Variable Granularity in Route Directions |
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Authors: | Thora Tenbrink Stephan Winter |
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Institution: | 1. University of Bremen , Bremen, Germany;2. The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia |
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Abstract: | Abstract This paper addresses changes of spatial granularity in route directions in relation to information needs in multimodal traveling. We outline a model of variability in granularity and apply this model to empirical data. Results reveal that linguistic route directions produced by humans as well as automatically generated web-based services provide the most crucial route elements in hierarchically structured ways that reflect the salient structure imposed by multimodal traveling. However, although the web-based information is impressively comprehensive, human route directions exhibit more flexibility regarding switches of place-related granularity, and they provide more detailed information at complex locations or decision points. |
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Keywords: | wayfinding granularity spatial hierarchies multi-modal traveling route instructions |
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