Presentation - International Conference of Cartography 2015 in Rio Janeiro

1. 27th International Cartographic Conference
August 23-28, 2015
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jérémie Ory*, Sidonie Christophe*,
Sara Fabrikant**, Bénédicte Bucher*
*COGIT Lab. – IGN-France
** GIVA Lab. – University of Zurich
HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?

2. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015 2
To depict more effectively a territory
To extend knowledge on map usability
Topographic
maps
Orthoimagery
Hybrid
representation
Others cartographic
abstractions
STAKES
To improve the map readability

3. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
1:25 000 topographic map from Swisstopo
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CONTEXT
A singular and distinctive visual appearance
1:25 000 topographic map from IGN-France
Different ways to depict a territory

4. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
How a topographic style is recognized by the map readers?
 Short-term issue
 Research questions
Which maps characteristics are considered by users for recognition?
Which ones are the most representative/used for recognition?
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ISSUE AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

5. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 User’s recognition of visual characteristics
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APPROACH: TOPOGRAPHIC STYLE

6. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 Aim of the experiment
To identify the visual characteristics which allow users to recognize the IGN-France
topographic style
• 410 experts in geography and cartography
• 85 % are French
VISUAL TEST: AIM AND PARTICIPANTS
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 Participants

7. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
VISUAL TEST : COGNITIVE-TASKS
Some visual characteristics are
processed pre-attentively
Some visual
characteristics are
memorized
No cognitive load / directly perceived Highly representative
of the perceived map
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8. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 Selection of 6 European topographic map samples designed by various NMAs
TEST: MATERIALS
 Extraction of 16 visual characteristics of IGN-France topographic style
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9. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
14% 16%46% 37%44%91%
ICC ACT LINZ IGN-F IGN-FSwisstopo
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T1: To identify / select a IGN-F topographic map amongst other styles
H1: Users are able to recognize a IGN-France topographic style amongst other styles
TEST: DISTINCTIVE TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

10. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
Classification Method : the Sturges calculation method + Jenks natural thresholds
T2: To select the 4 most representative visual characteristics in 4 map samples
(no ranks)
TEST: REPRESENTATIVE GRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS
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H2: Users visually identify the characteristics representative of the IGN-France style
59% 58%66%
13% 12% 12% 10% 10% 10% 3% 2%
13%24%25%41% 41%

11. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
Classification Method : the Sturges calculation method + Jenks natural thresholds
T3: To select the 4 most representative visual characteristics from memory
(no ranks)
TEST: MEMORIZED GRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS
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H3: Users memorize visual characteristics of IGN-France style
55% 47%74%
13% 12% 10% 9% 7% 5% 2%22%
32% 25%26%30%30%

12. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
VISUALIZATION OF MAIN RESULTS
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13. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
VISUALIZATION OF MAIN RESULTS
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In visualizing four maps : visual perception

14. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
VISUALIZATION OF MAIN RESULTS
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In visualizing four maps : visual perceptionWithout visualizing maps : visual memory

15. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
VISUALIZATION OF MAIN RESULTS
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In visualizing four maps : visual perceptionWithout visualizing maps : visual memoryVisual perception (H2) Visual memory (H3)Complete
topographic map

16. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
RESULTS
Different kinds of cartographic information
Style signature
information
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Visual salient
information
Secondary
information
Location
information

17. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
SUMMARY
Identification of visual characteristics for user’s recognition of IGN-France style in
Visual perception
Visual memory
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The IGN-France style is quite well recognized by French experts
Due to their mapping experience and cartographic knowledge
Due to the users nationality (knowledge of the depicted territory)
Proposition to classify visual characteristics into 4 distinctive groups
Style signature information
Visual salient information
Located information
Secondary information

18. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 To formalize the knowledge on topographic style in an unifying framework
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SUMMARY
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19. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 To formalize the knowledge on topographic style in an unifying framework
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SUMMARY
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20. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 My approach is replicable
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• 163 experts in geography and cartography
• 40 % are Swiss
Participants
69% 62%70% 64% 61%67%
Visual memory Visual perception
OUTLOOKS
Example : Identification the representative visual characteristics of
the Swisstopo style

21. HOW DO MAP READERS RECOGNIZE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING STYLE ?27th ICC2015
 How to use this new knowledge?
OUTLOOKS
Design new topographic styles by interpolating between two or more
original topographic styles
Example : border area
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Mix topographic maps effectively with orthoimagery (Hoarau 2015)
SwisstopoIGN-France
Abstraction Orthoimagery

22. Jérémie Ory
jeremie.ory@ign.fr
@Jersig
27th International Cartographic Conference
August 23-28, 2015
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil