Information Visualization

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Information Visualization

• Speaker Dr. Norman Soong

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Cognition

• the acquisition or use of knowledge
• External Cognition- the interweaving of internal
  and external representations in thought
• Visualization does not have to be a picture or
  graph (i.e. Multiplication Aids)

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Other Examples of Aid to Cognition

• Nomograph

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Navigation Charts

• A visual analogue computing device

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Diagrams

• Not interactive, but very useful
• Tufte-Challenger O-ring Diagram
• (See graphs in the readings)

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Information Visualization

• Text Definition- The use of computer-supported,
  interactive, visual representations of abstract
  data to amplify cognition
• Others- information visualization is the use of
  interactive, sensory representations, typically
  visual, of abstract data to reinforce cognition.
  (Wikipedia)

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Visualization

• Text- The use of computer-supported,
  interactive, visual, representations of data to
  amplify cognition
• Significance between Information Visualization
  and Visualization

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Our Definition of Information

• Data or knowledge that can be communicated or
  studied
• How does this relate to Information Visualization?

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Amplifying Cognition

• 1. By increasing memory and decreasing complexity
  of some thought processes
• 2. Reducing the search for information
• 3. Enhancing the detection of patterns
• 4. Enabling perceptual inference
• 5. Using perceptual attention for monitoring
• 6. Encoding information in a manipulable meduim

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How the chart amplifies cognition

• Displays 5 different elements of the game
  visually. (Time of Possession, of plays in
  drive, yardage gained, result of drive, and
  score)
• Easier than reading an article for just the score
• Patterns- Time of Possession
• Inferences about the game- Defense stronger in
  first half (7 punts compared to 5)

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Data Tables

• Combine relationships with Metadata (Descriptive
  information about data) that describes those
  relationships
• Clearly depict the number of variables associated
  with a collection of data

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Data Transformations

• Take place when Data Tables derive value or
  structure from raw data
• Statistical calculations like mean, medianetc
  are examples of derived values

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Visual Structures

• A Data Table that is mapped to a visualization
• A good visual structure does not contain unwanted
  data that significantly changes the meaning of
  the data represented in the visual structure
• A good visual structure must make data meaningful
  to viewer

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View Transformations

• Interactively modify and augment visual
  structures
• Include location probes, viewpoint controls, and
  distortions
• Location Probes- reveal additional Data Table
  information by their location in a visual
  structure
• Viewpoint Controls- transformations that zoom,
  pan, and clip the viewpoint
• Distortions- overview and detail are combined
  into a single visual structure

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Conclusion Human Interaction

• Completes the loop between raw data, visual
  forms, and control of visualization
• Human Interaction takes visual structures and
  parameters of mappings to create an information
  workspace for visual sense making