This document discusses the need for research into visualization literacy. It notes that while visualizations can help understand complex relationships, designers may limit visualizations based on their own understanding and the technologies used. A two-step study approach is proposed to gain understanding of how people interpret visualizations and how visualizations of social networks can trigger reflection and changes in behavior. The study would use controlled experiments with fictional and real social networks like eTwinning.

1. The
problems
with
visualiza3ons
and
the
need
for
visualiza3on
literacy
research
Kamakshi
Rajagopal,
Open
University
of
the
Netherlands
Wolfgang
Reinhardt,
University
of
Paderborn
Riina
Vuorikari,
European
Schoolnet

2. OUR
MOTIVATION
FOR
THE
PAPER
2

3. Visualiza3ons
are
not
easy
• widespread
anecdotal
evidence
that
visualiza3on
support
the
understanding
of
complex
rela3onships
– designers
decide
on
how
to
present
data
– designers
are
limited
by
the
used
technology
– designers
are
limited
by
their
understanding
of
the
data
– oCen
you
don‘t
know
about
the
competences
of
your
readers
3

4. Simple
examples
4
hGp://stellar.know-­‐center.tugraz.at/vis/streamgraph/

5. Simple
examples
5
Reinhardt,
Drachsler,
Sloep
(2011)

6. Simple
examples
6
Nagel,
Duval,
Heidmann
(2011)

7. Simple
examples
InMaps
7

8. ETWINNING
AS
AN
EXAMPLE
8

9. The
eTwinning
Network
• Network
of
teachers
and
schools
across
Europe
• Collabora3ve
cross-­‐border
school
projects
using
ICT
• the
Tellnet
project
(hGp://tellnet.eun.org)
studies
eTwinning
as
a
social
network
9

10. Source:
SNA
of
eTwinning
done
by
RWTH
Aachen
showing
teachers
10

11. The
goals
of
eTwinning
• Play
a
role
in
teachers’
con3nuous
professional
development
and
lifelong
learning
at
European
level
as
well
as
at
na3onal
and
local
level
• raise
awareness
about
poten3al
partners
an
being
part
of
the
larger
network
• engage
(isolated)
teachers
11

12. A
business
case
for
visualiza3on
• The
eTwinning
Network
– Insight
into
network
structure
could
offer
individual
members
more
reasons
to
engage
&
recommenda3on
with
whom
to
connect
– more
scope
for
professional
development
through
the
network
• complex
analyses
and
visualiza3ons
to
provide
feedback,
intended
to
create
change
in
behavior
12

13. A
PRELIMINARY
ROADMAP
TO
GAIN
MORE
UNDERSTANDING
IN
VISUALIZATION
LITERACY
13

14. Twofold
study
approach
• overall
goal
– gain
understanding
of
the
readability
of
visualiza3ons
– impact
of
prior
social
media
usage
and
technical
knowledge
on
visualiza3on
literacy
– iden3fy
different
roles
of
eTwinners
and
give
recommenda3ons
for
different
visualiza3ons
for
different
types
of
users
14

15. Twofold
study
approach
• 1st
step
– controlled
experiment
with
fic3onal
social
network
– no
„social
truths“
– What
do
people
read
from
visualiza3ons?
– What
do
they
become
aware
of?
– Do
different
visualiza3ons
of
the
same
facts
lead
to
different
knowledge
gained?
15

16. Twofold
study
approach
• 2nd
step
– based
on
1st
step‘s
results
– experiment
with
eTwinners
– Do
the
visualiza3ons
help
eTwinners
to
reflect
on
their
behavior?
In
what
way?
– Do
they
serve
as
trigger
to
actually
change
behavior?
How
and
in
which
way?
– How
do
different
visualiza3ons
of
the
same
data
impact
on
awareness,
reflec3on
and
changed
behavior?
16

17. Thank
you
and
let‘s
discuss
Kamakshi
Rajagopal,
Wolfgang
Reinhardt,
Riina
Vuorikari
17

18. FURTHER
QUESTIONS
DRIVING
OUR
WORK
18

19. Further
ques3ons
(visualiza3on)
• What
cons3tutes
a
good
visualiza3on?
• Can
visualiza3ons
be
objec3ve?
• Can
easy-­‐to-­‐read
visualiza3ons
contain
the
full
data?
• What
do
different
visualiza3ons
convey?
• Where
is
the
difference
exactly?
And
how
can
we
use
it
to
our
advantage?
19

20. Further
ques3ons
(stakeholder)
• LiGle
insight
on
how
visualiza3ons
are
read
by
different
stakeholders
• Will
consumers
read
visualiza3ons
like
intended
by
the
creator?
• What
skills
are
needed
for
crea3ng
and
reading
visualiza3ons?
• Do
visualiza3ons
make
the
users
reflect
on
their
own
behaviour?
20