Strategies for reducing the perception of complexity in a GIS interface

Sammanfattning: Complexity in software is often a result of companies adding more and more features in order to make the product attractive in the marketplace (a phenomenon called ‘featuritis’ or ‘bloated software’) and a lack of a usercentered approach in the software development process. This causes a number of problems, such as the feeling of frustration and confusion amongst users and more time and resources spent on learning the software or executing a task. The main purpose of this research project was to explore strategies that mitigate frustration and confusion caused by complexity for applications with instrumental aims, by engaging with concepts from interaction aesthetics and through qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods. This was done by focusing on redesigning dpPower, a GIS software developed by the company Digpro. Three strategies were identified which help reduce the perception of complexity and at the same time introduce concepts from interaction aesthetics to the system: clear information architecture, which increases fluency; adaptable interface, which concerns pliability; and consistency in interacting with the graphical user interface through visual design guidelines, which introduces rhythm to the interaction.