Lyra: An Interactive Visualization Design Environment. (12th July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Satyanarayan, Arvind; Heer, Jeffrey
• Is Part Of: Computer graphics forum. Volume 33:Number 3(2014)
• Page Start: 351
• Page End: 360
• Publication Date: 2014-07-12
• Subjects: Categories and Subject Descriptors (according to ACM CCS): -- H.5.2 [Information Interfaces]: User Interfaces—GUI; Computer graphics -- Periodicals; 006.605
• DOI: 10.1111/cgf.12391
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-7055

Abstract

Abstract: We present Lyra, an interactive environment for designing customized visualizations without writing code. Using drag‐and‐drop interactions, designers can bind data to the properties of graphical marks to author expressive visualization designs. Marks can be moved, rotated and resized using handles; relatively positioned using connectors; and parameterized by data fields using property drop zones. Lyra also provides a data pipeline interface for iterative, visual specification of data transformations and layout algorithms. Visualizations created with Lyra are represented as specifications in Vega, a declarative visualization grammar that enables sharing and reuse. We evaluate Lyra's expressivity and accessibility through diverse examples and studies with journalists and visualization designers. We find that Lyra enables users to rapidly develop customized visualizations, covering a design space comparable to existing programming‐based tools.