Events

Abstract. How do we know what a visualization is good for? How can we be sure that what we see is really what we get? In this talk I describe how the ideas of algebraic visualization design can be applied to both help identify a particular class of visualization errors called mirages, as well as a means by which to reason about and derive guidelines for potentially unfamiliar graphics. As a case study for this latter form of this analysis we’ll look at table cartograms—an understudied graphic which visualizes tabular data by bringing the areas of a grid of quadrilaterals into correspondence with the input data, like a heat map that has been area-ed rather than colored. In doing so we demonstrate a discount theory-based analysis that can be used to cheaply determine best practices for novel or unknown visualizations. How do we know what a visualization is good for? How can we be sure that what we see is really what we get? In this talk I describe how the ideas of algebraic visualization design can be applied to both help identify a particular class of visualization errors called mirages, as well as a means by which to reason about and derive guidelines for potentially unfamiliar graphics. As a case study for this latter form of this analysis we’ll look at table cartograms—an understudied graphic which visualizes tabular data by bringing the areas of a grid of quadrilaterals into correspondence with the input data, like a heat map that has been area-ed rather than colored. In doing so we demonstrate a discount theory-based analysis that can be used to cheaply determine best practices for novel or unknown visualizations.

Biography. Andrew McNutt is a fourth-year PhD student in Computer Science at the University of Chicago, with a focus on information visualization and human computer interaction. His research addresses issues related to theories in and of visualization (including evaluative and ethical concerns) and the design of user interfaces for knowledge-based tasks (such as visual analytics and creative coding). His work has won awards at the VIS, EuroVIS, and CHI conferences. He is advised by Ravi Chugh. He enjoys biking and traveling to see bison.