The role of user context in the design of mobile map applications

Mona Bartling; Anthony C Robinson; Bernd Resch; Anton Eitzinger; Karl Atzmanstorfer

doi:10.1080/15230406.2021.1933595

The role of user context in the design of mobile map applications

Cartogr Geogr Inf Sci. 2021 Jul 6;48(5):432-448. doi: 10.1080/15230406.2021.1933595. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Mona Bartling¹, Anthony C Robinson², Bernd Resch^{1

3}, Anton Eitzinger⁴, Karl Atzmanstorfer¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS, University of Salzburg, Austria.
² Department of Geography, GeoVISTA Center, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
³ Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
⁴ Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Americas Hub, Cali, Colombia.

Abstract

Mobile map applications are typically used by a broad range of users. Users can be diverse in their context attributes (e.g. map use experience, activities during map use), and several previous user experience (UX) studies have focused on understanding how some contextual factors influence the UX for designing maps that satisfy users' needs. A need for research remains to evaluate the relationship between user context, UX, and variants of mobile map element design. In this article, we present our research investigating the interplay of these factors through an empirical user study with citizens in Austria. We created an online survey and generated 84 map variations, combining seven map-related tasks, three base map styles, two map detail densities, and two time-pressure variants. We tested these map variations with 107 survey participants and related their UX to user context. Map-related tasks emerged as a dominant factor modifying the map design UX. Further results showed that interactivity loaded map-related tasks were aided when paired with low detail-dense base maps, contrasting overlay features. We recommend future research to analyze an extended set of context attributes with additional participant data, to evaluate dynamic variations in context, and to find ways to dynamically monitor mobile map design UX.

Keywords: User context; map adaptations; map applications; map design; mobile cartography; user experience.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany under Grant 81,206,685 and by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), and the Doctoral College – GIScience, University of Salzburg, Austria under Grant W1237.