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ESRI vs BREWER: An Evaluation of Map Use with Alternative Colour Schemes amongst the General Public

Ali, R. & Dykes, J. (2011). ESRI vs BREWER: An Evaluation of Map Use with Alternative Colour Schemes amongst the General Public. Paper presented at the 19th annual GIS Research UK (GISRUK), 27 - 29 Apr 2011, Portsmouth, UK.

Abstract

This small study evaluates the effectiveness of selected sets of colour schemes used in ESRI‟s ArcMap and ColorBrewer in communicating information on choropleth maps. Subjects conducted map reading tasks using online questionnaires and their performance was captured. The results did not show significant differences in performance associated with colour scheme - subjects were highly successful in direct acquisition tasks irrespective of the set(s) of scheme used. However, performances were consistently poor for „distribution‟ tasks. The results suggest limited spatial capabilities in the sample and highlight the need to test for general spatial ability in such experiments.

Publication Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GA Mathematical geography. Cartography
Departments: School of Communication & Creativity > Media, Culture & Creative Industries > Library & Information Science
School of Science & Technology > Computer Science > giCentre
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