Map Information Visualization Design Based On User Needs

In the current age of information,the volume and fragmentation of information has brought confusion and anxiety to people,who struggle to process enormous amounts of text and numeric data.Improving efficiency of information communication thus becomes important,and so does information visualization design,which has developed rapidly in recent years together with progress in big data.Map,as a complex information carrier,is directly related to and affected by information visualization design,the latter of which has provided an important direction for map design.Among existing studies related to map information visuation design,limited research has been done from the perspective of user-centered design,most of which focused on technological development instead of empirical analysis.Research on design strategies combining information visualization with map design is particularly inadequate.The current study started with a review of existing user research and map information visualization design.It benefited from knowledge across disciplines such as semiotics,cognitive psychology and cartography,and explored principles of map information visualization design based on user needs.At the early stage of design,target users of the Shenzhen university town map(i.e.,college students living there)were interviewed and surveyed about their needs and thoughts regarding the map design,providing useful guidance for the designer.Based on collected user information and design materials,infographic design methods were used to visualize the university town on the map.More important,the map design was evaluated by a usability test,employing an eye-tracking device to measure users’ experiences of using the map and problems encountered.The experiment helped determine the effectiveness of map information communication in a more objective way,and provided insights into improving the map design based on user feedback.Accordingly,the map information visualization design process,with a focus on user needs,was completed with further improvements on the map.This research has combined methods of user research,design and evaluation,and developed strategies regarding map information visualization design based on user needs.It can assist map designers in understanding user perspectives and following related design principles,so that boring map information can be displayed to users in a more accurate and interesting way.Future map design research and practice can learn from this study,and more innovative design methods should be adopted to improve the user-centered design process and the effectiveness of map information visualization.