Online Survey of Heterogeneous Users and Their Usage of the Interactive Mapping Platform WorldMap

Abstract

This article reports on the results of an online survey with 290 heterogeneous users of the interactive mapping platform WorldMap and provides insights into problems faced by such users. Heterogeneous users are users with a variety of GIS skills, educational background, gender, and age categories. We investigate how they interact with online maps and analyse their experience. WorldMap represents as a case study of an online mapping platform which aims to serve researchers and users across disciplines in viewing and creating online interactive maps. We concentrate on operations that are perceived as difficult and very difficult by the majority of users as well as operations that are rarely used. Our aim is to contribute to the discussions on how to improve the design of online GIS-based mapping platforms. We conclude the paper with reflections on the results of our study and ideas for further research.

Keywords:

• online interactive maps
• interaction with online maps
• geographic information systems
• WorldMap
• empirical study

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Patrick Felsch and Tony Haertling from HafenCity University Hamburg for their work on the statistical evaluation of the data gathered with the online questionnaire.

Additional information

Funding

The WorldMap project is partially funded by the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Implementation Grants, Award No: HK-50091-13. For a complete list of sponsors, please see the ‘Sponsors’ page on http://about.worldmap.harvard.edu/.

Notes on contributors

Alenka Poplin

Alenka Poplin is an Assistant Professor at Community and Regional Planning Department, Iowa State University, and a founder of GeoGames Lab. Her research interests include geovisualization, interaction with online maps, map design, geogames, and serious games for civic engagement in planning.