User Interfaces for Map Algebra

Implementations of Tomlin’s Map Algebra enjoy much popularity in GIS use and GIS education. While its basic concepts are easy to understand and teach, it also provides a fairly powerful framework for GIS analysis. Map Algebra reflects the general trend in GIS, where functional enhancements supersede usability enhancements. Recent developments in GIS software and research are also representative of another trend in computer systems, making systems easier and more intuitive to use. Besides variations in functionality and performance, Map Algebra products and prototypes differ primarily in their user interfaces. Implementations range from commandline interfaces to advanced graphical user interfaces. This paper reviews user interface design principles that underlie these different Map Algebra implementations and assesses the approaches taken in various commercial products and research prototypes. Since the very nature of Map Algebra offers a rich source of interface metaphors, these metaphors inspire the design of visual, direct-manipulation user interfaces. The review concludes that visual designs that afford direct manipulation similar to the operations in the source domain, yield highly usable interfaces for GIS Map Algebra and postulates similar rewards for other GIS functional groups.

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