What Problem Does This Solve? Introduce the user to the application and gather first inputs to optimize the map experience Why Use This Pattern? For years map application developers have chosen (intentionally or not) to start the application with the map at the smallest possible scale, i.e. the initial map extent shows the complete extent […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? Showcase all conceivable functions and data in one page. Why Use This Pattern? The Kitchen Sink approach, sometimes also referred to as Swiss Army Knife app or data portal, is useful for demo applications which showcase all (or almost all) of the features and is a great way to introduce […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? A user clicks on the map and in return is presented with a Info Popup that instead of showing useful details is either blank, empty or informs the user that no data is available. Why Use This Pattern? It is annoying and wastes precious time to show empty results. When […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? System is loading or processing, but users don’t know that they must wait for the process to finish or the response to fully return. Why Use This Pattern? Nobody likes to wait and luckily systems are getting faster all the time but factors like processing time for computing complex analytics […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? Users need to learn an unfamiliar workflow or a new feature. Why Use This Pattern? The best approach to make an interface feel “intuitive” is to use elements and interactions that users are familiar with. In cases of complex or very specific use cases users need to be “walked through” […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? Improve the efficiency of communicating information by increasing the amount of relevant data. Why Use This Pattern? In a time when big data is omni-present, it becomes more and more important to edit and curate the data and its visualization. The American statistician Edward Tufte uses the term “Data-Ink Ratio” […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? In multi-scale systems it is increasingly easy to get lost because of the lack of clues to orient oneself. When to Use This Pattern This pattern can occur quite frequently when navigating map applications horizontally (at the same zoom level) or vertically (across multiple zoom levels). Possible reasons for not […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? Leaving something blank, empty or without cues on what to do next does not make a good first impression and leaves the user wondering of what to do next. Why Use This Pattern? Empty state is the screen that people see when they start working on a task but there […]
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What Problem Does This Solve? Prioritize content and features on primary goals. Why Use This Pattern? Task completion is essential to the success of any application. A single purpose driven app that works well is better than an app that tries to solve many problems at once and is confusing to users. Users get frustrated […]
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