Communicating perceived geospatial data quality of 3D objects in virtual globes

Abstract

The emergence of Web 2.0 and applications such as on-line mapping and virtual globes (VGs) have significantly changed the way geospatial data are used. While the use, creation and analysis of geospatial data was once the realm of experts, these recent technological advancements have led to the democratization of geospatial data. Maps can now be produced by the contribution of thousands of users. This creates challenges when one wants to rely on such data to make a decision, as the quality of the geospatial dataset can be highly heterogeneous or even unknown. This thesis presents an approach for visualizing the perceived quality of 3D objects in VGs. The visualization approach developed adapts an approach successfully used in other domains, the five star and user feedback system, to communicate the reliability or quality of data/products to lay users. This approach helped identify a method of communication which is both technically feasible and easily understandable by both expert and non-expert users alike, while not oversimplifying the quality information being communicated. Determining the appropriate ways in which to visualize this approach in a 3D geospatial environment was then done through implementing prototypes and preforming a user evaluation. The results of the user evaluation suggest that the preferred visualization method uses a number within a star to show the object's quality, while the least preferred method is the typically used visualization using five individual stars.

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