Distributed usability evaluation of the Pennsylvania Cancer Atlas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Pennsylvania Cancer Atlas (PA-CA) is an interactive online atlas to help policy-makers, program managers, and epidemiologists with tasks related to cancer prevention and control. The PA-CA includes maps, graphs, tables, that are dynamically linked to support data exploration and decision-making with spatio-temporal cancer data. Our Atlas development process follows a user-centered design approach. To assess the usability of the initial versions of the PA-CA, we developed and applied a novel strategy for soliciting user feedback through multiple distributed focus groups and surveys. Our process of acquiring user feedback leverages an online web application (e-Delphi). In this paper we describe the PA-CA, detail how we have adapted e-Delphi web application to support usability and utility evaluation of the PA-CA, and present the results of our evaluation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report results from four sets of users. Each group provided structured individual and group assessments of the PA-CA as well as input on the kinds of users and applications for which it is best suited. Overall reactions to the PA-CA are quite positive. Participants did, however, provide a range of useful suggestions. Key suggestions focused on improving interaction functions, enhancing methods of temporal analysis, addressing data issues, and providing additional data displays and help functions. These suggestions were incorporated in each design and implementation iteration for the PA-CA and used to inform a set of web-atlas design principles.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>For the Atlas, we find that a design that utilizes linked map, graph, and table views is understandable to and perceived to be useful by the target audience of cancer prevention and control professionals. However, it is clear that considerable variation in experience using maps and graphics exists and for those with less experience, integrated tutorials and help features are needed. In relation to our usability assessment strategy, we find that our distributed, web-based method for soliciting user input is generally effective. Advantages include the ability to gather information from users distributed in time and space and the relative anonymity of the participants while disadvantages include less control over when and how often participants provide input and challenges for obtaining rich input.</p

Building an Exploratory Visual Analysis Tool for Qualitative Researchers

Qualitative research is an integral part of both academic and non-academic research in various disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, geography, education, health sciences and other social sciences. In order to facilitate the expanding use of qualitative research in various disciplines, newer and more sophisticated exploratory tools that assist qualitative researchers in the entire research process ranging from exploration, analysis, synthesis to presentation of data is required. Visualization presents exciting possibilities in this regard and building an exploratory visualization tool for this purpose would be ideal. Current computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) have aided qualitative researchers in coding, searching, indexing and analyzing their data. However these software have several shortcomings in terms of supporting the entire research process including inability to deal with geographic and temporal analysis as well as limited exploratory capabilities. I posit that an exploratory visualization tool can overcome the limitations posed by current CAQDAS and expand many possibilities for qualitative researchers. For this purpose I draw upon tools and techniques from current geovisualization and information visualization literature to propose a visualization framework for qualitative researchers which can be later be extended into an exploratory tool. 1

&lt; tanuka, abg152, arobinson, maceachren, elengerich&gt; @ psu.edu

The Pennsylvania Cancer Atlas (PA-CA) is an interactive online atlas intended to help policy-makers, program managers, and epidemiologists with their tasks related to cancer prevention and control. The PA-CA is designed to support exploratory analysis and decisionmaking with spatio-temporal cancer data. To assess the usability of the initial versions of the PA-CA, we have solicited user feedback through multiple distributed focus groups and surveys. The process of acquiring user feedback leveraged our e-Delphi tool, which is an online web application designed to support structured input from and sharing of ideas among users distributed in space and time. In this paper we report our e-Delphi method and the results of our investigation with three sets of users. Participants suggested improving interaction functions, enhancing methods of temporal analysis, addressing data issues, and providing additional data displays and help functions. We have found that our extended e-Delphi method has several advantages, including its ease of use, ability to gather information from users distributed in time and space, and the relative anonymity of the participants (allowing people to be open about their comments). Some disadvantages include the need for regular prompting by the moderator, occasional non-participation, and brevity of comments. 1