Cartograms are map-based data visualizations in which the area of each map region is proportional to an associated numeric data value (e.g., population or gross domestic product). A cartogram is called contiguous if it conforms to this area principle while also keeping neighboring regions connected. Because of their distorted appearance, contiguous cartograms have been criticized as difficult to read. Some authors have suggested that cartograms may be more legible if they are accompanied by interactive features (e.g., animations, linked brushing, or infotips). We conducted an experiment to evaluate this claim. Participants had to perform visual analysis tasks with interactive and noninteractive contiguous cartograms. The task types covered various aspects of cartogram readability, ranging from elementary lookup tasks to synoptic tasks (i.e., tasks in which participants had to summarize high-level differences between two cartograms). Elementary tasks were carried out equally well with and without interactivity. Synoptic tasks, by contrast, were more difficult without interactive features. With access to interactivity, however, most participants answered even synoptic questions correctly. In a subsequent survey, participants rated the interactive features as “easy to use” and “helpful.” Our study suggests that interactivity has the potential to make contiguous cartograms accessible even for those readers who are unfamiliar with interactive computer graphics or do not have a prior affinity to working with maps. Among the interactive features, animations had the strongest positive effect, so we recommend them as a minimum of interactivity when contiguous cartograms are displayed on a computer screen.

中文翻译：

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交互式连续区域地图的基于任务的有效性

地图是基于地图的数据可视化，其中每个地图区域的面积与相关的数值数据值（例如，人口或国内生产总值）成正比。如果地图图符合此区域原则，同时还保持相邻区域相连，则称为连续地图。由于外观扭曲，连续的地图被批评为难以阅读。一些作者建议，如果地图附有互动功能（例如，动画、链接刷牙或信息提示），它们可能更清晰易读。我们进行了一项实验来评估这一说法。参与者必须使用交互式和非交互式连续制图来执行视觉分析任务。任务类型涵盖了地图可读性的各个方面，从基本查找任务到概要任务（即，参与者必须总结两个图表之间的高级差异的任务）。无论有没有交互，基本任务都能很好地完成。相比之下，没有交互功能的概要任务更加困难。然而，通过访问交互性，大多数参与者甚至正确回答了概要问题。在随后的调查中，参与者将交互功能评为“易于使用”和“有用”。我们的研究表明，即使对于那些不熟悉交互式计算机图形或事先不熟悉使用地图的读者，交互性也有可能使连续的制图变得可访问。在互动功能中，动画的正面效果最强，