Comparing physical, automatic and manual map rotation for pedestrian navigation

It is well-established finding that people find maps easier to use when they are aligned so that "up" on the map corresponds to the user's forward direction. With map-based applications on handheld mobile devices, this forward/up correspondence can be maintained in several ways: the device can be physically rotated within the user's hands or the user can manually operate buttons to digitally rotate the map; alternatively, the map can be rotated automatically using data from an electronic compass. This paper examines all three options. In a field experiment, each method is compared against a baseline north-up condition. The study provides strong evidence that physical rotation is the most effective with applications that present the user with a wider map. The paper concludes with some suggestions for design improvements.