When size matters: Towards evaluating perceivability of choropleths

McNabb, Liam; Laramee, Robert S.; Wilson, Max L.

Abstract

Choropleth maps are an invaluable visualization type for mapping geo-spatial data. One advantage to a choropleth map over other geospatial visualizations such as cartograms is the familiarity of a non-distorted landmass. However, this causes challenges when an area becomes too small in order to accurately perceive the underlying color. When does size matter in a choropleth map? We conduct an experiment to verify the relationship between choropleth maps, their underlying color map, and a user’s perceivability. We do this by testing a user’s perception of color relative to an administrative area’s size within a choropleth map, as well as user-preference of fixed-locale maps with enforced minimum areas. Based on this initial experiment we can make the first recommendations with respect to a unit area’s minimum size in order to be perceivably useful.

Citation

McNabb, L., Laramee, R. S., & Wilson, M. L. (2018). When size matters: Towards evaluating perceivability of choropleths. In G. Tam, & F. Vidal (Eds.), EG UK Computer Graphics & Visual Computing (163-171). https://doi.org/10.2312/cgvc.20181221

• Conference Name: Computer Graphics and Visual Computing, CGVC 2018
• Conference Location: Swansea, UK
• Start Date: Sep 13, 2018
• End Date: Sep 14, 2018
• Acceptance Date: Jul 30, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Sep 13, 2018
• Publication Date: Sep 13, 2018
• Deposit Date: Oct 15, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 16, 2018
• Volume: 2018-September
• Pages: 163-171
• Book Title: EG UK Computer Graphics & Visual Computing
• ISBN: 9783038680710
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2312/cgvc.20181221
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1164976
• Publisher URL: https://diglib.eg.org/handle/10.2312/cgvc20181221