James Tam Information Visualization Concepts covered What is Information Visualization? Tufte's Principles for Information Visualization. Visual Variables. These lecture notes are a chosen selection from the "Representations" lectures from CPSC 481
James Tam What Is Information Visualization? Visually representing representing abstract data on a computer in a way that makes it easier to acquire or use the information. From
James Tam Representations Representation of numbers Decimal: Binary: Roman Numerals: IV Different representations have different strengths
James Tam Which is the best flight? departarrive AC 117Vancouver - Calgary 7:00 9:00 Cdn 321Vancouver - Calgary 9:0012:00 Cdn 355Calgary - Montreal 13:3019:30 AC 123Calgary - Toronto 12:3016:30 AC 123Toronto - Montreal 16:4517:30 *time zone: +1 van-cal, +2 cal-tor, mtl length, stop-overs, switches Vancouver AC 117Cdn 321 Cdn 355 AC 123 Calgary Toronto Montreal
James Tam Anscombe’s Quartet N: 11.0 mean X’s : 9.0 mean Y’s : 7.5 standard error of slope estimate: 0.1 sum of squares: regression sum of squares: 27.5 residual sum of squares of Y: 13.8 correlation coefficient: 0.8 r squared: 0.7 regression line: Y=3+0.5X Graphics Reveal the Data
James Tam Principles for Information Visualization Graphics should reveal the data show the data* not get in the way of the message* avoid distortion* present many numbers in a small space make large data sets coherent encourage comparison between data supply both a broad overview and fine detail* serve a clear purpose note: many visual examples on the following slides are taken from Tufte’s books E. Tufte Visual Display of Quantitative Information
James Tam Show The Data # Buffalo # Adults# calves # Buffalo
James Tam Not Get In The Way Of The Message
James Tam Avoid Distortion
James Tam Broad Overview And Fine Detail Mutually Exclusive Views Icewind Dale (Black Isle)
James Tam Broad Overview And Fine Detail Overlay Diablo (Blizzard)
James Tam Broad Overview And Fine Detail Separate Views Defender (Williams Electronics)
James Tam Broad Overview And Fine Detail
James Tam Broad Overview And Fine Detail Bederson, B.B. (May 2000) University of Maryland
James Tam Visual Variables Position Changes in the x, y, z location Size Changes in length, area or repetition Shape Changes in form Value Changes in brightness Orientation Changes in alignment Colour Changes in hue Texture Variations in pattern Motion
James Tam Visual Variables Visual variables can affect how you interpret information selective is a change in this variable enough to allow us to select things from a group? associative is a change in this variable enough to allow us to perceive things as a group? quantitative is there a numerical reading obtainable from changes in this variable? order are changes in this variable perceived as ordered?
James Tam Visual Variable: Position selective associative quantitative order
James Tam selective associative quantitative order Visual Variable: Size > > >>>> =4 X
James Tam Selective associative quantitative order Visual Variable: Shape >>>>>>>
James Tam Shape
James Tam Visual Variable: Value selective associative quantitative order <<<<<<
James Tam Visual Variable: Color Selective associative quantitative order > > > > > > > >
James Tam Color
James Tam Encoding Common advice says use a rainbow scale -Marcus, Murch, Healey -problems with rainbows
James Tam
Visual Variable: Orientation selective associative quantitative order ? << < < <<<
James Tam Visual Variable: Texture Selective associative quantitative order >>>>
James Tam Texture: Vibratory Effects
James Tam Visual Variable: Motion selective - motion is one of our most powerful attention grabbers associative – objects moving in unison groups them effectively quantitative - subjective perception order
James Tam Motion
James Tam Summary How the representation of information can effect the ease to which information can be acquired or used? What are some general guidelines for Information Visualization? What are Visual Variables? How can changes in Visual Variables affect how viewers can interpret information? Which Visual Variables are more effective at different types of visual interpretation tasks?