Visual Analytics by Paul Booth

VISUAL ANALYTICS

The Framing of Data & User Behaviour: Evaluating Visualisations Using Economics to Improve Decision Support This research introduces the concept that reasoning and decision-making, when facilitated by Visual Analytic tools and processes, can be improved through the use of Web technologies to evaluate user interaction events and the application of Economic theories. The field of visual analytics is an extension of data visualisation that provides tools and processes for extracting information from raw data by enabling user-interaction, highlighting an opportunity to observe and record chains of user events that are generated. . The work addresses the following research questions:

1. To what extent does data visualisation affect the choices and behaviour of analysts using visual analytic tools on the Web? 2. To what extent can interaction data be used to identify the influence of framing for VA tools on the Web? 3. Can interaction data be used to identify framing effects in visualisations on the web and to improve measurable analytic performance ?

VISUAL ANALYTICS & THE WEB ARE USED ACROSS MANY INDUSTRIES

Military / National Security

MARKET TRADING / ONLINE ADS

Crisis response

Strategic Decision Making in the field

Temporal, Value-driven Decisions

Natural Disasters & Anti-Terrorism

Theories are emerging from Visual Analytics and Visualisation literature which suggest that interaction events can provide insights into the utility of design and can inform new developments in data visualisation. This research examines visualisations for the presence of framing effects - a established concept in Economics - by utilising an existing taxonomy of action types commonly used in visual analytic applications.

1

In visual analytics we can interact with directional filters. Clicking a component on one chart can filter another, where we see new relationships in the data..

Economics is concerned with social

phenomena while Behavioural Economics offers to increase the explanatory power of economics by providing it with more realistic psychological foundations. Beyond Framing Effects it is possible that Prospect Theory, Risk & Uncertainty, Bounded Rationality, Heuristics and Bias could be applied in the future.

A

2

The use of interaction data in VA tools is an important step towards improving analysts’ performance and to be used to assist in building more effective analysis environments The application of framing effects represents a significant contribution to VA and Web Science by providing a new tool to better inform design processes and improve the utility of VA on the Web.

Users can visually analyse data in a Web browser. The data is visually encoded, but the scale used on each axis could affect how the data is framed...

By capturing chains of user interactions in log files and observing users the potential affect of visual framing can be mapped out. A/B tests and lab experiments are applied to confirm either: (1) A reduction in errors in data interpretation. (2) The increasing efficiency / timeliness of decisions, or (3) impovements in comprehension in a given doman (military, stock trading, and crisis response).

3

Filtering multiple charts & graphs interactively enables users to quckly get an overview, filter and retrieve details on demand which lead to decision making.

B

Framing a problem in multiple ways can affect decision-making. Visual framing has been explored in the context of positive or negative ratings (see below right). Howver, this approach has not previously been applied in a commerical setting or with a VA tools that enable insights interactively using Web technologies.

Symbols aquired from thenounproject.com are public license except for those under the CC Attribution license: Bomb by Scott Lewis. Corporation by Stephen Copinger. Dollar (sign) and Twitter by Luboš Volkov. Dollar (bill) by Christopher Beach. Globe by Nicholas Menghini. Chevron by Christopher T. Howlett. Military Vehicle and Airplane by Luke Anthony Firth. Dangerous Area, UN Office, Police, Water, NGO Office and Storm Surge by OCHA Visual Information Unit.