A New Model of Graph and Visualization Usage

Abstract

We propose that current models of graph comprehension do not adequately capture how people use graphs and complex visualizations. To investigate this hypothesis, we examined 3 sessions of scientists using an in vivo methodology. We found that in order to obtain information from their graphs, scientists not only read off information directly from their visualizations (as current theories predict), but they also used a great deal of mental imagery "which we call spatial transformations". We propose an extension to the current model of visualization comprehension and usage to account for this data.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA480181

Entities

People

  • J. Gregory Trafton
  • Susan B. Trickett

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Coding
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Science
  • Comprehension
  • Computer Programming
  • Data Analysis
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Military Research
  • Perception
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Research Facilities
  • Scientists
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional
  • Visualizations

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Computer Vision.