Novel approaches for context-based map design adaptation

In our mobile, digital society, mobile maps are increasingly used in different aspects of our lives, leading to an increase in map use situations (e.g., differences in users spatial or digital skills, temporal or environmental distractions, such as noise, direct sunlight, rain, etc.). Adjusting the map design towards these differences (e.g., adjusting the symbology to respond to light conditions, reduce interactivity complexity to respond to users cognitive constraints) supports map users to use mobile maps in these diverse map use situations. The evaluation of differences in map use situations is therefore relevant for designing suitable maps, and for defining how map designs should vary or adjust between map use situations. In the past, research has been conducted on understanding the needs of varying map use situations for the design, design transferability, and adaptation of mobile maps. Nevertheless, there are still several research gaps in terms of modeling map use situations (in particular regarding the dynamics of map use situations, such as environmental and temporal changes). In addition, commonly used traditional map design evaluation methods are limited in their ability to evaluate dynamically changing factors of map use situations associated with a dynamic adaptation of the map design. This project expands on previous research efforts and seeks to evaluate novel approaches for map design transferability and map design adaptation to respond to varying map use situations. The project will particularly focus on techniques to model map use situations (i.e., map use context factors) and analyze methods to dynamically evaluate the usability of the transferred and adapted map design choices. The project further aims to evaluate ways to identify what are relevant aspects of map use situations that define what constitute differences between map use situations. We will conduct various empirical user studies where we aim to evaluate a coherent methodology, integrating traditional and dynamic usability evaluation methods to analyze the adaptation of the map design, map use context modeling techniques, and adaptive strategies to respond to the context of the map users with the map design. The project aims to advance research on context-based map design transferability and adaptation, which is still in its infancy in the cartographic community. The design and investigation of a coherent methodology will bring developed theoretical concepts on the topic closer to practice.

In today's digital age, mobile maps are indispensable tools for tasks ranging from finding the nearest restaurant and its opening hours to navigating hiking trails. However, how we use maps is heavily influenced by context. For instance, under time pressure or stress, users prioritize quick access to spatial information, while in bright sunlight, high-contrast symbology is crucial for readability. This research project explored how mobile maps can adapt to such varying contexts to create more effective and user-friendly solutions. The project aimed to advance the understanding and implementation of context-aware mobile maps, a field still in its early stages within the cartographic community. Specifically, it sought to design, test, and evaluate adaptive approaches to mobile map design while developing methods to bridge theoretical research and practical applications. One major contribution was an empirical study involving 54 participants. Using Virtual Reality (VR) technology, the study simulated an urban environment to observe how users interacted with mobile maps during navigation tasks in an unfamiliar setting. The findings revealed that a participant's sense of direction strongly influenced their navigation abilities and interactions with the map, emphasizing the importance of tailoring maps to individual traits. To enable this study, the project extended lab infrastructure to synchronize participants' real-time movements in VR with their positioning on mobile maps. This innovative approach earned the Best Poster Award at the COSIT 2024 conference in Quebec City, Canada. The project also developed a comprehensive taxonomy of map use contexts and associated methods for acquiring and applying contextual information. Presented at the ICC 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa, the taxonomy fostered dialogue within the international cartographic community. In addition, a workshop brought together leading researchers to discuss future priorities for mobile map adaptation. Key areas for further investigation included integrating human factors such as spatial cognition, addressing ethical concerns like privacy protection, and ensuring transparency and explainability in adaptive map features. To complement this work, the team published a perspective paper on the future of mobile map adaptations, highlighting the limited research on mobile map use behavior. To address this gap, a short paper implemented a privacy-preserving method for analyzing map usage. By focusing on minimal datasets-tracking when and where users interacted with maps without logging specific touchscreen inputs-the study method demonstrated a balance between behavioral analysis and privacy protection. This project made valuable contributions to understanding and designing context-aware mobile maps. By exploring how situational factors and user traits influence map interactions, applying privacy-preserving methods for behavioral analysis, and creating a lab infrastructure to study mobile map use in VR, it has laid a strong foundation for future research. The findings will inform efforts to make mobile maps more adaptive and responsive to diverse user needs.