title: User requirements for geo-collaborative work with spatio-temporal data in a web-based virtual globe environment.
abstract: Web-based tools developed in the last couple of years offer unique opportunities to effectively support scientists in their effort to collaborate. Communication among environmental researchers often involves not only work with geographical (spatial), but also with temporal data and information. Literature still provides limited documentation when it comes to user requirements for effective geo-collaborative work with spatio-temporal data. To start filling this gap, our study adopted a User-Centered Design approach and first explored the user requirements of environmental researchers working on distributed research projects for collaborative dissemination, exchange and work with spatio-temporal data. Our results show that system design will be mainly influenced by the nature and type of data users work with. From the end-users' perspective, optimal conversion of huge files of spatio-temporal data for further dissemination, accuracy of conversion, organization of content and security have a key role for effective geo-collaboration.
authors.affiliation: University of Twente, Faculty ITC, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. yovcheva20290@itc.nl
authors.forename: Zornitza
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yovcheva
authors.forename: Corné P J M
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: van Elzakker
authors.forename: Barend
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Köbben
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003626:Data Display; D004463:Ecology; D017144:Focus Groups; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D005843:Geography; D005844:Geology; D006801:Humans; D062070:Hydrology; D020407:Internet; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012985:Software Design; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014584:User-Computer Interface