Evaluating visualizations: using a taxonomic guide. Morse, E, Lewis, M, & Olsen, K A International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 53:637–662, 2000. Series Number: 5
abstract   bibtex   
Although visualizations are components of many information interfaces, testing of these visual elements is rarely undertaken except as a part of overall usability testing. For this reason, it is unclear what role, if any, visualizations actually perform. Our method involves the creation of simple visual prototypes and task sets based on a visual taxonomy which allows testing of the visualization in isolation from the rest of the system. By defining tests using a visual taxonomy rather than customary tasks from the application domain, our method circumvents the problems of restricting evaluation of newer more capable systems to only those tasks which might be accomplished with older, less capable ones. This paper will discuss methods for exhaustively testing the capabilities of a visualization by mapping from a domain-independent taxonomy of visual tasks to a specific domain, i.e. information retrieval. Experimental results are presented illustrating this approach to determining the role visualizations may play in supporting users in information-seeking environments. Our methods could easily be extended to other domains including data visualization.
@article{Morse/etal:00,
	title = {Evaluating visualizations: using a taxonomic guide},
	volume = {53},
	abstract = {Although visualizations are components of many
information interfaces, testing of these visual
elements is rarely undertaken except as a part of
overall usability testing. For this reason, it is
unclear what role, if any, visualizations actually
perform. Our method involves the creation of simple
visual prototypes and task sets based on a visual
taxonomy which allows testing of the visualization in
isolation from the rest of the system. By defining
tests using a visual taxonomy rather than customary
tasks from the application domain, our method
circumvents the problems of restricting evaluation of
newer more capable systems to only those tasks which
might be accomplished with older, less capable ones.
This paper will discuss methods for exhaustively
testing the capabilities of a visualization by mapping
from a domain-independent taxonomy of visual tasks to a
specific domain, i.e. information retrieval.
Experimental results are presented illustrating this
approach to determining the role visualizations may
play in supporting users in information-seeking
environments. Our methods could easily be extended to
other domains including data visualization.},
	journal = {International Journal of Human-Computer Studies},
	author = {Morse, E and Lewis, M and Olsen, K A},
	year = {2000},
	note = {Series Number: 5},
	pages = {637--662},
}

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