Symbols visibility against an underlying information interface

Swedish Armed Forces is developing a computer supported command and control system (FUM SLB) which will support command and control of ground warfare. Some problems have been identified with the symbol visibility against the underlying geographical information. The purpose of the work has been to study if symbols with add-on effects, as shade and transparent, should increase the visibility compared to symbols without these effects. Visibility is defined in the report as the discrimination of symbols against the underlying geographical information and the discrimination of the details of the symbols. Both quantitative and qualitative studies have been carried out. In the quantitative study, a higher visibility of symbols with add-on effects could not be established. In the qualitative study symbols with the add-on of shading were experienced as more visible than symbols without add-on effects.