Engineering Perceptually Effective Visualizations for Abstract Data
Stephen G. Eick · 1994
Data Stephen G. Eick * AT&T Bell Laboratories 21 March 1995 Abstract Visualization is an emerging discipline practiced by skilled artisans who are hand-crafting the current systems. In the process of constructing many displays of abstract corporate data, we have distilled some aspects of the successful displays into a set of guidelines for creating perceptually effective visualizations. By describing our guidelines, illustrating their usage with several novel examples, and discussing our software infrastructure, we hope to further the progress of visualization from a craft into a production technology. 1 Introduction Visualization is a powerful link between the two most powerful information processing systems--the human mind and the modern computer. It is a key technology for extracting information, and therefore it is becoming more and more necessary in our increasingly information-rich society. Visualization techniques can enable us to navigate and explore the fast growing numbe...