Proposing a Design Development Cycle: A Case Study on Creating a User-Friendly Digital Local Food Map

Local food is connected to various aspects of social life. It enables access to more nutritious options, ensures the quality and safety of food, promotes a healthy lifestyle, and contributes to the strength of the local economy. However, there is a lack of clarity on how the interest in local food, shaped mainly by social life and thus having a broad impact, can be integrated into digital platforms from the user perspective. This study proposes a design development cycle for creating a user-friendly digital local food map. It employs methods and principles that allow collaboration between information design, user-centred design and cartography, seeking an effective solution to this design challenge. This approach could influence the development of a user-friendly digital local food map interface tailored to user needs. In addition, it might broaden the literature on user research and user-centred design for user-friendly digital maps in cartography. Embracing a design approach that incorporates user needs and feedback can enhance the development of a user-friendly digital local food map.Adopting a user-centred design approach in cartography provides a practical and comprehensive methodological framework for developing user-friendly digital maps. This framework addresses the existing gap in practical guidelines for interactive map creation.Integrating information design principles with cartographic conventions enriches the symbol language and interface design of digital maps, ensuring that they are simple, straightforward and accessible to all users. Embracing a design approach that incorporates user needs and feedback can enhance the development of a user-friendly digital local food map. Adopting a user-centred design approach in cartography provides a practical and comprehensive methodological framework for developing user-friendly digital maps. This framework addresses the existing gap in practical guidelines for interactive map creation. Integrating information design principles with cartographic conventions enriches the symbol language and interface design of digital maps, ensuring that they are simple, straightforward and accessible to all users.