Quest A Visual Interface to a Future Modeling Database Aaron Barsky
The Database ● Database contains results from future modelling ● Each query returns 300 metrics about a possible future ● Users are non-technical ● Will typically be used for 1 session
Usage Scenarios ● Examine a single query in detail ● Compare and contrast possible futures
Strengths ● Attractive. Engaging. ● Custom painted – doesn't look like a Java application ● Constant input on screen links query parameters to results
Weaknesses ● Text takes up a lot of space regardless of screen resolution ● Hack, rotated drilldown, to view all details labels ● Output scales well, but input doesn't past 10 or so scenarios
Data Quality ● Critical blunder! ● Aggregations are meaningless ● No common scale ● No common notion of good vs. bad
Version 2 ● Categories only used to pick drill downs ● When sketching screen shots, count rows of text ● More room for input widget ● Fade lines based on age. Reinforce lines with hover (interest) or click. ● Think about scrolling from the start ● Keep it beautiful