Geografie 2005, 130, 65-91
Appearances can be deceiving: The usability of photorealistic 3D geovisualisation in participatory urban planning
, Barbora Plačková1, Jan Mikoláš1, Jakub Kura1,2, Dajana Snopková1
1Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Brno, Czechia
2Institute for Regional Information, Brno, Czechia
Received December 2024
Accepted March 2025
This study investigates the usability and effectiveness of photorealistic and non-photorealistic (symbolized) 3D geovisualizations in participatory urban planning, with a particular focus on differences among user groups. In an experimental study conducted in the city of Brno, respondents from diverse backgrounds – distinguished by expertise, familiarity with the study area, age, and gender – were tasked with evaluating both visualization types for identifying land use and changes. The results revealed significant variations in preferences and task performance across user groups. Experts and men demonstrated higher task accuracy with symbolized models, which were widely regarded as more informative. On the contrary, photorealistic models were favored for fostering spatial understanding and aesthetic appeal, particularly among women and laypeople. These findings underline the importance of considering user group differences when designing visualizations, as subjective satisfaction does not always align with objective effectiveness. The study underscores the complementary roles of these visualization types and provides actionable insights into optimizing 3D geovisualizations for democratic and inclusive urban planning processes.
Keywords
3D geovisualisation, participative mapping, questionnaire, urban planning, user evaluation.
Funding
This work was supported by the Masaryk University, grant Dynamics of the natural and social environment in geographical perspective number MUNI/A/1648/2024. The authors would like to thank the Brno City Municipality for the data provided for the creation of the 3D geovisualisations. Finally, we would like to thank the participants for their time and efforts.
