Human abilities to perceive, understand, and manage multi-dimensional information with visualizations

Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000, FI-00076 Aalto www.aalto. fi Author MikköBerg̈ Name of the doctoral dissertation Human̈abilities̈töperceive,̈understand,̈and̈managëmulti-dimensional̈information̈witḧ visualizations̈ Publisher School̈of̈Sciencë Unit Departmenẗof̈MediäTechnologÿ Series AaltöUniversitÿpublication̈series̈DOCTORAL̈DISSERTATIONS̈30/2012̈ Field of research MediäTechnologÿ Manuscript submitted 20̈Junë2011̈ Manuscript revised 12̈October̈2011̈ Date of the defence 27̈April̈2012̈ Language Englisḧ Monograph Article dissertation (summary + original articles) Abstract Visualizations̈facilitatëpresenting̈information̈in̈äform̈adapted̈töhuman̈visual̈system. ̈Thë thesis̈defines̈this̈adapting̈morëpreciselÿwitḧäframework̈of̈human-visualization̈ interaction. ̈Human̈capacitÿlimits̈arëused̈töidentifÿcritical̈subtasks̈in̈interaction̈thaẗ specifÿwhether̈thëdatäquantities̈and̈complexitÿof̈relations̈arëunderstandable. ̈In̈reality,̈ usëcontexẗand̈personal̈characteristics̈alsöimpacẗunderstanding. ̈Thëframework̈identifies̈ commonalities̈of̈human̈processing̈in̈contexẗof̈largëquantities̈of̈multi-dimensional̈data. ̈ Thënovel̈extension̈is̈töidentifÿmulti-dimensionalitÿfrom̈tasks̈of̈ordinarÿpeople,̈sucḧas̈ shopping̈or̈voting. ̈According̈töthëhypothesis̈ordinarÿpeoplëcan̈alsöunderstand̈morë compleẍinformation̈witḧthëhelp̈of̈visualized̈dimension-reduction̈algorithms̈(e.g.,̈MDS̈or̈ SOM). ̈Sucḧcontexẗand̈hastëgivëprominencëtöperceptual̈and̈cognitivëprocesses,̈thë critical̈subtasks,̈and̈thërelated̈visual̈parameters. ̈Unfortunately,̈thëinteractivëeffects̈of̈thë related̈parameters̈on̈performancëcannoẗbëpredicted̈witḧreal̈applications,̈and̈thus̈ applied̈studies̈arëneeded. ̈ Thëproposed̈multi-disciplinarÿframework̈is̈based̈on̈reviewing̈empirical̈findings̈abouẗ humans. ̈First,̈cognitivësciencëabouẗhuman̈concepẗformation̈is̈used̈töprovidëindications̈ abouẗhoẅtöpre-processes̈datäintömorëreadilÿunderstandablëform. ̈Second,̈vision̈ research,̈experimental̈psychology,̈and̈neurosciencëarëused̈töexplain̈thëinteraction,̈when̈ information̈is̈received̈througḧvision̈and̈thëinpuẗis̈influenced̈througḧgazëshifts̈and̈ manual̈operations. ̈Third,̈findings̈arëreviewed̈abouẗconditions,̈in̈whicḧprocessing̈is̈likelÿ töbëexternalized̈tövisualization̈or̈tool̈as̈opposed̈töbeing̈performed̈bÿhuman̈mind. ̈Thë framework̈is̈then̈applied̈for̈psychophysicallÿcontrolled̈reaction̈timëand̈eyëmovemenẗ experiments̈based̈on̈selectivërevieẅof̈methods̈and̈critical̈visual̈parameters̈in̈researcḧof̈ visual̈searching. ̈Thëevaluated̈tasks,̈searching̈and̈integrating,̈werëchosen̈based̈on̈botḧ behavioural̈studies̈witḧvisualizations̈and̈implications̈of̈thëframework. ̈Thëordinarÿ peoplëinteracting̈witḧvisualizations̈werëevaluated̈indirectlÿfrom̈thëpopularity,̈feedback,̈ and̈observations̈during̈twöFinnisḧelections. ̈ Thëframework̈led̈töthreësuggested̈principles. ̈First,̈externalizing̈memorÿtasks̈and̈ information̈processing̈tövisualizations̈reduces̈mental̈load. ̈Second,̈relations̈of̈dimensions̈ can̈bëuncovered̈bÿperceiving̈consequences̈of̈own̈manual̈actions. ̈Third,̈peripheral̈vision̈ is̈suitablëfor̈representing̈coarsëoutlines,̈for̈instancëdepicting̈dimension̈reduction. ̈ Facilitating̈rapid̈gazëshifts̈is̈importanẗfor̈all̈of̈thesëprinciples. ̈ ̈