How to Present Information Christine Robson October 25, 2007

Topics Human Perception- Quick Review Human Perception- Quick Review Presenting Information Presenting Information Visualizations Visualizations

Quick Review: Human Perception

Stage Theory of Human Perception & Memory Sensory Image Store Working Memory Long Term Memory “Short Term” Visual information store Visual information store Auditory information store Auditory information store Pre-attentive Processing Pre-attentive Processing Sensory Image Store Working Memory Long Term Memory decaydecay, displacement decay? interference? maintenance rehearsal elaboration Working Memory:  Small capacity  ~ 7 +/- 2 chunks Long Term Memory:  Huge capacity

Recall vs. Recognition Two main ways we access memory: Recognition: when provided with a cue to the information in memory when provided with a cue to the information in memory eg. feeling of familiarity, matching, multiple. choice, True/False on exams, recognizing someone you know... eg. feeling of familiarity, matching, multiple. choice, True/False on exams, recognizing someone you know...Recall: drawing the information from memory without (or with minimal) cues. drawing the information from memory without (or with minimal) cues. eg. coming up with the name for person you recognized, remembering what command to type, fill-in-the-blank on exams. eg. coming up with the name for person you recognized, remembering what command to type, fill-in-the-blank on exams.

Presenting Information

Present Information Sibley Guide To Birds Sibley Guide To Birds Lots of Data Lots of Data Many types of Information Many types of Information Yet succinct Yet succinct

Train Schedules

Periodic Table of Visualization Methods

Tables are great!

Chartjunk The interior decoration of graphics generates a lot of ink that does not tell the viewer anything new. The purpose of decoration varies – to make the graphic appear more scientific and precise, to enliven the display, to give the designer an opportunity to exercise artistic skills. Regardless of its cause, it is all non-data-ink or redundant data- ink, and it is often chartjunk. The interior decoration of graphics generates a lot of ink that does not tell the viewer anything new. The purpose of decoration varies – to make the graphic appear more scientific and precise, to enliven the display, to give the designer an opportunity to exercise artistic skills. Regardless of its cause, it is all non-data-ink or redundant data- ink, and it is often chartjunk. Edward Tufte The Visual Display of Quantitative Information.

Chartjunk

Automatic Charts in Excel

Information that matters EdwardTufte

EdwardTufteAutomatic PPT Charts

Information that matters EdwardTufte Without the chartjunk

Data-Ink Maximization Tufte defines two types of ink used to construct a graph: Tufte defines two types of ink used to construct a graph: –data-ink - the essential non-erasable ink used to present the data –non-data-ink - the redundant ink used to elaborate or decorate the graph The Data-Ink Ratio is defined as the percentage: (100 x Data-ink) / (Total ink used on graphic) The Data-Ink Ratio is defined as the percentage: (100 x Data-ink) / (Total ink used on graphic)

Minard’s Map of Napoleon's March Map by Charles Joseph Minard portrays the losses suffered by Napoleon's army in the Russian campaign of 1812

Lots of Information Beginning at the Polish-Russian border, the thick band shows the size of the army at each position Beginning at the Polish-Russian border, the thick band shows the size of the army at each position The path of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow in the bitterly cold winter is depicted by the dark lower band, which is tied to temperature and time scales. The path of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow in the bitterly cold winter is depicted by the dark lower band, which is tied to temperature and time scales.

Sparklines Edward Tufte data-intense, design-simple, word- sized graphics data-intense, design-simple, word- sized graphics small, high resolution graphics embedded in a context of words, numbers, images small, high resolution graphics embedded in a context of words, numbers, images Sparklines U.S. stock market activity (February 7, 2006) IndexDayValueChange Dow Jones −32.82 (−0.30%) S&P −8.10 (−0.64%) Nasdaq −13.97 (−0.62%)

Visualization

Assembly Diagrams

Protein Folding

Company Relationships

Networks of relationships from the web OPEC Ministers and Large Companies

Web topics relating to autos Honda and Toyota are the most frequently discussed Honda: fuel economy GM: New models and future plans HEV’s and SUV’s: Ford

Visualizing Network Traffic Walrus /visualization/walrus/galler y1/

Grokker web-based enterprise search management platform web-based enterprise search management platform leverages the power of federated content access and visualization to maximize the value of information assets for enterprises, content publishers, libraries and other research-intensive organizations leverages the power of federated content access and visualization to maximize the value of information assets for enterprises, content publishers, libraries and other research-intensive organizations –From Grokker.com

Gap Minder (Google) Hans Rosling’s 2007 TED Talk Hans Rosling’s 2007 TED Talk Software to visualise human development Software to visualise human development Non-profit venture Non-profit venture

Nuts & Bolts

Facebook Causes App Guest Lecture Nov 6th Sean Parker Chairman of Project Agape Chairman of Project Agape Managing Partner at The Founders Fund Managing Partner at The Founders Fund Co-founder of Napster, Plaxo, and Facebook Co-founder of Napster, Plaxo, and Facebook Joe Green CEO & co-founder of Project Agape CEO & co-founder of Project Agape founder and former CEO of essembly.com founder and former CEO of essembly.com Chris Chan Facebook Causes Application Product Manager Facebook Causes Application Product Manager Designer and Product Manager at essembly.com Designer and Product Manager at essembly.com

Readings “Olympic Message System” for Tuesday, in Google Group “Olympic Message System” for Tuesday, in Google Group Chapters from Tufte up on the Google Group Chapters from Tufte up on the Google Group

Exams Back If you’d like us to explain your score on a question, set up a meeting ( us) If you’d like us to explain your score on a question, set up a meeting ( us) –Question 1,2,4,6: Christine –Question 3,5: John Our policy on disputed grades is to re- grade your entire exam Our policy on disputed grades is to re- grade your entire exam

Grade Summary Summary page of all your grades Summary page of all your grades Please check for discrepancies Please check for discrepancies