Design guidelines for effective visualisations on the basis of empirical studies

Abstract

The need for human maintenance of complex systems and monitoring huge data is present in many fields of informatics. This especially applies for Traffic Management Systems (TMS), which need to visualise highly dynamic spatio-temporal datasets, such as from Floating Car Data (FCD), in order to improve their quality of service. This quasi-real-time data from individual vehicles is a new and cost-effective source for traffic data because there is no need for additional hardware or maintenance, but due the massive amount of data this also poses new challenges for visualisation techniques.<br />To work properly with visual information systems their design has to meet the principles of human perception. A well designed visualisation efficiently conveys the desired information to the targeted audience considering the task of the visualisation (i.e. exploration, confirmation, presentation).<br />This thesis aims to improve the understanding of human perceptual and cognitive processes by studying the comprehensive literature to spatial and temporal information and visual displays of such information.<br />Current TMS, which use FCD, and their requirements get described and their advantages as well as disadvantages are shown.<br />This work gives an overview of relevant theories and results of empirical studies in the fields of the human visual system and animation. It further provides a catalogue of design guidelines which are categorised in the following context groups: visual perception, geographic data, perception of motion, monitoring tasks and interaction.<br />The guidelines were developed with the help of Spence' and De Bruijn's framework for theory-based interaction design which extracts knowledge of empirical results and forms it in a simply structured way to better inform interaction designers. The aim is to provide all the information necessary so that it is possible for designers to apply them correctly without having a deep understanding of cognitive theories. The thesis therewith is supporting the design of complex, dynamic visualisations in order to accomplish optimal visualisation techniques for traffic management displays.