ABSTRACT
Route maps have recently gained much attention as effective tools to convey route information. Benefits of maps are attributed to their ubiquitous existence in culture and their analogous properties representing spatial knowledge. Route maps have become widely available through the internet and within on-board navigation systems. Despite their prevalence, optimal design criteria are missing. For example, route maps integrated in on-board navigation systems present routes dynamically with a moving dot that traverses a map. In contrast, internet maps present information statically with lines representing the route. Participants learned a route from a map of a fictitious town. The route was presented to them either as a solid line, a moving dot, or a dot superimposed on a line. The participants viewed the map three times, each for 1.5 minutes. Afterwards, they were given a blank map with only the streets and were asked to recall the landmarks.
