SCOM 5056 Design Theory in Science Communication week 3: user experience (part 1) Dave Goforth FA377 (Fraser) ext 2316 laurentian.ca laurentian.ca

How to design science communication Many formats (Gregory and Miller) How to organize / categorize By media? Broadcast, live, text,… By audience?Kids, voters, donors,… By content?Quarks, beetles,… By context?Policy, entertainment,… By user experience

Audience experience SequentialExploratory User control moreless spatiallinear individualized moreless content representation deepshallow

Design space contentcontextaudiencegoal Knowledge design experience A r t e f a c t s …examples…

Artifacts ImmutableInteractive SequentialExploratory User control moreless spatiallinear individualized moreless content representation deepshallow

Immutable artifacts Based on the knowledge structure, design the experience –The sequence the user follows is a path through the knowledge structure –The artifact is fixed but the user still has some control over the experience spatiallinear

Knowledge structure: Possible paths starting point(s) [Giere, Reigeluth,...] –background knowledge –basic concepts extension –prerequisites satisfied

Clouds example type highlowmedium cirro- cumulus stratus alto- cumulus strato- cumulus cirrus

Clouds example Article about clouds 1 intro 2 cumulus 3 stratus type highlowmedium cirro- cumulus stratus alto- cumulus strato- cumulus cirrus 4 stratocumulus 5 low clouds 6 high clouds 7 cirrus … The sequence the user follows is a path through the knowledge structure

Clouds example Article about clouds 1 intro 2 cumulus 3 stratus 4 stratocumulus 5 low clouds 6 high clouds 7 cirrus … The artifact is fixed but the user still has some control over the experience: skip sections, reread, quit, …

User control Article in different formats: user control of what? how much user control? 1.radio broadcast 2.podcast 3.newspaper article 4.file.pdf 5.Word.doc

User control Article in different formats: user control of what?time how much user control?pace 1.radio broadcastaccess 2.podcastformat 3.newspaper articlecontent 4.file.pdf 5.Word.doc (Not immutable)

Considering user control in artifact design sequence of content (e.g., repetition?) support material (e.g., diagrams) writing style (e.g., paragraph length) time pace access format … time pace access format …

Dimensions of immutable artifacts: examples Space \ Time noyes 0 (point)flash cardradio broadcast 1 (linear)printed textoscilloscope 2 (planar)diagramTV broadcast 3 (spatial)model of moleculeVirtual Voyages

Dimensions Space \ Time noyes 0 (point)flash cardradio broadcast 1 (linear)printed textoscilloscope 2 (planar)diagramTV broadcast 3 (spatial)model of molecule Virtual Voyages user controls time (pace and sequence) creator designs a linear sequence to be followed by each user creator designs a space through which users create their own unique sequence creator controls time (pace and sequence)

15 cm. 10 cm. Design and Experience Linear “Above the hinge is a thin rod of length 10 cm., below it a thicker rod of length 15 cm.” Spatial

15 cm. 10 cm. Design and Experience Linear “Above the hinge is a thin rod of length 10 cm., below it a thicker rod of length 15 cm.” Spatial

Linear designs knowledge structure highlights prerequisites –possible paths Norris et al - use of narrative form, explanation forms Mayer - enhancing learning in linear format by constructivist principles

Possible paths, good paths Free choice learning  Path must be engaging if user is to continue to follow it…  How to make an interesting presentation? One important form is narrative – “telling a good story”

Mayer: improving effectiveness based on constructivist learning goal – improve learning at each stage (i) selection, (ii) organization, (iii) integration of knowledge How bad is that lightning example?

Mayer – encourage selection formatting (bold, colour, italics,...) explicit objectives and questions summaries elimination of irrelevant information –Mayer’s first name is Richard match strategies to media: radio, podcast, print, html, pdf, textfile match strategies to media: radio, podcast, print, html, pdf, textfile

Mayer – encourage organization structures within text –compare/contrast, classify, enumerate,... headings outlines graphic representations signal words (transitions – “as a result”) match strategies to media: radio, podcast, print, html, pdf, textfile match strategies to media: radio, podcast, print, html, pdf, textfile

Mayer – encourage integration advance organizers captioned illustrations examples animations elaborative questions (transfer) Where does “narrative explanation” fit in this model of design? match strategies to media: radio, podcast, print, html, pdf, textfile match strategies to media: radio, podcast, print, html, pdf, textfile

Norris et al – narrative explanation Categorizing scientific explanation by the type-token distinction –Experimental – predictable and repeatable –Historical – ‘unique and unrepeatable’ Scientific explanation types – Table 2 –8 forms (compare to Toulmin et al) Claim: –Narrative explanation is a legitimate model for (some) scientific explanation, particularly for historical science

Scientific explanation Explanation is difficult to define “make something clear, understandable, or intelligible” Many different types “explain” can mean Develop meaning, justify, describe, ascribe cause or purpose

Explanations – p 550 Interpretive Justificatory Descriptive Deductive-nomological Statistical Functional Explanatory unification Pragmatic Narrative My version JFUF JFUE JDUD Decomposition Elaboration Function Understanding Justification

Narrative forms Sequence of events Annalchronological orderminutes Chroniclesingle subjectprofessional journal article Narrativeperspective – looking back connection between events –> change Logico- scientific prediction “Universal truth” context Nature article

Narrative Explanation - story narrative elements – p events 2.narrator 3.narrative appetite 4.past time * 5.structure 6.agency 7.purpose 8.reader

Narrative explanation Set of events that is connected and complete (all the knowledge) Put events in sequence to create ‘a good story’

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story What the reader knows

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective goes to murder scene

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective gets background information

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective goes to second murder scene

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective gets more information

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective gets vital information

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective arrests suspect

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective reveals clever inferences at trial

Example – simple murder mystery Murder story Detective story Detective explains final details over drinks

Example: An Inconvenient Truth chapter 9 Al Gore discusses the concentration of CO 2

Where can narrative apply? appreciate How science works experimental historical  Narrative explanation applies?        

2-Dimensional Designs: diagrams, charts, pictures, tables Two tasks 1.Represent information in 2-D design 2.Assist user in creating a sequence for exploring, interpreting and understanding the artefact

Representing information Information can be coded with: 2dimensions of spacial represenetation: up-down, left-right illusory third dimension “point” symbols with features (size, colour, shape…) “line” edges connecting points 2 Dimensions of “small multiples” Captions, labels

2-D Example: Map dimension: North-south dimension: East-west illusory dimension: land/water/urban points (town) lines (highway) labels (highway number)

Identify dimensions, points, lines, labels

Huygens’ drawings of Saturn Dimensions: up down, left right Illusory dimension: light dark Small multiple: time

Dimensions “2 ½-D”: north-south, east-west, land/water, gas concentration Lines: urban boundaries Small multiple: gas Small multiple: time

Designing symbols: lines and points Colour Size Shape Orientation

What features?

Illusory dimension: Perspective Orthographic Supporting illusion Occlusion Size Colour/light

Guiding users Help user to Scan Interpret Understand / “chunk”

Scan Non-linear format 1.Where to focus attention first? –Cultural habits –Attractive symbol 2.Where to look next? –Cultural habits –Implied direction Cultual habit -based on text sequence -e.g., in western culture Start at top left Proceed left to right, top to bottom

Scan Non-linear format 1.Where to focus attention first? –Cultural habits –Attractive symbol 2.Where to look next? –Cultural habits –Implied direction By design Attractive symbol -(relative) features -(relative) position Implied direction -relation to current focus

Scan – focus attention Colour Size Shape Orientation Isolation Complexity

Scan – next focus

Interpret Dimensions and properties are the vocabulary of the artefact Help target audience attach meaning conventions, e.g., time as horizontal axis labels and legends implication by symbols (risky), e.g., ,  emphasis, e.g., by size

Interpret

Understand Reading the message in the artefact Repeated meaning in multiple forms Text captions: Instructive Descriptive Supplementary Amplifying

Understand A diagram explaining how the power line in a home can be used to create a computer network How is understanding facilitated?

Data graphs form – line, bar,... format – colour, labels, grids, legends clutter – distraction, misinformation You can make decent graphs with Excel.

Pioneer plaque