Workshops

Session Leader

Katy Börner (Indiana University, USA)

Summary

In the information age, being able to “read and write” data visualizations is becoming as important as being able to read and write text. This session features presentations and demonstrations by researchers and practitioners that develop approaches and tools which assess, exploit, and improve data visualization literacy of their users.

Session Presenters

Katy Börner, Victor H. Yngve Distinguished Professor of Information Science

Indiana University

Slides

Andee Rubin, Senior Scientist
TERC
Cambridge, MA
Slides

Joe Heimlich, COSI Senior Researcher
COSI
Columbus, OH
Slides

Bryan Kennedy, Director, Exhibit Media Design and Development
Science Museum of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Slides

Peggy Monahan, Creative Director of Exhibit Development
New York Hall of Science
Slides

Description

Drawing on prior work in psychology, cartography, statistics, information visualization, and other fields, this session will feature

• Introductions of theoretically grounded and practically useful visualization design frameworks that aim to empower the broadest spectrum of users, such as policymakers, educators, and information users from many disciplines to create and interpret visual representations of data that are useful and meaningful to them.

• Demonstrations of novel approaches to assess data visualization literacy, such as the free online app that is used to support and examine skill acquisition in the Information Visualization MOOC (http://ivmooc.cns.iu.edu);

• Demonstrations of so called “Plug-and-Play Macroscopes”—modular hardware and software platforms that render data into insights, first prototypes were discussed in a panel at ASTC2015; and

• Presentations of evaluation results from visitors interacting with data visualizations, e.g., lessons learned from adding Macroscopes to the international Places & Spaces: Mapping Science exhibit (http://scimaps.org/call).

Results from museum floor studies shows that all ages of the general public are missing critical data visualization literacy skills. Science and technology centers are perfectly positioned to fill this need for knowledge and skills, given their work with mixed age groups and their reputation as a reliable source of up-to-date science and technology information.

References

A file with relevant references can be downloaded here.