Search Efficiency and Visual Appeal of Pictorial-Based and Typography-Based Map

Visual information should be presented clearly and effectively so that it is quickly and easily understood. The same principle applies to different types of maps and plans. This study explores the relationship between a map’s design and how users interact with it when searching for specific targets. Focusing on a digital tourist city map, we employed an eye-tracking technology to investigate how different cartographic designs (pictorial-based versus typography-based) influence visual search. As the need for visually appealing designs becomes an important part of the user experience, we further explored the observers’ perceptions of the maps’ visual appeal. The results show that the typography-based maps enabled a more effective visual search than the pictorial, as measured by search time, fixation count, and the number of fixations before locating the target. A greater amount of visual attention was directed towards the typography-based maps, as measured by completion time and several eye-tracking metrics during the observers’ evaluation of the maps’ visual appeal. Based on the results, this study highlights the practical implications of effective map design in enhancing users’ navigation and their visual engagement with cartographic data.