Touch, click, navigate: comparing tabletop and desktop interaction for map navigation tasks

  • Authors:
  • Elham Beheshti;Anne Van Devender;Michael Horn

  • Affiliations:
  • Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA;Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA;Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2012 ACM international conference on Interactive tabletops and surfaces
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

Multi-touch tabletops and desktop computers offer different affordances for interaction with digital maps. Previous research suggests that these differences may affect how a person navigates in the world. To test this idea we randomly assigned 22 participants to one of two conditions. Participants used the interfaces to complete a series of tasks in which they interacted with a digital map of a fictitious city and then attempted to navigate through a corresponding virtual world. However, based on participant performance, we find no evidence that interface type affects navigation ability. We discuss map navigation strategies across the two conditions and analyze multi-touch gestures used by participants in the tabletop condition. Finally, based on these analyses, we consider implications for the design of interactive map interfaces.