Visualization of Participatory Mapping Outcomes on a Map: User Testing

Participatory mapping enables communities to contribute to spatial decision-making by collecting, analyzing, and visualizing geospatial data. While participatory mapping fosters public engagement and supports informed decision-making, the visualization of mapping outcomes remains a challenge and often lacks methodological rigor. Therefore, this study investigates the effectiveness of different thematic cartography methods – point-symbols maps, fishnet choropleth maps, and heat maps – alongside various basemaps in conveying spatial information. Specifically, a user study involving 124 undergraduate geography students assessed how the choice of cartography methods and basemaps affects the recognition and comparison of extreme values in participatory mapping data. Findings indicate that heat maps are generally most effective in recognizing a phenomenon’s highest concentration, while fishnet choropleth maps together with heat maps are optimal for comparing spatial distributions. Additionally, basemap selection significantly influences readability, with light grey basemaps enhancing clarity for heat maps and point-symbol maps. These insights provide recommendations for improving participatory mapping visualizations to enhance their accessibility and usability for decision-making processes.