The article Evaluating the usability of visualization methods in an exploratory geovisualization environment by Koua et al. report on their findings regarding visualization methods and geovisualization. The study aimed to evaluate how the use of different visualization tools impacted the usability and understanding of geospatial data.
I found it quite interesting to see the results of the study, out of six different ways of visualizing the same data, the map was found to be the better tool for tasks such as locating, ranking and distinguishing attributes. On the other hand, the self-organizing map (SOM) component plane was better for the visual analysis of relationships and patterns in the data. This brings a question to mind about the type of users interacting with the product.
In the study, the participants were made up of 20 different individuals with a background in GIS and data analysis. This means that they had experience with GIS tools and their own preference of tools for analysis – they knew what to expect and (generally) how to use the tools. I wonder how the results would change if the participants of the study varied more in their knowledge background of GIS. How would someone with no particular experience with GIS tools interact and understand that same data? I find this particularly interesting because when creating a Geoweb product for public use that supports analysis, the user interaction and understanding of the product is crucial.