New Dissemination Model – Map Feature

Consultation objectives

In April 2012, Statistics Canada launched its three-year New Dissemination Model project with the goal to modernize the methods and framework for disseminating data on its website. The key objective is to create a user-centric website and to increase coherency, consistency and simplicity in dissemination activities.

As part of this project, Statistics Canada consulted Canadians in December 2013. The objective of the consultation was to determine ease of navigation, usefulness and participant's satisfaction with the new design. More specifically, these sessions tested the functionality and intuitiveness of a new mapping application that will allow users to do two things: first, find data or analysis about a particular place through a map, and second, create a thematic map from a data table.

Consultation methodology

Statistics Canada held in-person usability consultations in December, 2013. Participants were asked to complete a series of tasks and to provide feedback on the proposed website.

How to get involved

This consultation is now closed.

Individuals who wish to obtain more information or to take part in a consultation may contact Statistics Canada by sending an email to consultations@statcan.gc.ca.

Please note that Statistics Canada selects participants for each consultation to ensure feedback is sought from a representative sample of the target population for the study. Not all applicants will be asked to participate in a given consultation.

Statistics Canada is committed to respecting the privacy of consultation participants. All personal information created, held or collected by the Agency is protected by the Privacy Act. For more information on Statistics Canada's privacy policies, please consult the Privacy notice.

Results

The 'Map to data' tool allowed participants to navigate from a place on a map to the corresponding data. The 'Data to map' tool allowed participants to navigate from a data table to a thematic map.

What worked

Map to data

All participants used the 'Search' box to find data about a specific place, rather than clicking on the map. Participants liked having related boundary information displayed on the map. The selectable layer function, which shows the changing geography levels as the user zooms in and out, tested well. Participants also found the zoom function intuitive and zoomed without prompting.

Most participants clicked on 'Find results' to get results for a specific place or region. Almost all participants clicked on the video tutorial or commented that they would watch it to understand how the tool worked.

Data to map

Participants found the drop down menu intuitive. They liked that the legend was movable and its colours variable. The timeline across the bottom was clearly understood.

From the table, all participants easily found the 'Map' button and used it for the appropriate map. The pick list to select variables was intuitive.

Areas for improvement

Map to data

• Participants could not see the 'Search' box when the 'Find results' box was displayed.
• Half of the participants were unaware that clicking on the map would reveal other same-level geographies. Among participants who did not click on the map, some stated that showing the boundaries of the current geography would make clicking on the map more intuitive.
• Half of the participants looked for a way to reset or clear the map using the Geography door on the main menu.
• Most participants did not find the 'Settings' tool intuitive, and found the 'x' counter-intuitive for saving changes.

Data to map

• Participants were not sure what part of the table was being mapped.
• Participants had significant difficulties with the variable pick list when changing the data for the map.

Recommendations

Map to data

• Make the display of related geographies consistent.
• Separate the 'Search' box from the 'Find results' box and put it outside the map.
• Show boundaries for the current level of geography displayed on the map.
• On the right-hand sidebar, include both the current and related geographies to assist participants in understanding the relationship between the selected geography and other possible geography levels.

Data to map

• This tool needs further development and retesting.

Statistics Canada thanks participants for their participation in this consultation. Their insights guide the Agency's web development and ensure that the final products meet users' expectations.