Abstract
Abstract. Widely used basemaps are not particularly inclusive when it comes to color vision impaired users. The use of colors, even though perfect for the representation of features, does not always account for color vision impairments. Certain combinations of colors in basemaps are indistinguishable for colorblind people. With the awareness that those disabilities should be considered when designing a basemap, Esri Nederland and Kadaster instigated the research on the topic, aiming to create a methodology on how to optimize the basemaps for color vision impaired users. The methodology developed was applied in the assessment of six basemaps and improvements were performed in the two most commonly used basemaps in the Netherlands, the Esri World Topographic Map, and the BRT Achtergrondkaart Standaard. Suitable shades were selected to replace the problematic ones in the original basemaps, and the target group evaluated the improvements through surveys. The results showed that the commonly used basemaps are able to well represent the features in a colorblind-friendly way. However, there is room for improvements in order to achieve more suitable and inclusive basemaps.
Highlights
Topographic maps are two-dimensional representations of natural and artificial features found on the planet (Kadaster, 2020)
There are various types of color vision impairment, which can be divided into three categories namely: Monochromatism, Dichromatism, or Anomalous Trichromatism
The current state assessment (CSA) consisted of two steps which were applied to a selection of the most common basemaps used in the Netherlands (BRT achtergrondkaart Standaard, BRT achtergrondkaart Grijs, Esri World Topographic Map, Esri Light Gray Canvas, Google Maps, and OpenStreetMap)
Summary
Topographic maps are two-dimensional representations of natural and artificial features found on the planet (Kadaster, 2020). Topographic elements help to identify the main area’s characteristics, so they are often used as basemaps. The majority of these maps are created with little or no consideration to the color vision impaired users (Hobbins, 2019). Basemaps are purposely muted background maps that are used as a foundation for the information that will be represented They do not allow for the use of strategic elements such as hatches or specific symbology that would make them more readable for color vision impaired users.
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