Focus groups for design improvement in dynamic cartography

Four focus group interviews provided an evaluation of the concepts of the graphic narrative and the stage-and-play metaphor for dynamic cartography. The 26 information, cartographic, and computer specialists who participated in the interviews provided a range of opinions on graphic scripts and the dynamic integration of maps and statistical graphs. Respondents in each session first viewed a graphic script designed to explore the correlation between two spatial distributions and then discussed the script's informativeness, coherence, merit, and deficiencies. Respondents next viewed and discussed a two-part demonstration of portions of a time-series script and of user-control enhancements for the correlation script. Participants found the graphic narrative engaging and informative, were able to discern patterns in the data without identifying false patterns, and contributed a variety of suggestions and criticisms useful in refining both the prototype scripts and the theory of narrative graphics. As a design...