COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT OF A WEB MAP DEPICTING ACCESS TO UTILITIES IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS OF KAMPALA

Lydia LETARU

Master's thesis

Cognitive assessment of web map depicting access to utilities in informal settlements

Abstract:

Information on the access to electricity utilities in the informal settlements of Kampala is important as it will drive efforts in achieving SDG 7 on access to clean energy and SDG11 on sustainable cities. In Uganda, the engineers at umeme, an electricity distribution company, rely on spatial data delivered via softcopy or hardcopy pdf documents, excel files, and GIS shapefiles for those with GIS expertise. This is challenging regarding updates and the amount of data that can be displayed and queried among others. Interactive web maps provide an alternative way to access and interact with spatial data. The objective of the thesis is to develop a web map to communicate findings on the access to electricity utilities in informal settlements and evaluate the usability aspects of the designed web map. A mixed approach is applied to the usability assessment, applying both qualitative and quantitative methods, including remote and in-person techniques to usability assessment, such as questionnaires, interviews, screen recording, and eye-tracking. At the end of the formative study, the challenges associated with using the web map are identified, and suggested improvements to the web map are presented.

Abstract:

Information on the access to electricity utilities in the informal settlements of Kampala is important as it will drive efforts in achieving SDG 7 on access to clean energy and SDG11 on sustainable cities. In Uganda, the engineers at umeme, an electricity distribution company, rely on spatial data delivered via softcopy or hardcopy pdf documents, excel files, and GIS shapefiles for those with GIS expertise. This is challenging regarding updates and the amount of data that can be displayed and queried among others. Interactive web maps provide an alternative way to access and interact with spatial data. The objective of the thesis is to develop a web map to communicate findings on the access to electricity utilities in informal settlements and evaluate the usability aspects of the designed web map. A mixed approach is applied to the usability assessment, applying both qualitative and quantitative methods, including remote and in-person techniques to usability assessment, such as questionnaires, interviews, screen recording, and eye-tracking. At the end of the formative study, the challenges associated with using the web map are identified, and suggested improvements to the web map are presented.

Keywords

electricity utilities, informal settlements, interactive web map, usability assessment, eye-tracking

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 24. 5. 2023

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: RNDr. Stanislav Popelka, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Science

Master programme / field:
Geoinformatics and Cartography / Geoinformatics and Cartography