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Legend Layouts for Thematic Maps: A Case Study Integrating Usability Metrics with the Thinking Aloud Method

Abstract The legend is a critical tool in reading and interpreting a thematic map. The goal of the study reported here is to understand how the legend works as a map is read. The methodology combined usability performance metrics with the thinking aloud method. Subjects were asked to perform two sets of tasks using two thematic maps with different legend layouts. While latency and accuracy of answers for the first set of tasks did not differ significantly between users of the different layouts, users clearly preferred legends that were simple or familiar. The thinking aloud protocols from the second part of the study revealed different patterns of legend comprehension for each legend design. In addition, the study identified four problem-solving strategies that were adopted by the subjects. Finally, some principles for designing legends were developed from the results of the study.