Information Visualization

stanford hci group / cs376

research topics in human-computer interaction http://cs376.stanford.edu

Information Visualization

Scott Klemmer03 November 2005

2Information Visualization

Definition [www.oed.com]

The action or fact of visualizing; the power or process of forming a mental picture or vision of something not actually present to the sight; a picture thus formed.


Functions of Visualizations Answer a question

“One image = One diagnosis” Make decisions Support analysis and reasoning To explore and discover; encourage creativity Look at things in a new way “The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers” [R. Hamming] Communicate information to others Make a point Tell a story Inspire


Functions of Visualizations 1. Recording information

e.g. table of logarithms, blueprints and

telescope images

2. Understanding information Computer -> Display -> Person w/ feedback and interaction

3. Presenting information Display -> People Share, collaborate, revise, …


Challenger Disaster

1 of 13 pages of material faxed to NASA by Morton Thiokol


Challenger Disaster

E. Tufte, pp. 46-47 , Visual Explanations


Challenger Disaster

Redrawn by E. Tufte, p. 49 , Visual Explanations


Amplifies Cognition/Perception1. Expand working memory

2. Reduce search time3. Pattern detection and recognition4. Perceptual inference5. Perceptual monitoring and controlling

attention6. Interaction is important for cognition

Card, Mackinlay, Shneiderman Readings in Information Visualization


Route MapsOverlaid Route Sketched Route

Agrawala and Stolte, Rendering Effective Route Maps, SIGGRAPH 2001

1. Find cognitive and perceptual principles

2. Optimize the visualization according to these

principles


5. Interaction

From J. J. Gibson (1966)The Senses Considered as a PerceptualSystem, p. 124

Thanks to David Kirsh for this example.

Gibson’s Experiment

Goal: Match 2 shapes

Active touch: 96%

Passive (rotation) 72%

Passive (imprint) 49%


Information-Seeking Mantra

Overview first, then zoom and

filter, details on

demandB. Schneiderman, The eyes have it: A task by data type

taxonomy for information visualization, 1996


Interaction Spectrum

Graph

Navigation map

Interactive 3D model

Data Explorer

Reactivity

Exp

lora

tion

Text slide

Why interaction?• Perceive the outside world through interactions

• Epistemic actions• Moving an object to evaluate its shape

• Moving away from a painting to see the big picture

• Moving closer to observe the detail of a photograph

• Discussion with the medium• Product design, and architecture

• Indispensable for computer-based visualization• Modify the point of view

• Panning, zooming, 3D interactions

• Modify the underlying data Games

Pre

sen

tati

on

Encyclopedia

VR

Slide by F. Guimbretiere


Quotes: Bringhurst & Tufte

“Some space must be narrow so that other space may be wide, and some space must be emptied so that other space may be filled.”

– Robert BringhurstThe Elements of Typographic Style

“Information consists of differences that make a difference.”

– Edward Tufte Envisioning Information


Small Multiples

Economy of line Many similarities enable us to notice

differences

IMAGE REMOVED


International Women’s Day

Diaz, Estela 1974 March 8 - International Women’s Day

Echeverria, Heriberto 1971March 8 - International Women’s Day

S M A L L M U L T I P L E S

Cuban Poster Art Gallery, http:///www.sims.berkeley.edu/~lcush/GenCat.html/


Reid Miles, Blue Note Cover

S M A L L M U L T I P L E S


Design Galleries


London Underground


Palm’s Design Economy

Information Visualization

Documents

Transcript of Information Visualization