Coastal Web Coastal Web Atlas Atlas

Design and Design and UsabilityUsabilityLiz O’DeaLiz O’Dea

Coastal & Marine Resources Centre,Coastal & Marine Resources Centre,

University College CorkUniversity College Cork

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

What are design and What are design and usability?usability?

Design:Design:• Visual displayVisual display• Clear communication of purposeClear communication of purpose• Efficient technology and managementEfficient technology and management• What makes an atlas?What makes an atlas?

Usability:Usability:• Intuitive for target audienceIntuitive for target audience• Easy access to data and informationEasy access to data and information• Simple and effectiveSimple and effective

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

Considerations to Get Started Considerations to Get Started The Atlas InterfaceThe Atlas Interface User Feedback User Feedback Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Getting Started: Getting Started: ConsiderationsConsiderations

What is the atlas purpose?What is the atlas purpose?• E.g. educational or tool for coastal E.g. educational or tool for coastal

managersmanagers Who is the atlas audience?Who is the atlas audience?

• E.g. general public or professionalsE.g. general public or professionals What are their skills?What are their skills?

• E.g. basic web experience or GIS savvyE.g. basic web experience or GIS savvy What spatial data will it contain?What spatial data will it contain?

• E.g. 20 static layers or 200+ changing E.g. 20 static layers or 200+ changing and growingand growing

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Getting Started: Getting Started: ConsiderationsConsiderations

What functionality is necessary?What functionality is necessary?• Simple identify tool or spatial analysisSimple identify tool or spatial analysis

Which software?Which software?• Top-of-the-line package or tailorable Top-of-the-line package or tailorable

open sourceopen source What resources are available for What resources are available for

development?development?• E.g. programmer, GIS specialist or E.g. programmer, GIS specialist or

science writerscience writerKeep users in mind!Keep users in mind!

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

The Marine Irish Digital The Marine Irish Digital AtlasAtlas

Significant time Significant time investmentinvestment

spent on design:spent on design:• Interface of map pageInterface of map page• Data contentData content• MetadataMetadata• Web site structureWeb site structure• MIDA InfoPortMIDA InfoPort• Database Management Database Management

SystemSystem

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

MIDA’s AnswersMIDA’s Answers Purpose: Purpose:

• Provide spatial data, inform about coastProvide spatial data, inform about coast Audience:Audience:

• Broad, from general public to GIS professionalsBroad, from general public to GIS professionals Audience Skills: Audience Skills:

• Basic to advancedBasic to advanced Spatial Data:Spatial Data:

• Scalable system – start with core, all-island dataScalable system – start with core, all-island data Functionality:Functionality:

• Basic zooming and identify feature tools, access to metadataBasic zooming and identify feature tools, access to metadata ResourcesResources

• GIS expertise, programmers, data base experts, coastal GIS expertise, programmers, data base experts, coastal knowledge baseknowledge base

Software:Software:• ESRI for desktop GIS, Open Source for web services and ESRI for desktop GIS, Open Source for web services and

databasedatabase

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

The Coastal Atlas The Coastal Atlas InterfaceInterface

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

The Atlas Interface: The Atlas Interface: FeaturesFeatures

ToolsTools

Layers / Layers / LegendLegend

ViewViewOverviewOverview

InformationInformation

Forms / TablesTables

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Map AreaMap Area Scale, overview map, Scale, overview map,

copyrightscopyrights Data display challengingData display challenging

• Cartographic issues Cartographic issues increase with # of layersincrease with # of layers

• Choosing colours, fillsChoosing colours, fills• Owner requirements (e.g. Owner requirements (e.g.

symbology)symbology)• Draw order – are some Draw order – are some

layers hiding others?layers hiding others?• Limit # of layers viewed at Limit # of layers viewed at

one time?one time?

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Layer List and LegendLayer List and Legend How to keep it How to keep it

simple?simple? Layer list and legend Layer list and legend

integrated instead of integrated instead of separateseparate

Ability to add/remove Ability to add/remove layers from listlayers from list

Link layer names to Link layer names to information / information / metadatametadata

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Information/ExtrasInformation/Extras Easy access to information related to Easy access to information related to

layerslayers Link from layer list to info boxLink from layer list to info box Provide access to resources in one Provide access to resources in one

window (metadata, downloads, and window (metadata, downloads, and descriptive info)descriptive info)

Tab design gives flexibility of functionalityTab design gives flexibility of functionality MIDA InfoPort: general to professional MIDA InfoPort: general to professional

infoinfo

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

MetadataMetadata Needs to be easily Needs to be easily

accessible accessible Increasing levels: Increasing levels:

Abstract, Discovery & Abstract, Discovery & FullFull

Discovery: MIDA core Discovery: MIDA core elementselements

Displayed using XML and Displayed using XML and XSL, extracted from XSL, extracted from databasedatabase

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Atlas ToolsAtlas Tools

What map tools are necessary?What map tools are necessary? MIDA keeps it simpleMIDA keeps it simple Flexible to add functionality as Flexible to add functionality as

neededneeded

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Identify ResultsIdentify Results How to display How to display

tables? MIDA tables? MIDA displays only displays only “interesting” fields“interesting” fields

Lack of data Lack of data dictionaries to define dictionaries to define attributes (codes, attributes (codes, abbreviations)abbreviations)

Display data as is, or Display data as is, or translate so more translate so more informative to user?informative to user?

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Atlas Interface: Lessons Atlas Interface: Lessons LearnedLearned

Do your research – what do you like or not Do your research – what do you like or not like about other systems?like about other systems?

Keep site simpleKeep site simple Minimise scrolling and pop-up windowsMinimise scrolling and pop-up windows Make sure it’s flexibleMake sure it’s flexible Consider how layers will be viewed together Consider how layers will be viewed together

when choosing colours, fills and draw orderwhen choosing colours, fills and draw order No easy solution to layers/legend issueNo easy solution to layers/legend issue Are advanced map tools necessary?Are advanced map tools necessary? Communicate with data owners on how to Communicate with data owners on how to

display associated data tables in informative display associated data tables in informative wayway

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

User FeedbackUser Feedback

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Workshop Series 1Workshop Series 1 1 ½ years into project1 ½ years into project Locally running demo Locally running demo

(not live site)(not live site) Invited key data Invited key data

providers and usersproviders and users Gave us focus to next Gave us focus to next

development steps – development steps – design and datadesign and data

Invaluable tool – if Invaluable tool – if informativeinformative• Provide data Provide data if if Good Good

resourceresource

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Workshop Series 2 Workshop Series 2

3 years into project3 years into project Live prototype atlasLive prototype atlas Invited cross-section Invited cross-section

of user groupsof user groups Small design issuesSmall design issues Data, data and more Data, data and more

datadata• Key focus of year 4Key focus of year 4

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

User Feedback: Lessons User Feedback: Lessons LearnedLearned

Regular user feedback is crucial for Regular user feedback is crucial for success success

Consider:Consider:• Hands-on workshops – personal Hands-on workshops – personal

discussion combined with surveysdiscussion combined with surveys• Surveying across user groupsSurveying across user groups• Online feedbackOnline feedback

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes

Structural design just as important as Structural design just as important as interfaceinterface

Customised database management system Customised database management system used to manage MIDA layer contentused to manage MIDA layer content• Not spatial data themselves, just information Not spatial data themselves, just information

related to spatial datarelated to spatial data Time-consuming to add and update layersTime-consuming to add and update layers

• 3+ hours per individual layer3+ hours per individual layer• Some automation, mostly manualSome automation, mostly manual• Need to determine how to streamline processNeed to determine how to streamline process

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Behind the Scenes: Lessons Behind the Scenes: Lessons LearnedLearned

Invest in development of efficient Invest in development of efficient and scalable Database Management and scalable Database Management System System • Reduce time required to add and Reduce time required to add and

update layersupdate layers

Cork, Ireland25th – 26th July 1006

Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases Workshop

Liz O’DeaCMRC

Always keep users in mind!

Advanced technology does not necessarily

mean atlas success. Happy users do.

Always keep users in mind!

Advanced technology does not necessarily

mean atlas success. Happy users do.