Will we be lost without paper maps in the digital age?

• Published in: Journal of information science Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 48 - 60
• Main Authors: Hurst, Paul, Clough, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-02-2013; Sage Publications; Bowker-Saur Ltd
• Subjects: Digital; Exact sciences and technology; Format; Future developments; General aspects; Geography; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Internet; On-line systems; Online; Polls & surveys; Printed materials; Sciences and techniques of general use; Skills; Software; Studies; Surveys; Technological change; User behaviour; geographic information systems; topographic maps; internet maps; Electronic environment; Geographic information system; Paper; Internet
• ISSN: 0165-5515; 1741-6485
• DOI: 10.1177/0165551512470043

Paper has been the format of choice for disseminating geographic information for millennia; however the arrival of the internet and mobile technologies has created new modes of map consumption. This paper investigates the future role of paper mapping in a society where access to online digital mapping is freely available. The research consists of an online survey to investigate how people use and view online/digital and paper maps, together with a task-based user study to investigate the suitability of each map format for a variety of given tasks. Similar to previous research, we categorize participants into two groups (experts and non-experts/novices) based on their level of geographic skill. Results demonstrate that geographic knowledge and the context of use clearly relate to preference of map format. As geographic skill increases, there is a greater preference for paper maps; non-experts prefer online/digital maps. Also, paper is the preferred medium for planning and executing navigation on foot across all groups. Overall, results suggest that paper maps are here to stay for the foreseeable future and remain the preferred choice for some in the digital age.