Atlas Design: A Usability Approach for the Development and Evaluation of Cartographic Products

Abstract

Technological advancement has led us to new ways of representing geospatial information, beyond traditional analogue forms. As a consequence, the design of maps and atlases is developing in new ways. The hypothesis of this study could be formulated as follows: the use of digital and interactive elements in a thematic atlas improves and enhances the usability of the cartographic products for the visualization of architectural heritage (in this case of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela), due to which it provides new ways and possibilities for interaction. The study, therefore, focuses on usability to evaluate thematic atlases in the design process, and examine the differences that potential users present to digital-interactive atlases and static-printed atlases; the first embodied in desktop computers, the second printed on paper. The three measures of usability: effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction, were evaluated in the two atlases presented, by means of five tasks applied to 50 participants, each task with a purpose of special use within the scope of the atlas and architectural heritage. We also measured perceptions and emotions. Our findings suggest that printed and digital atlases complement each other because of their different kinds of uses and expectations. Usability metrics differ slightly; those related to success and time are higher in the digital atlas, whereas those related to satisfaction and perception are higher in the printed atlas.