DQV - Data Quality Visualization

Nowadays, electronic nautical charts (ENCs) are common tools to support safe navigation at sea. An essential purpose of such charts is to provide information concerning measured depths of waters and their associated uncertainty, so that routes can be selected, which maintain under keel clearance. While the representation of depth information in ENCs according to S-52 is generally accepted, the visualization of associated uncertainties is not. A recent study confirmed, that the current representation of uncertainty is difficult to understand for mariners and thus is rarely used. As the the new S-101 ENC standard is in development, this study aims at proposing solutions for standardization, which can visualize uncertainty in a more suitable way. For doing so, a three step approach is applied. First, bathymetric data, associated uncertainties and mariners' tasks are analyzed. Thereafter, existing approaches for visualizing uncertainty are examined. Finally, based on a compiled list of requirements, proposals for visualizing uncertainty of bathymetric data in ENCs are provided. This includes recommendations concerning what aspects of uncertainty should be visualized, where they should be visualized and how they should be visualized.