PrintIn our very first lesson, we introduced the concept that GIS System Analysis & Design was an iterative process that featured multiple stages and should include evaluation components at each step whenever possible. In this lesson, we will focus specific attention on methods and techniques for evaluating GIS systems. Such techniques include methods you might already be familiar with - surveys, interviews, and focus groups. But the range of available evaluation methodologies also includes a variety of technology-enabled methods to automatically capture usage statistics and to capture/visualize what users see on a screen, for example.
In this lesson, you will have the chance to learn about some common methods for evaluation, and you will also have the opportunity to do a bit of research on your own to discover what else is available. Every year brings substantial innovation in the human-computer interaction community - and it usually takes some time for such innovations to trickle down into what is used to evaluate GIS systems specifically.
Objectives
At the successful completion of Lesson 13, students should be able to:
- Develop an understanding of the methods and tools associated with evaluating a GIS
- Review the technology trend of eye-tracking and discuss how it relates to GIS Design
- Complete a research assignment to identify available tools and techniques for evaluating a GIS
- Continue making progress toward completion of Team Project
Questions?
If you have any questions now or at any point during this lesson, please feel free to post them to the Threaded Discussion Forum. (That forum can be accessed at any time by clicking on the Communicate tab, above, and then scrolling down to the Discussion Forum section.)