Web Mapping for the Dissemination of Census Data: Canadian Experience

advertisement
Web Mapping for the
Dissemination of Census Data:
Canadian Experience
Expert Group Meeting on Contemporary Practices in Census Mapping
and Use of Geographical Information System
Presented by:
Joe Kresovic and Daniel Paquin
May 30, 2007
Outline





The Web’s role in dissemination
Benefits and challenges from Web dissemination
Evolution of Web mapping tool for
dissemination
Lessons learned from Web mapping
Development of Common Look and Feel (CLF)
for Web mapping
Importance of the Web



Key medium for the dissemination of census
data
All standard geographic products are
disseminated on the Web
All data highlight tables are disseminated on the
Web
Benefits from Web Dissemination




Improved timeliness
Increased accessibility of products
Broader reach of products
Increased usability
Challenges of Web Dissemination





Diversity of user community
Increased demand
Format selection
Metadata
User expectations
Geography Product Line

Maps

Interactive Web mapping tool
Standard reference

Thematic


Spatial products



Road Network File (RNF)
Boundary files
Attribute file products



GeoSuite
Geographic Attribute File (GAF)
Correspondence files
Evolution of a Web
Mapping Tool - GeoSearch

1996 Census


2001 Census



played role of on-line reference map
data exploration tool
coding tool for internal operations
2006 Census




key data exploration tool, including thematic
mapping capability
coding tool for internal operations
used in managing overall census operations
delineation of collection geography
Lessons Learned from
Web Mapping





Need for common look and feel standards
Use a common engine for many applications
Enhances accessibility to data
Integrate products
Ability to scale architecture
Development of Web Mapping
Common Interface
How

Review, internal and external, interactive and Web
mapping applications
The objective was to identify the most common types of functions
available in Web Mapping applications.

Conduct a Usability Testing
The objective was to evaluate the layout, design, terminology and
icons of two applications at Statistics Canada that had very
different interfaces.
Usability testing - Findings





Design a “map-centric” interface
Simplify the layout
Place tools together
Use buttons with icons and text
Use a consistent interface
Advantages






Look is consistent
One interface for users
Facilitate user support
New functionality easily implemented
Ease of integration
Speeds up development
Challenges





Stay away from competing with popular Web
mapping applications
Accessibility
Grandfathering future Web mapping applications
Major Web template components
Meaningful competition is reduced (The but I’m
different syndromes)
Lessons Learned



Review other mapping interfaces and try to find
commonalities
Conduct Usability Testing and keep in mind that
there is no one perfect interface
Balance cartographic principles and internet
style
WEB Mapping Common Interface
Download