2.5.1.2-12 Distortion-Based Orientation

If user orientation is based on seeing landmarks that are beyond what can fit on a single display, distorted views can be presented to facilitate user recognition of location.

Additional Information:
These techniques allow a user to view details of an area of a large display page while keeping the rest of the display page in view. This is accomplished by presenting the focus area at a higher level of magnification than the rest of the display page. The resulting display provides a distorted view of the large display page because different portions of the display are presented in different levels of magnification. Local details are emphasized to support interactions, such as the retrieval of detailed information or display selection. The presence of the unmagnified area (the area outside of the focus area) provides the user with contextual information. Showing key features of the global structure in the unmagnified area informs the user of the existence and location of other parts of the information structure and supports the interpretation of local details.