Hotmap: looking at geographic attention
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Published on: October 24, 2012
1VIBE Lab at Microsoft Research, USA. danyelf@microsoft.com
Abstract:
Understanding how people use online maps allows data acquisition teams to concentrate their efforts on the portions of the map that are most seen by users. Online maps represent vast databases, and so it is insufficient to simply look at a list of the most-accessed URLs. Hotmap takes advantage of the design of a mapping system's imagery pyramid to superpose a heatmap of the log files over the original maps. Users' behavior within the system can be observed and interpreted. This paper discusses the imagery acquisition task that motivated Hotmap, and presents several examples of information that Hotmap makes visible. we discuss the design choices behind Hotmap, including logarithmic color schemes; low-saturation background images; and tuning images to explore both infrequently-viewed and frequently-viewed spaces.
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Selected Data About Geographic Locations
Manipulation and Analysis
Levels of Use of a GIS
Plotting of Topographic Maps
Design Example: Alignment of a Road Line Using GIS
Local Attraction
