Erik Steiner | Stanford University (original) (raw)
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University of Twente, Faculty of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation (ITC)
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Papers by Erik Steiner
Annals of The Association of American Geographers, 2006
Although animated maps are widely promoted as ideal vehicles for learning and scientific discover... more Although animated maps are widely promoted as ideal vehicles for learning and scientific discovery, there has been little empirical work that demonstrates their relative effectiveness in relation to static small-multiple alternatives. In this article, we attempt to clarify the issues related to the potential of animation from an explicitly geographic perspective, but one that is also grounded in broader cognitive science and human-computer interaction considerations. We compared the effectiveness of animated with static small-multiple maps, specifically in relation to map readers' ability to identify clusters that move over space and through time. In this study, we focused on several factors that might impact (or help explain) map readers' ability to correctly identify clusters. These factors included animation pace, cluster coherence, and gender. We found that map readers answer more quickly and identify more patterns correctly when using animated maps than when using static small-multiple maps. We also found that pace and cluster coherence interact so that different paces are more effective for identifying certain types of clusters (none vs. subtle vs. strong), and that there are some gender differences in the animated condition. This study is one of a small number of controlled experiments directed to the relative advantages of animated and static small-multiple maps. It provides the basis for further research that is needed to better understand the cognitive load involved in reading animated maps, to better describe and understand gender differences, and to investigate the efficacy of animated maps for other types of map reading tasks.
In this paper, we focus on extending geovisualization methods and tools to support the work of gr... more In this paper, we focus on extending geovisualization methods and tools to support the work of groups. More specifically, we consider the role of map-based displays in facilitating collaboration in the context of geospatial knowledge construction and decision-making activities. Emphasis is given to those situations in which collaborators are interacting at a distance from one another. Rapid advances in electronic communication technologies that make collaboration at a distance both practical and expected will exacerbate the single-user limitations of existing tools and approaches. Particular emphasis is given here to the role of visual display as a mediator between individuals who apply different perspectives to a problem and the role of information visualization methods in providing both participants and system designers with important feedback about the process of collaboration. After providing a conceptual overview and brief background, we describe components of two collaborative geovisualization prototypes.
Annals of The Association of American Geographers, 2006
Although animated maps are widely promoted as ideal vehicles for learning and scientific discover... more Although animated maps are widely promoted as ideal vehicles for learning and scientific discovery, there has been little empirical work that demonstrates their relative effectiveness in relation to static small-multiple alternatives. In this article, we attempt to clarify the issues related to the potential of animation from an explicitly geographic perspective, but one that is also grounded in broader cognitive science and human-computer interaction considerations. We compared the effectiveness of animated with static small-multiple maps, specifically in relation to map readers' ability to identify clusters that move over space and through time. In this study, we focused on several factors that might impact (or help explain) map readers' ability to correctly identify clusters. These factors included animation pace, cluster coherence, and gender. We found that map readers answer more quickly and identify more patterns correctly when using animated maps than when using static small-multiple maps. We also found that pace and cluster coherence interact so that different paces are more effective for identifying certain types of clusters (none vs. subtle vs. strong), and that there are some gender differences in the animated condition. This study is one of a small number of controlled experiments directed to the relative advantages of animated and static small-multiple maps. It provides the basis for further research that is needed to better understand the cognitive load involved in reading animated maps, to better describe and understand gender differences, and to investigate the efficacy of animated maps for other types of map reading tasks.
In this paper, we focus on extending geovisualization methods and tools to support the work of gr... more In this paper, we focus on extending geovisualization methods and tools to support the work of groups. More specifically, we consider the role of map-based displays in facilitating collaboration in the context of geospatial knowledge construction and decision-making activities. Emphasis is given to those situations in which collaborators are interacting at a distance from one another. Rapid advances in electronic communication technologies that make collaboration at a distance both practical and expected will exacerbate the single-user limitations of existing tools and approaches. Particular emphasis is given here to the role of visual display as a mediator between individuals who apply different perspectives to a problem and the role of information visualization methods in providing both participants and system designers with important feedback about the process of collaboration. After providing a conceptual overview and brief background, we describe components of two collaborative geovisualization prototypes.