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Controllability matters: The user experience of adaptive maps

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Abstract

Adaptive map interfaces have the potential of increasing usability by providing more task dependent and personalized support. It is unclear, however, how map adaptation must be designed to avoid a loss of control, transparency, and predictability. This article investigates the user experience of adaptive map interfaces in the context of gaze-based activity recognition. In a Wizard of Oz experiment we study two adaptive map interfaces differing in the degree of controllability and compare them to a non-adaptive map interface. Adaptive interfaces were found to cause higher user experience and lower perceived cognitive workload than the non-adaptive interface. Among the adaptive interfaces, users clearly preferred the condition with higher controllability. Results from structured interviews reveal that participants dislike being interrupted in their spatial cognitive processes by a sudden adaptation of the map content. Our results suggest that adaptive map interfaces should provide their users with control at what time an adaptation will be performed.

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Notes

  1. Example user comment on ‘Clippy’: ‘It’s not very helpful. You’ve got to stop what you’re doing and click on it.’ [56].

  2. Transitions between different adaptation types are also possible, but not considered further here. For instance, a system could employ a transient automatic adaptation and then, once the adaptation automatically disappears, switch to another adaptation type, such as the toggable adaptation, offering manual adaptation. This does not form a new type of adaptation, but rather possible transitions between adaptation types.

  3. http://www.smivision.com/en.html

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Cartography and Geoinformation, ETH Zürich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland

    Peter Kiefer, Ioannis Giannopoulos, Vasileios Athanasios Anagnostopoulos & Martin Raubal

  2. Faculty 03: Mathematics / Computer Science, Universität Bremen, Bibliothekstr. 5, MZH 5235, D-28359, Bremen, Germany

    Johannes Schöning

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  1. Peter Kiefer
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  2. Ioannis Giannopoulos
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Correspondence to Peter Kiefer.

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Kiefer, P., Giannopoulos, I., Athanasios Anagnostopoulos, V. et al. Controllability matters: The user experience of adaptive maps. Geoinformatica 21, 619–641 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10707-016-0282-x

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