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Usability

Understanding how people do and could use geographic information effectively is central to how Ordnance Survey can deliver content to meet users’ needs now and in the future.  With the focus on how people work and interact with the real-world and geographic information, this area of research draws on many aspects of User Centred Design.

Research areas

User needs

This research aims to understand needs for geographic information in the context of what people do in their work or leisure activities.    User groups, use contexts, applications and technologies are many and diverse for geographic information, presenting many different perspectives on priorities for information content, quality, structure, formats and so on. 

Things that we do in this area include:

  • Types of enquiry and analysis focused on context of use;
  • Building a knowledge base of real world concepts, attribution and concept relationships to support data modelling and specification work. 

Usability

Building on user needs activities, usability research is focused on improving the design and development of geographic information.  Much existing research and methodologies in the field of product usability are aimed at products such as mobile devices, computer interfaces and web sites, with not so much focus on usability of data products.  Our research in this area largely concerns how to adapt and implement such methodologies in the context of geographic information.  The main aims are to:  reduce costs and improve efficiencies in design and development of geographic information; improve customer satisfaction with geographic information content and products. 

Things that we do in this area include:

  • Development, testing and integration of methodologies for usability evaluation within information design and development.  We are currently working on this in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Nottingham.
  • A workshop series developing a community of researchers engaged in geographic information usability across GI Science, Human Factors, Computer Science, from industry and universities.

In addition to the research we do ourselves, we are always interested in external research in these areas concerned with user needs and usability of geographic information, including through our university liaison.

Knowledge Transfer Partnership – User Centred Design and Geographic Information

In September 2011 Ordnance Survey (Research) and the University of Nottingham (Human Factors Group) completed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP007366), part supported by the Technology Strategy Board.   The successful partnership developed a set of user centred design tools for the evaluation and design of geographic information, tested them with a range of different Ordnance Survey products and user groups and introduced them within the organisation.   Implementation of these approaches helps Ordnance Survey to create products that are better matched to the needs of its customers and improve the experience for product users. 

What is User Centred Design?

User Centred Design simply means putting users at the centre of the design process.  It is closely linked to concepts such as usability, user friendliness, ergonomics and user experience.  This field of research has existed for many years within the world of software and hardware design, but few have implemented it within the design of information products. 

Further reading

For more information, check out the series of Geographic Information Usability Workshops below, being run by Ordnance Survey, the University of Nottingham and University College London.

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For general enquiries, complaints, feedback or suggestions, email: customerservices@ordnancesurvey.co.uk or call us on 08456 05 05 05