Information Visualisation (GEOM90007)

Week 1

Principles of Data Graphics

Data Density

• Data density = Number of entries of data matrix / Available display area

Data Integrity

1. Data scrubbing

• Deliberately removing data or deriving data (smoothing/resampling) to create a false message

2. Unbalanced scaling

• Ratios (transformations) between raw data and visualisation

3. Range distortion

• Move axis (at least one dimension) and not making this explicit

4. Abusing dimensionality

• Errors resulting from dimensionality (rises with the power of the dimensions displayed: lines, areas, volumes)

Data Correspondence

• Good correspondence is helping the viewer understand the patterns in the data and form hypotheses

Data Aesthetics

• Data graphics today should be aesthetically pleasing or... 'beautiful’