Abstract
Map is a natural way to represent spatial information. Nowadays it’s also very popular to get map service on the Web. Although such maps are mainly to provide information about places for people’s daily life, they may not be well designed to fulfill the functions. Most electronic maps on the Web, or so-called Web maps, follow the forms of traditional topographic maps, not like the pictorial maps in our daily life. For the limitation of screen resolution and file size on the web, it’s not even feasible to transfer large high-resolution illustration-like map to the Web. We would like to propose a framework to combine the concepts of geographic information system (GIS) and schematic maps to extend the possibility of visual representation of spatial information on the Web. The information management of GIS could handle the dynamic spatial information, and representation of schematic maps could satisfy the spatial cognition ability of people. We used interactive multimedia technologies to implement the interface of the Web map system. By the application of technologies, the map part on the Web map is not only a visual representation but also an interactive interface of the system. The framework for visual representation of spatial information could be applied on the Web and on the other handheld appliance platforms of limited screen size, such as PDAs or mobile phones, for users and designers.
Keywords
Map, Wayfinding, Interface design, Information Graphics
Citation
Chen, C., You, M., and Chiou, S. (2004) A Framework for the Visual Representation of Spatial Information on the Web., in Redmond, J., Durling, D. and de Bono, A (eds.), Futureground - DRS International Conference 2004, 17-21 November, Melbourne, Australia. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2004/researchpapers/44
A Framework for the Visual Representation of Spatial Information on the Web.
Map is a natural way to represent spatial information. Nowadays it’s also very popular to get map service on the Web. Although such maps are mainly to provide information about places for people’s daily life, they may not be well designed to fulfill the functions. Most electronic maps on the Web, or so-called Web maps, follow the forms of traditional topographic maps, not like the pictorial maps in our daily life. For the limitation of screen resolution and file size on the web, it’s not even feasible to transfer large high-resolution illustration-like map to the Web. We would like to propose a framework to combine the concepts of geographic information system (GIS) and schematic maps to extend the possibility of visual representation of spatial information on the Web. The information management of GIS could handle the dynamic spatial information, and representation of schematic maps could satisfy the spatial cognition ability of people. We used interactive multimedia technologies to implement the interface of the Web map system. By the application of technologies, the map part on the Web map is not only a visual representation but also an interactive interface of the system. The framework for visual representation of spatial information could be applied on the Web and on the other handheld appliance platforms of limited screen size, such as PDAs or mobile phones, for users and designers.