Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
content was significantly faster and more efficient than in previous cartographic
information systems. This is possible due to a consistent use of object hierarchies
and object structures that allow an optimized information architecture. The added
value of linking thematic with geographic information was explicitly stressed. The
possibility of the integration of space and time as additional substantial factors of
scientific exploration was highly appreciated.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness indicates the degree of the achievement of objectives. Also in this
area, recent systems are to be understood as optimized compared to earlier appli-
cations, since user needs and fixed objectives were maintained in a much more
consistent way. This is due to the fact of the increased and more targeted use of test
methods in the development process of recent products. Findings of these tests have
been included directly in the development process and therefore serve as control-
ling factors of each subsequent development phase. The optimized effectiveness of
newer systems was verified in post-release evaluations, which emphasized the
logical match of available functionality with the content exploration within partic-
ular work processes.
Learnability
Poor accessibility to the information due to suboptimal navigation and functionality
was often criticized as a weakness of earlier systems. The evaluations carried out
during the planning and development stages of recent systems gave clearly more
important insights for optimizing the interfaces and navigation and resulted in a
much more user-centred system and thus in an optimized accessibility of informa-
tion. This is confirmed by the evaluated fact that both the amount of functions used,
as well as the extent of the retrieved thematic and cartographic information in
recent applications are significantly higher than in previous ones.
Satisfaction
The qualitatively evaluated satisfaction in recent developments is considered higher
than in previous ones. A wrong or fuzzy approach to the system, a bad
preprocessing of the integrated information as well as a poor technical implemen-
tation of the system leads to a generally low user satisfaction. The main advantages
of recent systems are the scope of, as well as the approach to the integrated content,
