Thematic maps do not improve information retrieval efficiency, study finds.
Thematic maps were tested to see if they help find information better than a regular search. Six people did tasks using a map and a search box. The study found that using a map did not improve the quality of information found. Most people liked using the map but took longer to search with it. Some people also misunderstood the map sometimes. Overall, the idea that thematic maps make finding information easier was not strongly supported by this study.