The social usability of geoinformation products

Abstract

In the paper, the social usability of a geoinformation product is defined as an attribute of this product expressing effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction with which user groups can achieve their goals. It is proposed to evaluate the social usability by means of a report taking into account the following components of its content:
1) general assessment of the usefulness of a product to realize the assumed objectives and tasks which require the use of spatial information and serve the society,
2) characteristics of identified target user groups and their needs,
3) characteristics and evaluation of the product in respect to:
• theaccessibility of the product (dissemination of information about the product, procedures used, restrictions, costs),
• the manner how the product is used (adaptation to the user needs in the respect of functionality, interface, accessibility),
• the quality of results obtained by means of this product and easiness of their interpretation,
4) characteristics and evaluation of the product as means for dissemination of geospatial information in society, taking into account, if possible, data on the number of uses of the product on annual scale, includingsatisfactory uses.
It is suggested that this approach be used when evaluating the results of geoinformation projects and planning the new ones in Poland.