Improving Interaction with Virtual Globes through Spatial Thinking: Helping Users Ask "Why?"

TL;DR

This paper explores how virtual globes can be enhanced to support spatial thinking by enabling users to ask 'why' questions, expanding their utility beyond simple 'what' tasks.

Contribution

The authors developed a multi-touch virtual globe interface that encourages users to inquire about both 'what is where' and 'why', broadening the application scope of virtual globes.

Findings

Virtual globes are mainly used for simple 'what' tasks.

A new multi-touch interface promotes 'why' questions.

Enhanced interaction broadens virtual globe applications.

Abstract

Virtual globes have progressed from little-known technology to broadly popular software in a mere few years. We investigated this phenomenon through a survey and discovered that, while virtual globes are en vogue, their use is restricted to a small set of tasks so simple that they do not involve any spatial thinking. Spatial thinking requires that users ask "what is where" and "why"; the most common virtual globe tasks only include the "what". Based on the results of this survey, we have developed a multi-touch virtual globe derived from an adapted virtual globe paradigm designed to widen the potential uses of the technology by helping its users to inquire about both the "what is where" and "why" of spatial distribution. We do not seek to provide users with full GIS (geographic information system) functionality, but rather we aim to facilitate the asking and answering of simple "why" questions about general topics that appeal to a wide virtual globe user base.