Design and Evaluation of Coastal Web Atlases: Best Practices and Future Opportunities for Map Representation, Interaction, and Usability

Abstract

Abstract In this article, we examine best practices and future opportunities for the design of coastal web atlases (CWAs) supporting adaptive management. Coastal zones face significant challenges, and CWAs have emerged as a resource to organize maps and geospatial data in support of education, exploration, and decision-making about coastal issues. Our research is motivated by the Wisconsin Coastal Atlas (https://www.wicoastalatlas.net/)—one of several U.S. state-based CWAs that are members of the broader International Coastal Atlas Network (ICAN: https://ican.iode.org/). Specifically, we conducted a needs assessment that bridges adaptive coastal management user needs with three tenets of interactive cartographic design relevant to CWAs: map representation, interaction, and usability. The needs assessment included two stages: a competitive analysis of 10 state CWAs and a user survey with stakeholders from those states about their experiences with and opinions on CWA design. In addition to characterizing design patterns and values, the needs assessment identified important gaps informing future CWAs, such as: inclusion of a wider range of thematic maps; provision of hybrid basemaps providing context about the land and water sides of the coastline; implementation of spatial calculations and temporal sequencing for analysis and exploration; use of story maps to support CWA learnability; improved responsiveness between mobile and non-mobile devices; and customization of advanced analytical tools that support decision making about the most pressing issues facing our coasts. This research serves coastal managers, planners, researchers, educators, outreach specialists, and related stakeholders who benefit from findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data and effective decision tools to guide management of coastal resources.