Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
same area. The users also suggested that the service could benefit from
user-generated information, such as the current state of fireplaces. The
novel features that were introduced in the Web Map, such as the sound
landscapes (Laakso and Sarjakoski 2010) or animations, were received
with interest, but at the same time, with a certain amount of uncertainty
regarding their usefulness in route planning.
The title 'User experience' includes several detailed suggestions in order
to improve the user interface; for instance, making the terms used clear and
intuitive, having enough contrast in the text, making the symbols more
easily readable and adding an overview map.
'Individual content' implies that various options for personalisation should
be included in the service. For example, the users wished they could
choose the colour and type of things they might add to the map, such as
lines, areas and icons. In this way it would be clear which icons or paths
are their own creations. Users also suggested that it should be possible to
activate the marked trails to inform other users which route has been
chosen in case they wanted to share their map.
The participants in the usability evaluation had plenty of opinions about
the map contents. The MenoMaps service provides several maps also to
map, the Relief map, the Winter map, the Orthophoto map, the Infrared
orthophoto map and the Oblique view map (Oksanen et al. 2011). As we
expected, users considered the most traditional looking maps, such as the
Topographic map, to be the safest and most suitable for orienteering. Users
thought that other, more experimental maps, such as the Forest map or the
Winter map, were good additions which complemented the traditional
types of maps. The main critique about the different background maps was
that the main purpose of each of the maps was not clear: for example, the
users found it difficult to imagine what to do with an Infrared orthophoto
map. Some of the maps, such as the Forest map, were often misinterpreted.
This suggests that a legend is needed to ensure the usability and safety of
use.
