Table 1 Prompts and Questions for User Group 1

Round 1 (open ended questions)

1. How have you analyzed geographic information on cancer before?

2. What is your experience viewing data in choropleth maps, frequency plots or population pyramids? What are your opinions on these methods to display data?

3. Based on your previous experience viewing maps and working in interactive environments, how logical is the presentation of the cancer data?

4. Comment on the interactivity of the three information displays. Are they difficult or easy to interpret? Are the connections between them clear?

5. What are some operations, or ways to manipulate the data, that you found missing and would have liked to have in the atlas?

6. What additional information or features should be provided in the extra space we have available in the lower right corner of the display? Why?

7. What features and/or operations within the atlas do you like? Why?

8. What features and/or operations within the atlas do you feel need improvement? Why?

Round 2 (open ended questions)

1. In your opinion what groups of people could/would use this kind of web-based atlas?

2. What do you think those groups of people would use this atlas for?

3. What would you use this atlas for? How often?

4. What would state agencies need in an web-based atlas to make accurate and timely interpretations of cancer registry data?

5. How could this atlas assist in planning and evaluating initiatives to reduce cancer morbidity? And cancer mortality?

6. Do you think this atlas could assist state policy makers in decision making as they implement cancer control measures? Why?

Round 3 (closed ended survey style questions)

Responses to these questions include a five point categorical scale which ranges from "Strongly agree" to "Strongly disagree".

1. I think that I would like to use this Atlas frequently.

2. I found the Atlas unnecessarily complex.

3. I thought the Atlas was easy to use.

4. I think that I would need the support of a technical person to be able to use the Atlas.

5. I think that I would need detailed help and tutorials to be able to use the Atlas.

6. I found the various functions in this Atlas were well integrated.

7. I thought there was too much inconsistency in this Atlas.

8. I think that most people would learn to use this Atlas very quickly.

9. I found the Atlas very cumbersome to use

10. I felt very confident using the Atlas.

11. I needed to learn a lot of things before I could get going with this Atlas.