Evaluating Map Orientation Methods in Smartphone Applications by Analyzing Search Time Through a Virtual Environment Experiment

In recent years, smartphone map applications have implemented numerous features enhancing usability. These include adjusting map scale and orientation, displaying user’s current location, and route guidance. Such advancements have made map reading significantly easier compared to traditional paper maps particularly by automating tasks like orientation and navigation. However, the diverse street patterns in certain urban areas can confuse users who are not proficient in map reading, such as those unfamiliar with technology or individuals in emergency situations. This confusion can reduce the benefit from the convenience of map applications in providing seamless navigation, despite their advanced functionality.This study examines the effect of smartphone map orientation methods, such as North-Up and Heading-Up as well as various street patterns and building layouts on users' map reading abilities. The research aims to identify maps display elements that facilitate self-location awareness and gain insights that contribute to developing new map applications enabling effective navigation even for users with difficulties in map reading.The experiment utilized a Head-Mounted Display (HMD) with eye-tracking function to measure gaze data as an indicator of participants' map reading processes across different map display methods and various street patterns. Participants were presented with modeled streets based on actual intersections through the HMD. A map of each location, simulating a smartphone map application, was displayed in the lower right field of view. Specific buildings were highlighted in red on the map, and participants were instructed to locate the actual position of the highlighted building and orient themselves toward it. Three types of maps were tested: North-up maps with fixed orientation, Heading-up maps that rotate with body movement, and Control-up maps that allowed free rotation. These map types were combined with five different locations, resulting in 15 total trials.Analysis revealed statistically significant differences between map types, with Control-up maps resulting in significantly longer completion times and map viewing durations compared to other map types. This result suggests that the Control-Up method presents greater difficulty for users. Moreover, an analysis excluding outliers indicated that Heading-up maps tend to be slightly more efficient than North-up maps. This finding indicates that the Heading-up method may help reduce users' cognitive load during navigation. Additionally, locations with simple layouts and linear street intersections showed significantly longer completion times compared to other locations with more complex layouts. This suggests that the simplicity of the street layout may increase task difficulty, possibly due to the lack of distinctive visual landmarks for orientation. However, the impact of location differences was reduced when Control-up maps were excluded from the analysis, indicating that appropriate map type selection could potentially mitigate the difficulties associated with simple street layouts. To enhance the effectiveness of the Heading-up method suggested in this study, further improvements need to be considered, such as dynamically switching map display methods based on user movement and environmental conditions. Expanding the scope of research in this direction could contribute to the development of more user-friendly map navigation systems for a broader range of users and use cases.