From Top-Right to User-Right: Perceptual Prioritization of Point-Feature Label Positions

In cartography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the entire field of visualization, the position of a label relative to its point feature is pivotal for ensuring visualization readability and improving the user experience. The label placement is governed by the Position Priority Order (PPO), a systematic raking of potential label positions around a point feature according to predetermined priorities. Traditional PPOs have relied heavily on typographic and cartographic conventions established decades ago, which may no longer align with the expectations of today's users. Our extensive user study introduces the Perceptual Position Priority Order (PerceptPPO), a user-validated PPO that significantly departed from traditional conventions. A key finding of our research is the identification of an exact order of label positions, with labels placed at the top of point features being significantly preferred by users, contrary to the conventional top-right position. Furthermore, we performed a supplemental user study to find users' preferred label density - an area scarcely explored in prior research - of a generic map. Finally, we conducted a comparative user study assessing the perceived quality of PerceptPPO compared to existing PPOs. The outcome confirmed PerceptPPO's superior perception among users, advocating its adoption not only in future cartographic and GIS applications but also across various types of visualizations. The effectiveness of PerceptPPO is supported by nearly 800 participants from 48 countries, who collectively contributed to over 45,500 pairwise comparisons across three studies. Our research not only proposes a novel PPO to the research community but also offers practical guidance for designers and application developers aiming to optimize user engagement and comprehension, paving the way for more intuitive and accessible visual solutions.