Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Visualization of Data Quality
Recently, requests to visualize data quality occur more and more often. This fact
was distinctively influenced by the acceptance of uncertainty as an important part of
data (Schneiderman and Pang
2005
). Despite the researching efforts in this field,
there is still no defined way to visualize uncertainty making this activity user-
friendly for wider group of users. Traditionally, information about uncertainty is
visualized using very limited methods and to acquire final result, combination of
various software is necessary. To find convenient methods and implement them,
user testing of created representations must be still performed. In general, research
in the field of spatial data visualization is primarily based on the definition of
uncertainty itself, development of methods for graphic depicting of the information,
creation of connections between spatial parts of data quality and visualization
methods. User evaluation of thus created visualization is what matters, and still
there are many questions concerning the impact of the use of specific types of visual
representations on decision-making process to be answered.
Cognitive Aspects of Spatial Data Quality Visualization
As stated by Weick (
2001
), regardless of the field, it is necessary to take into
account rather the perception of a specific individual than objective reality. This
approach will allow easier understanding of uncertainty and related analyses,
modelling and other aspects connected to this issue. In this part of the chapter, we
are going to focus in particular on human factors influencing visualization of
uncertainty and data quality.
In compliance with this approach, we can talk about cognitive cartography. The
history of cognitive research in the field of geography and cartography can be traced
back to the 1960s. With the beginning of occurrence and definition of the notion
GIScience (Goodchild
1992
), cognitive research was applied also as part of this
discipline (Montello
2009
). Cognitive cartography represents a research field that
uses concepts and procedures of cognitive psychology to uncover mental represen-
tations and images with the objective to evaluate those images and to acquire
geographic information from individual users (Blades and Spencer
1987
). As part
of this approach, human psyche is viewed as information processing system. Unlike
computing approach which rather works with cartographic tradition, cognitive
approach emphasizes in particular the user. The objective is to provide visualiza-
tions that work in compliance with what is known about human perception and
cognition of geographic space and its visual representations (Fabrikant and
Buttenfield
2001
; Fabrikant
2001
).
Leading professional in the field of cognitive cartography Montello (
2002
) said
that the research performed in this field is an approach that can, thanks to techno-
logical progress, help to develop cartography as a whole. In his conception,
