Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
maps in small multiples) were classified into five similar categories classified
verbally from very high to very low.
The second base map (spatio-temporal changes) includes:
• Main characteristic—Percentage increase in the incidence rate of malignant
neoplasms between 2000 and 2004—(shown on the central choropleth map in
ring maps, or on one of the choropleth maps in small multiples) was classified
into five classes.
• Secondary characteristics—Incidence rate of malignant neoplasms in each sur-
vey period 2000-2004—(shown on rings in ring maps, or on the five remaining
choropleth maps in small multiples) were classified into five similar value
categories.
No commercial or open tools for automatic ring map development were avail-
able at the time of test preparation. Therefore, we decided to use ESRI ArcMap for
creating both types of cartographic visualizations. Small multiples were designed
on one printable page to allow for better comparison of related displayed variables.
Ring maps were created manually, while we designed a shapefile-based template
connected with selectable database attributes (spatial or temporal).
The Multivariate Testing Program (MuTeP), developed by the Department of
Geography, Masaryk University, was chosen for evaluation of the usability of the
multivariate data visualization methods. MuTeP enables the creation of testing
batteries and the collection of qualitative and quantitative data about the test
participants and their performance on presented cartographic materials. Important
advantages of the MuTeP tool for this study are the possibility of maintaining test
batteries in Internet Explorer, which the participants are familiar with, the possi-
bility of simultaneous recording of time consumed on a particular section of the test
battery and the correctness of the answers. MuTeP software is described in more
detail in
ˇ
t
ˇ
rba et al. (
2011
).
Study Design
Stimuli
Two different types of visualization were in our empirical study, namely ring map
and small multiples (see Fig.
2
). Both cartographic visualization methods displayed
similar thematic data mentioned in previous chapter. All the colour templates used
in the study were defined using ColorBrewer 2.0 (
2013
).
