Information Visualization

1
Information Visualization

• Theories of Graphics
• Extensions in Practice

Presentation slides adapted from Bill
Meyers http//ils.unc.edu/courses/2005_spring/inls
50_001/index.htm with significant additions
provided by Villanova students from CSC 1040
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Origins of Theory
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Evolution of Theory
1983 Bertin
Classic Graphics
Computer Graphics
1983 Tufte
1990s Information Visualization
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Tufte






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Escaping Flatland

• The essential task of envisioning information,
  for all the interesting worldsphysical,
  biological, imaginary, or humanthat we seek to
  understand, are inevitably and happily
  multivariate in nature.

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3-D or not 3-D

• We see the world in 3 dimensions.
• Most of the information we receive, however, is
  acquired in 2-D.

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3-D Info

• There are numerous ways of displaying information
  in 3 dimensions.
• Models eg Solar system model
• Stereo images (page 17, Envisioning
  Information), one example is a magic eye
  picture.
• Go to - http//www.magiceye.com/
• 3-D movies/glasses

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Example Solar System 3D model
Information 4 dimensions
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Example 3D model of brain
Karen Norberg 1 From the collection in The
Museum of Scientifically Accurate Fabric Brain
Art http//harbaugh.uoregon.edu/Brain/index.htm
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3-D vs. 2-D

• Displaying information in 3-D directly is fun and
  a great way to get information across, but it is
  often expensive and hard to do.
• 2 dimensional information handling is the most
  efficient way to display and gather information
  in todays (and yesterdays) world.
• Even if it were easy to display information in
  3D, that would still not be enough we need more
  dimensions!!!

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Real World Real Information
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Real World Real Information
13
Source www.dayah.com
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The Periodic Table
Source http//www.bartleby.com/61/charts/A4elemen
.html
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Dimensions

• Group
• Period
• Name
• Symbol
• Atomic number
• Atomic weight
• Series

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Thus... the need for......... Escaping Flatland
2D is not always effective in conveying 3D
information!
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Escaping Flatland

• ...before something nasty happens!

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Sharpening Information

• Seeking design strategies to sharpen the
  information resolution of paper and video screen
  (2-D)
• use color, juxtaposition, quality of line, layout
  scheme, etc to encode and convey many dimensions
  on plane surfaces
• increase data density (amount of info. per unit
  area) by eliminating non-essential elements

chartjunk
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First Priority Convey Information

• Charts, tables, diagrams, are all ways in which
  data can be represented.
• Information presented should be
• visually entertaining
• not simply offered as entertainment.
• You should decide who your audience is and then
  try and decide what is the best way to convey
  your information.

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Complicated Information Compacted
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Galileos telescopic observations

• During the 15th century, Galileo began designing
  mechanisms to observe and record the depths of
  sunspots (Florence 1610-1612).

http//brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/genscheda.asp?appl
SIMxslbiografialinguaENGchiave300251
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Galileos Method

• 1. Arrange the telescope facing the sun.
• 2. Place a sheet of white paper over the lenses
• 3. Begin moving the sheet of white paper away
  from the lenses, creating a larger, detailed
  image.
• 4. Note locations of sunspots observe over time

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Galileos conclusions

• Spots are not distant from the surface.
• Some move rapidly, others slower
• The sun is spherical and it rotates from west to
  east.
• Spots vary in darkness
• ...move in parallel circles.

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The Gotti Trial
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Famous Visual Explanation Pythagorean Theorem
http//www.ams.org/featurecolumn/archive/visual1.h
tml
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Envisioning Information

• Escaping Flatland
• Micro/Macro Readings
• Layering and Separation
• Small Multiples
• Color and Information
• Narratives of Space and Time

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Envisioning Information

• "To envision information is to work at the
  intersection of image, word, number, art."

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The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
(1983)

• Graphical Practice
• graphical excellence
• graphical integrity
• Theory of Data Graphics
• data-ink and graphical redesign
• chartjunk vibrations, grids, and ducks
• data-ink maximization and graphical design
• multifunctioning graphical elements
• data density and small multiples
• aesthetics and technique in data graphical design

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Visual Explanations Images and Quantities,
Evidence, and Narrative (1997)

• Images and Quantities
• Visual and Statistical Thinking Displays of
  Evidence for Making Decisions
• Explaining Magic Pictorial Instructions and
  Disinformation Design
• The Smallest Effective Distance
• Parallelism Repetition and Change, Comparison
  and Change
• Multiples in Space and Time
• Visual Confections Juxtapositions form the Ocean
  of the Streams of Story

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Visualization groupwork

• Each week we will focus on one of the chapters in
  Envisioning Information
• Working with your group, you will have
  approximately 40 min to complete a class activity
  (an exercise related to the current chapter)
• One group will act as leaders collecting and
  combining information from other groups
• Lead group makes brief presentation in the
  following week

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Escaping Flatland Exercise

• Search for an image that contains
  multidimensional information (more than 3
  dimensions). Be sure to note source.
• Specify the dimensions of the information and
  what is used to convey each one (eg color,
  x-axis, font, etc)
• Discuss the images overall effectiveness in
  conveying information
• Identify chartjunk, if any or supply a second
  image that contains a lot of chartjunk
• Use a powerpoint presentation to organize this
  information
• Email your presentation to todays leading group