An exploded view paradigm to disambiguate scatterplots. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mahmood, Salman; Mueller, Klaus
• Is Part Of: Computers & graphics. Volume 73(2018)
• Page Start: 37
• Page End: 46
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Data transformation and representation -- Zooming and navigation techniques -- View-dependent visualization -- High-dimensional data; Computer graphics -- Periodicals; 006.6
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cag.2018.02.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0097-8493

Abstract

Highlights: We propose the use of exploded views to disambiguate multi class scatterplots. Make small multiples more comprehensible for unacquainted users. Allow user to find relations between the different parts of the small multiple. We generated three exploded view designs and compared them using the Elo ranking scheme. Compare exploded view with an animated small multiples design and the compound view. Graphical abstract: Abstract: Small multiples is a popular visualization technique for dealing with overdraw in multi-class data. Small multiples are great at showing pieces of data individually, however, they do not explain how the different pieces fit together. They can also be difficult to understand for unacquainted users. We propose an interactive technique which uses the paradigm of exploded views to make small multiples visualizations more intelligible for unacquainted users. An exploded view is a drawing in which the different components of the object are separated by distance in such a way that the relationship between these components becomes apparent and hidden components of the data are revealed. We use the exploded view paradigm to create various animation designs for multi-class data. The designs are then compared using the Elo ranking scheme. We hypothesize that the exploded view animations increase the ability of users to appreciate the relations among data clusters (in the compound view) and at the same time get a clearer idea about the features of the individual data clusters (in the exploded view). We conduct a user study to compare this interactive approach with a compound view and an animated small multiples visualization.