Need for Context-Aware Topographic Maps in Mobile Devices

Recently, along with the breakthrough of the Internet and mobile environment, the development towards screen maps used as intelligent user interfaces appears to be emergent. This means that if we consider the map on a mobile device to be one type of a graphical user interface, the same usability issues that occur in other software development must also be involved. In the present paper we propose that embedding context awareness into the maps could increase the usability of mobile map services. The mobile contexts, from the map users’ points of view, are examined here, based on user tests of topographic maps in PDA. Today, the most important context of use for mobile map services is location of the user. However, the users’ needs with respect to also adapting maps in mobile devices to other context elements, in addition to location, appear obvious. Several other context elements worthy of attention identified in the field test include purpose of use, time, physical surroundings, na...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: SCANGIS
• Authors: Annu-Maaria Nivala, L. Tiina Sarjakoski
• Keywords: Information Technology, Mobile Devices, Mobile Map Services, SCANGIS 2003, User Interface