Information Visualization Flashcards
What is Externalization?
External cognition is the interaction between internal and external representations when performing cognitive tasks.
What is computational offloading?
Computational offloading
Using external representations to reduce the amount of cognitive effort required to solve a problem.
How does complexity bring externalization?
What is augmented cognition?
“The power of the unaided mind is highly overrated. Without external aids, memory thought, and reasoning are all constrained. But human intelligence is highly flexible and adaptive, superb at inventing procedures and objects that overcome its own limits. The real powers come from devising external aids that enhance cognitive abilities.”
What is information visualization?
“Information visualization is the use of computer-supported interactive visual representations of abstract data to amplify cognition.”
.. a form of external cognitive aid
What are functions of visualization?
Recording information
- Tables, blueprints, satellite images
Processing information
- Needs feedback and interaction
Presenting informationShare, collaborate, revise
- Seeing the unseen
What are visualization basics?
How does creating a visualization relate to user-centered design?
What is a representation?
A representation is a formal system or mapping by which the information can be specified.
E.g., what are some ways to represent the number thirty-four?
- 34 (decimal)
- 100010 (binary)
- XXXIV (roman)
Different representations reveal different aspects of the information
- decimal: counting & information about powers of 10,
- binary: counting & information about powers of 2,
- roman: counting & adding and subtracting
What is presentation?
What do good representations allow for?
Allow people to find relevant information
- information may be present but hard to find
Allow people to compute desired conclusions
- computations may be difficult or “for free” depending on representations (which bits are set in binary vs decimal)
What is the goal of creating visual representations?C
Create a set of visual variables that when arranged in a particular way can be used to convey similar meaning
What does Joques Bertin conder when creating visual representations?
Bertin considers:
- printable, on white paper,
- visible at a glance
- reading distance of book or atlas
- normal and constant lighting
- readily available graphic means
Implications?
Good as a guideline, we need to consider context and medium of visualization use
What are visual variables?
Visual Variables: how can we vary marks
- by where we place them
- by how we place them
- by their visual characteristics
Marks on the plane:
- Points
- Lines
- Areas
What are examples of visual variables?
What are additional variables for computers?
Using Points lines and areas, how is size represented?
How is color represented>?
What are the characteristics of Visual Variables?
Display visual variable: Position
Display visual variable: Shape
Display visual variable: Colour
What is the example of Gestalt principles of perception?
What is pre-attentive processing?
What are the typical results in response time for pre-attentive processing?
What are examples for pre-attentive processing for:
- Orientation
- curved/straight
- shape
- shape
- size
- number
Why interaction?
What are typical interaction techniques?
What is selection?
What is reconfigure?
What is filter?
What is connect?
What is the Shniederman quote about data visualization?
“Overview first, zoom and filter, then details-on- demand”
What are visualization pitfalls?
What is summary for information visualization?
