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-communication: Image. Information visualization Chartjunk Perception Tips. Information visualization. %. %. Percentage sign. eyes. Two zeros. One slash forward. nose. Typology of housewives. Attractive graph. Yet, clear. Meaningful form. - different kinds of people
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-communication: Image • Information visualization • Chartjunk • Perception • Tips Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Information visualization % % Percentage sign eyes Two zeros One slash forward nose Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Typology of housewives Attractive graph Yet, clear Meaningful form - different kinds of people live interwoven Psychologie Magazine (2002), 21(2), p. 12Source: Central Bureau for Statistics (2001). Living Together. New Facts about Relationships and Families:www.cbs.nl - % relates to both domestic situation and research results Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
% Why better thanSMSemoticons? HAPPY :) SAD :( Like %, the signs ) : ( do have form similarity with face but they are unrelated to contents (emotions), whereas % does relate to contents (research results). Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Maaike Hartjes Why emoticons here better than in SMS example? Here, the signs ) : ( have form similarity with face and they are related to contents (emotions with computers). Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Chartjunk (Tufte) 3-D surface chart WHY? Standard PowerPoint Chartjunk Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
3-D gridlines boxed legend color Design hides information! Meaningless features: Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Same data: Much better but boring for popular science Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Graphic additions do not interfere with data-ink and have meaningful form headache (professional diseases) Johan F. Hoorn, 2002 Karin Schwandt, Psychologie Magazine Jan 2003, 22, p. 10
However, know for who you design: Here, children are your audience. Chartjunk? Yes, bars are too heavy for few data-points. Yes, lower limits not represented. McKeefer, S. (1993). The Dorling Kindersley Science Encyclopedia (p. 183). Dorling Kindersley: London. Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Scale is missing. People respond differently to 3-points, 7-points, or 100-points scale. What do the (missing) scale labels mean? Gender male female Chartjunk or not? In this light, the background photo is chartjunk. Psychologie Magazine (2001), 20(9), p. 14 Mean appreciation of jokes secondary school higher vocational primary school lower vocational intermediate vocational university Educational level Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Means or absolute values? Grid lines do not mark data points Chartjunk or not? Psychologie Magazine (2001), 20(9), p. 11 Happiness score self family relatives city neighbors countryside Yes, this design is chartjunk. Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
So keep your skyscrapers clean. Perception Graphic grid has the same effect as busy bars: Unreadable. Low contrast has the same effect as busy bars: Unreadable (cf. camouflage). Graphic grid has the same effect as busy bars: Unreadable. Low contrast has the same effect as busy bars: Unreadable (cf. camouflage). Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Why not busy bars? Hermann grid Springer lines Grey spots and lines are visual output not input. Certain neurons work as pattern filter that passes middle frequencies better than higher and lower frequencies. Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Bar length relative or absolute? 1 billion 1 billion Scale seems larger, so that profit seems lower in 2002. Why 3-D problematic? 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Profit prognoses for National Railways If relative, no profit growth is expected. If absolute, profit growth is exaggerated. Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
1 billion 1 billion Slanted rails are interpreted as 3-D, upper being farther away. Thus, we enlarge the upper scale line so to fit our concept that what is visible far away must be big! Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Tips on information visualization • Given your audience (e.g, children vs. adults), respect the data-ink ratio (Tufte) Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
data-ink Data-ink ratio = __________________________ total ink used to print the graphic = proportion of a graphic’s ink devoted to the non-redundant display of data-information = 1.0 - proportion of a graphic that can be erased without loss of data-information Tufte (1995, p. 93) Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Be concise but never cut down on information • Form features should be attractive but content-driven • Beware of human perceptual output in patterns (grids, lines, hatches) and 3-D. Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
In sum, a good visual design is content-driven,informative,attractive, and readable Johan F. Hoorn, 2002
Suggested readings: Atkinson, R.L., Atkinson, R.C., Smith, E.E., Hilgard, E.R. (1985). Introduction to Psychology (pp. 151-164, 182-211). HBJ: San Diego, New York, London. Tufte, E.R. (1995). The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Graphics Press: Cheshire, Connecticut. Johan F. Hoorn, 2002