Effective Visualization Interfaces for Planning Support Systems:

a formative study

Kanjanee Budthimedhee, PhD.

Overview

Background Research Problem Research Objective Research Design

Principles Discussion

Background: Research Problem

Planning Support Systems (PSS) Data Model Interface

How to create effective visualization interfaces?

Background: Research Objective

Literature Cognitive quality of graphic components and tasks, Spatial relationship property

between the components, and Human-computer interaction factors

Principles for effective visualization interfaces not articulated

Objective Derive principles for designing effective

visualization interfaces

PSS Interface Effectiveness

Making Plan involves Shaping Attention PSS must: Direct interest

Counter short term memory limit Maintain attention

Leverage influence of representation

Background: Research Method

• Formative evaluation • Build various interface prototypes • Assess effectiveness and derive principles

• Questions • What components are effective? • What layouts are effective? • How to direct interest & maintain engagement?

Background: Research Design

Project PSS: Land-use Evaluation and impact Assessment Model (LEAM)

Interface design evolved over three years Evaluators of interface effectiveness

LEAM colleagues Planning students Other stakeholders

LEAM, a scenario-based PSS simulates regional land-use change as a

consequence of policy choices interacting with different economic and demographic futures

Data

Nine prototypes For each, documented

Design objectives Data Technology Interface components Interface layout Lessons learned

Evaluation Tradeoffs

Component Layout

Design Objectives

Technology Data

Model

Lesson Learned

Sample Data: Prototype5

Principles Inferences from the data Effective Components Effective Layout Other Principles

Principles: Effective Components Task

Local: Summarizing data and Showing trends Global: Comparing point and pattern

Data Space Time

Principles: Grid Summary Graphic representation

Local (One variable, Exact information)

Global (Different variables, Relationship comparison)

Non-spatial

Static (One time)

Dynamic (Different time)

Spatial Static (One time)

Dynamic (Different time)

Principles: Graphic Representation Graphic representation Local

(One variable, Exact information) Global (Different variables, Relationship comparison)

Non-spatial

Static (One time)

-Separated bar or icon [or Table chart] -1attribute used: shape or color

-Description (summarizing data)

-Grouped bar or icons -2attributes: shape and texture/color (Add dimension = see more relationship)

-Comparison -Alternatives -Options -Relations (Comparing Points and Patterns) (summarizing data)

Dynamic (Different time)

-Line or Bars -2attributes: shape and spatial pattern/location

-Trends (showing trends over time)

-Lines or bars -3attributes: shape, texture/color, and spatial pattern

-Comparison -Alternatives -Options -Relations (Comparing Points and Patterns) (showing trends over time)

Graphic representation Local (One variable, Exact

information)

Global (Different variables, Relationship

comparison)

Spatial Static (W/o time)

-One-variable map or One object image

-2attributes: shape and location

-Description (summarizing

data)

-Map using different texture or color for different variables

-3attributes: shape, texture/color, and location

-Comparison -Alternatives -Options -Relations (Comparing

Points and Patterns)

(summarizing data)

Dynamic (W/ time)

-Summary map, animated map or multiple maps

-3attributes: shape, location, and color/pattern

-Aggregation (summarizing

data) (showing

trends over time)

-Multiple maps or Animated maps

-3attributes: shape, color/pattern and location

-Comparison -Alternatives -Options -Relations (Comparing

Points and Patterns)

(showing trends over time)

Principles: Graphic Representation

Principles: Effective Layout Role of Media Role of Structure

Provide information about plan and its consequences Help evaluate alternative land use policies

Display must be proximate Display must be comparable

Principles: Layout & Media Technology

Population

Economy

Housing/Resident

Education/Social Service

Environment

Transportation

Existing Paper Document

Principles: Layout & Media Technology

Text/Number Graph

Population

Economy

Environment

Map Land-use Change -housing -school -infrastructure

Population

Economy

Environment

Existing Electronic Document

Principles: Layout

Drivers Impact

Trends

Regulations

Investments

Population

Economic (GDP)

Ag. Preservation

River Bluff

Ring Road

New infrastructure

Social Perception

Economic Cost

Environment

Habitat FM

Infra costs

Hidden cost

Congestion

Energy CS

Forest lost

City Growth Land-use -residential -commercial -industrial

Displaying Interrelationships between Drivers and Impacts

Principles: Layout Comparing Alternatives

Scenario1 vs Scenario2: Difference Map Scenario1: driver

Scenario2: driver

1 vs 2: Impact Grouped bar chart

Impact description Text

Discussion: Wickens on Layout

Proximity of: Drivers & Impacts

Discussion: Wickens on Layout

Proximity of: Compare Policies

Discussion: Cleveland on Layout

Align Scale: Comparison

Other principles Provide motivation Maintain engagement Provide functional flexibility

Experience / familiarity Interface Complexity Way-finding Clarity & Transparency Innovative surprise

<100100-200200-500> 500No Data

Maximum number of animals

Conclusion Bridge the gap in PSS interface literature Improvement

Broader range of users/evaluators More formative study of PSS development

Future study Experimental study of each principle Aural media as an enhancement

Discussion: Tufte on Graphic Component

Perhaps not Data : Ink Perhaps 1 piece of Data : 1 graphic Attribute

Discussion: Wickens on Graphic Component

Proximity Memory limit -7+ chunks 3 attributes in one graphic

make up 1 chunk