Call for Papers:

Advances in Map-based Interfaces and Interactions (MAPII 2026)
A Workshop at the 18th International Conference on Advanced Visual Interfaces (AVI 2026)
June 8 or 9, 2025
Venice, Italy
https://avcd.aalto.fi/mapii2026/

Deadline for submissions of short papers and extended abstracts: March 16, 2026

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

Tools, applications and services relying on map-based interfaces are so ubiquitous in our modern digital world that often the important roles which maps play in supporting users’ interactions with them go unnoticed. Yet, without further advances in the design and development of map-based interfaces and interactions it is highly unlikely that future such systems will meet the increasing needs, expectations and requirements of their users. Therefore, it is important to provide regular multidisciplinary venues for the sharing of research, practical and professional expertise, learnings, practices, and experiences related to design, development and evaluation of advanced map-based interfaces and interactions across an ever-increasing range of fields. Over the past few years, this workshop has been providing one such much-needed forum that has brought together experts in maps and mapping from various disciplines, spanning sciences, humanities, art and design.

This workshop is part of the 18th International Conference on Advanced Visual Interfaces, and is supported by the IFIP TC 13 Working Group on Human-Centred Technology for Sustainability.

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

The main objective of this workshop is to provide a collaborative informal venue for its participants to showcase their latest design, research, or professional work on map-based interfaces and interactions and to share their diverse research and practical expertise, best practices, learnings, and experiences with each other. Through this, the workshop also aims to help the participants to further develop their work and contribute to future research and design in their specific fields in an interdisciplinary manner.

Prospective workshop participants are invited to submit either a short paper or an extended abstract describing their interests and work related to the topics of this workshop. Some of the main topics to be covered by this workshop include, but are not limited to, the following:

• design and research foundations of map-based interfaces and interactions.
• theories, principles and practices guiding the design of map-based interfaces and interactions.
• uses of map-based interfaces and interactions in targetting societal issues relating to, for instance, environmental or public health challenges.
• applications of map-based interfaces and interactions, in areas such as healthcare, education, entertainment, or media.
• AI-based design and generation of map-based interfaces and interactions, including, for instance, for computer games.
• usability evaluations and user experience studies of map-based interfaces and interactions.

WORKSHOP STRUCTURE

This one-day workshop follows the successful format of the previous MAPII workshops and build on the positive feedback received from their participants. It is planned to be informal and interactive, combining short presentations of the accepted workshop position papers with group discussions, aimed at assisting the authors and other participants with developing their research and design ideas. The workshop also includes a fun hands-on map design activity, during which the participants will work together in small groups on map related tasks.

As required by the conference organisers, the workshop will only run in-person.

SUBMISSIONS

The workshop short paper submissions should be of maximum 6 pages, and the extended abstracts should be 1-2 pages. Submissions should be in PDF format, and prepared according to the ACM Primary Article Template.

Submissions should be made through Easychair (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=mapii2026).

The workshop programme committee will review the submitted position papers, and select 10-15 papers for presentation at the workshop based on their quality and relevance to the workshop topics.

The accepted workshop papers will be shared with its participants prior to the workshop. In addition, the workshop will include a discussion session on any future publications, for instance, in the form of a co-authored report or a journal article.

IMPORTANT DATES

Submission deadline: 16 March 2026
Notification: 30 March 2026
Camera-ready: 13 April 2026
Registration deadline: 21 April 2026
Workshop date: 08 or 09 June 2026

WORKSHOP ORGANISERS

Masood Masoodian, Aalto University (Finland)
Saturnino Luz, University of Edinburgh (UK)

PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

Alan Dix, Swansea University and Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK)
Saturnino Luz, University of Edinburgh (UK)
Masood Masoodian, Aalto University (Finland)
Shane Sheehan, University of Edinburgh (UK)
Artemis Skarlatidou, University College London (UK)
Thomas Rist, Augsburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

CONTACT

If you have any questions then please contact us.