Carol Traynor

Why are geographic information systems hard to use

Geographic Information System (GIS) software evolved out of the fields of geography, cartography, and database management. As a result, off-the-shelf GIS software requires the user to have or to acquire considerable knowledge of these fields. Navigation through the interfaces of most off-the-shelf GIS software is difficult because they support a system architecture view, rather than a view of the user’s work. These problems are compounded for users with little computing experience. In many workplaces, a single technical user becomes the local GIS expert, and acts as a surrogate for other users who have neither the expertise to use the software nor the resources to acquire that expertise. In this paper, we summarize our analysis of what makes GIS so hard to use, and describe our research directions toward designing effective GIS software for non-specialist users.

A study of end-user programming for geographic information systems

This paper presents au empirical study of a programming by demonstration language for a geographic information system (GIS). The long-term goal of the project is to enable non-technical end users to exercise the capabilities of a GIS without having to learn the technical concepts that are embedded in most traditional GIS interfaces (Traynor & Williams, 1995). The programming by demonstration language is an extension of the Pursuit language introduced by Modugno for file management in the Macintosh Finder (Modugno, Corbett & Myers, 1996). The extensions permit the display of textual information in tables and of cartographic information on a map. The purpose of the preliminary study reported here was to determine whether programmers could read, edit, and create programs in the programming by demonstration language. Subjects’ performance on the program comprehension tasks and the editing of simple programs was error free. Errors in the editing of more complex programs and in the program creation tasks indicate that some of the language constructs may need to be redesigned. Subjects’ opinions of the programming by demonstration language were generally positive, as indicated by post-test questionnaires. We conclude that programming by demonstration is a promising approach for a GIS interface.

Putting power in the hands of end users: a study of programming by demonstration, with an application to geographical information systems

Many software applications, especially ones that arise out of technical domains, are difficult for non-technical end users to comprehend and use. Such users are often dependent on experts who serve as intermediaries between them and the software. Geographical information systems (GIS), for example, frequently require such intermediaries. This project involves the design and evaluation of a new end-user programming environment, with an application to GISs. The project adopts a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach, in which the software builds a program representation based on the user’s interaction with an application’s user interface. The research plan includes evaluation of a prototype of the PBD environment, implementation of the environment, and evaluation of the PBD approach via empirical studies.

End Users and GIS

Publisher Summary Geographic information systems (GISs) are in wide use by city planners, landscape architects, natural resource managers, and other specialists who have the expertise or the trained staff to use them. Many non-specialists also like to be able to use GIS. However, GIS software is not accessible to them, because, in its current incarnation, it requires knowledge of geography, cartography, and database systems. Despite an enormous pool of potential non-specialist users, GIS is not at this time a mainstream, mass marketed application. This chapter presents a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach to geographic information systems (GISs). The aim of this approach is to enable non-specialist users to avail themselves of the software without having to resort to the help of expert users. The chapter outlines the problem faced by non-specialist users with GIS software. It then summarizes the findings of a study highlighting why GIS software is hard for non-specialist users to use. Finally, the chapter explains the PBD approach for GIS and explains how this component may be integrated into a GIS.Publisher Summary Geographic information systems (GISs) are in wide use by city planners, landscape architects, natural resource managers, and other specialists who have the expertise or the trained staff to use them. Many non-specialists also like to be able to use GIS. However, GIS software is not accessible to them, because, in its current incarnation, it requires knowledge of geography, cartography, and database systems. Despite an enormous pool of potential non-specialist users, GIS is not at this time a mainstream, mass marketed application. This chapter presents a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach to geographic information systems (GISs). The aim of this approach is to enable non-specialist users to avail themselves of the software without having to resort to the help of expert users. The chapter outlines the problem faced by non-specialist users with GIS software. It then summarizes the findings of a study highlighting why GIS software is hard for non-specialist users to use. Finally, the chapter explains the PBD approach for GIS and explains how this component may be integrated into a GIS.