Usability evaluation of an interactive map of land use/land cover change: a tale of designing for change Presenter: Mungandi Nasitwitwi, RMIT University Co-presenters: Amy Griffin, RMIT University; David Medyckyj-Scott, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research; Andrew Cowie, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Interactive maps can be helpful tools for supporting effective land management at local, regional or national scales. But mapping land use/land cover change (LULCC) is challenging. We evaluated the usability of a tool designed by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research that mapped LULCC in New Zealand from 1997-2013 to see if participants could solve spatial, temporal and thematic tasks using the interactive map. Our study investigated the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction that the map supported. We identified a number of usability challenges that map users experienced and suggest design changes that might make the tool more usable.
GIS-supported methods for understanding empty spaces on maps Presenter: Sterling Quinn, Central Washington University Brian Harley's quip that "there is no such thing as an empty space on a map" invites critical inquiry into which places are being left blank in popular reference maps, and why. I propose several GIS methods to identify consistently empty areas in print and digital maps of Washington State made by Google, Microsoft, Rand McNally, and others. I then examine the physical and human geographies of these places through intersections with demographic, economic, and ecological datasets. I also discuss interdisciplinary possibilities for combining maps, photographs, and ethnographies to communicate the value and meanings ascribed to these places.
Re-mapping the Global Arid Landscape Presenter: Samantha Solano, University of Nevada, Las Vegas The global arid landscape, because of homogenizing methods of cartographic representation, has been mis-understood and simplified into homogenizing classifications such as barren, open, and void. These reductive representations have reduced this diverse rich landscape into territories that are prime for urban operations that exploit its vacancy and ignore its fragilities. How we choose to map, represents what is to be valued, therefore through a series of critical cartograhies of the arid - mapping patterns of occupation and ecological value - this presentations methodology aims to bring awareness and urgency to the issues impacting current and future arid landscape urban interventions.
The Look of Earth Presenter: Tim Wallace, Descartes Labs What does our planet look like – what are its distinguishing features, its quirks and flukes? What if you could teach a machine learning algorithm to understand and recreate the look of Earth? At Descartes Labs, we're finding out and we're thrilled to share some results with you.
