Attentional Filtering in the Design of Electronic Map Displays: A Comparison of Color Coding, Intensity Coding, and Decluttering Techniques

In a series of experiments color coding, intensity coding, and decluttering were compared in order to assess their potential benefits for accessing information from electronic map displays. Participants viewed electronic battlefield maps containing 5 classes of information discriminable by color or intensity, or, in the decluttering condition, displayed or removed entirely by a key press. Participants were asked questions requiring them to focus on objects within a class (objects presented at the same color or intensity) or to integrate data between objects in different classes (objects presented at different colors and intensities). The results suggested that the benefits of color and intensity coding appear to be in segregating the visual field rather than calling attention to the objects presented at a certain color or intensity. Interactivity proved to be a disadvantage; the time cost of information retrieval outweighed the time benefits of presenting less information on the display or even allowing map users to customize their displays. Potential applications of this research include a cost-benefit analysis for the use of 3 attentional filtering techniques and an attempt to quantitatively measure map complexity.