USE OF THINK-ALOUD METHOD IN CARTOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

The main objective of the thesis was to design an experiment focusing on the evaluation of selected cartographic product using the think-aloud method. In the first place the preparatory phase was carried out with the study of the principles of the method, its history and partial context from the literature. The preparation was crucial for the unification of the method in the text of the thesis and other deliverables such as the creation of the final manual. In the next part, the tools for processing the recorded data were tested and divided into annotation, transcription (15x) and linguistic (16x). In the course, three directions were proposed on how to process and analyze the audio recordings. The first option is to separate the recording into individual annotations and analyse them, the second is to convert the recording into text and carry out a linguistic analysis, and the third is to use all the resulting material and analyse it subjectively retrospectively from the researcher's perspective. Based on the knowledge gained, the first pilot experiments were proceeded with seven respondents. Linguistic and retrospective analysis was used to conclude the evaluation of the products from the pilot. Subsequently, a set of recommendations for improvement was proposed for each product. The results and findings from the pilot study were used for constructive preparation for the second main study focusing on the atlas of the Moravian-Silesian region. Thirteen respondents of different age groups and level of expertise participated in the experiment. In particular, annotation analysis was used to evaluate the product, based on which usability metrics such as calculation of success scores, error analysis and average task completion time were calculated. Finally, linguistic and retrospective analysis was also applied for additional data. The findings from these three types of analyses were applied in the overall conclusion of the atlas evaluation and also for the development of the practical guide and unification method. Public transport was assessed as a problematic topic, where the map was said to be non-dominant and not clear. The infographics were also included, the type of which was criticised for its complexity. Photographs that covered one whole page were found to be unnecessary. An overall success score for the atlas was calculated with a value of 0.71. According to the reference data, the result proved to be slightly below average, therefore recommendations for optimizing the atlas were proposed. In summary, the think-aloud method is dependent on the researcher and his ability to create an optimal test scenario and to correctly evaluate the measured data. Otherwise, it may be a representation of users' opinions rather than a fully objective method. It is also very important to choose representative respondents for testing. Nevertheless, as verified by two studies, the think-aloud method can provide valuable information about the usability of cartographic products and for their improvement. The main result of this thesis is the hierarchization and unification of the method itself, which is part of the text. The principles of the method have been demonstrated on selected cartographic products and their evaluation and recommendations for improvement have been produced. An important output is also a guide on how to conduct think-aloud experiments, which is freely available on the thesis website for public access. According to the developed individual continuous steps, the process of think-aloud experiments can thus be replicated by anyone, regardless of expertise. The text of the thesis can also be be used as a collection of concepts related to the think-aloud method and also as a theoretical bridge not only for linguists or psychologists.

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