Information Representation and Visual HCI

To achieve graphical excellence, statistical data should communicate complex ideas with clarity, precision and efficiency. The above diagram does neither and is a bad example of information representation. There are a number of flaws that we will discuss in further detail.

Firstly the most obvious flaws the viewer will instantly see is the large title, which is the province of Manitoba. The graph should draw the viewer’s attention to the substance and not to something else. It is a nice picture that is eye catching due to its size but is not appropriate or relevant and shouldn’t take up the majority of the graph. An ill-specified or puny amount of data cannot e rescued by a graphic, no matter how fancy.

A large amount of data ink had been wasted on this simple representation of data. Data ink is the non-erasable core of the graphic, the actual data that is being represented. A simple line graph would be more appropriate however too much colour and space has been wasted on irrelevant graphics.

Another fundamental error is that the graph has not been given any units on the axis. It is impossible to determine the rate at which the inflation or wag

The presence of small multiples also allows micro/macro reading to be present. Having more than one image on the same page lets the user zoom into a specific step or assess the overview of the operations that have been performed. This gives the user a greater understanding of the task and ability to refer to previous steps if required.

Lurking behind the chartjunk is the information the audience seeks. Decorations frequently distort data and will never salvage the underlying content. The way the data has been manipulated suggests that it out to prove a point and sway the audience’s perception of this problem.

The map has made good use of colour to represent the information. Colour has been used as a label that is referenced in the key/legend provided. Each train line is given a colour and name for the viewer to make a relation. Colour has also been used to imitate reality; the River Thames has been printed in blue to resemble water and the railway line in grey to show a railway track. A white background has been used with coloured lines for the separate railway lines the tube operates on.

Small multiples have been used so that the user can compare each diagram step by step. This will help the user progress to the last step to assure the steps are being done correctly. There are often more than three images on the one page for the user to understand differences, compare and assess the progress. The information is placed within an eye span in close proximity of each other to promote visual reasoning.

Some topics in this essay:
Wide Web, Phone Instructions, River Thames, Underground Tube, Tube Map, lie factor, Heathrow Airport, amount data, Bad Example, black line, Train Stations, black line phone, example information representation, flatland interact creating, page user, information colour, representation data, layering separation, example information, underground map, interact creating information, collected flatland interact, viewer’s perception,