maps compared; evaluation; cognition; parallel and serial information processing
• Tags: AKR, rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Uncertainty of geographic data and visualization can be viewed from different angles. While conceptual and theoretical base is quite wide, visualization tools and pilot projects are rarer, and there exist only few studies dealing with the user’s `ability to cope with uncertainty visualization efficiency. The paper introduces two widely used uncertainty visualization methods – the maps compared and maps combined – and focuses on the usability issues of these methods. A combination of regular kriging interpolation method and interpolation uncertainty values is used for maps compared while whitening approach is applied for maps combined. During the study we electronically interviewed and tested more than 100 participants with backgrounds in geography or computer science. Both above mentioned methods were tested on three different levels. On the first level the intuitiveness of whitening method is questioned. On the second level both methods are compared taking into account simple decoding of predicted value (interpolation results), uncertainty decoding, and both values decoding at the same time. Finally the ability to compare two or more values is tested for the same combinations. Both correctness and processing time is recorded in order to enable further statistical processing. The overall testing was performed within the web interactive environment developed specifically for the interdisciplinary (cartographic – psychology) purposes.

Abstract (in Czech)

Na nejistoty geografických data a jejich vizualzaci lze nazírat z odlišných úhlů pohledu. Zatímco konceptuální základna pro vizualizaci nejistoty je poměrně široká, existuje pouze omezené množství studií zabývající se schopností uživatele efektivně s danou vizualizací pracovat. Článek popisuje dvě hlavní metody vizualizace nejistoty - srovnávací a kombinované mapy - a zaměřuje se na hodnocení jejich obecné využitelnosti. V rámci studie bylo testováno více než 100 respondentů a sledována správnost a rychlost odpovědí na dekódování jevu, nejistoty a jevu a nejistoty dohromady. Testování proběhlo v interaktivním webovém prostředí MuTeP, které bylo vytvořeno pro multidisciplinární kartograficko - psychologické studie.

Links

• MSM0021622418, plan (intention): Name: DYNAMICKÁ GEOVIZUALIZACE V KRIZOVÉM MANAGEMENTU

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Dynamic Geovisualisation in Crises Management