Data Visualisation and Information Design are increasingly employed in print, broadcast and web media to convey complex ideas or bring simple ones to life. The tools for maps, infographics and visualisations are becoming cheaper and easier to use, and the range of approaches is diversifying. At the same time, data of all kinds is becoming more accessible, whether on research funding (through the Gateways to Research platform), Open Government Data, or the results of individual research projects – as Open Access initiatives to make sharing scientific data a key element of journal publications. We will cover basic ideas and examples of visualisation for newcomers, how visualisation exists as part of wider engagement goals and include a more critical discussion about what visualisation needs to do in order to be a meaningful mechanism for engagement and participation.
Speakers: Andrew Steele (Cancer Research UK), Artemis Skarlatidou (UCL), Damien George, (University of Cambridge), Martin Austwick (UCL)
SCC 2014 - Data visualisation for public engagement
1. Data Visualisation for Public
Engagement
Damien George, Andrew Steele, Artemis Skarlatidou
Chair: Martin Zaltz Austwick 1
2. Data Visualisation for Public
Engagement
Martin Zaltz Austwick, Course Director
MRes Advanced Spatial Analysis and Visualisation
CASA, Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, UCL 2
8. Nuclear fusion
• Hasn’t that been 30 years
away for the last 30 years?
• Hasn’t that been 50 years
away for the last 50 years?
• Hasn’t that been 30 years
away for the last 50 years?
14. Put data in context
Meaningful figures
Meaningful categories
Meaningful comparisons
scienceogram.org
@scienceogram
15. The Scienceogram
Making sense of science spending
scienceogram.org
@scienceogram
Andrew Steele
andrewsteele.co.uk
@statto
Tom Fuller
16. trust
User Issues: spatial visualisations for public
engagement
Dr Artemis Skarlatidou
Extreme Citizen Science Group
www.ucl.ac.uk/excites
a.skarlatidou@ucl.ac.uk
Science Communication | Data Visualisation | 1 May 2014
17. Public Engagement and Spatial Visualisations
• “Almost everything that happens, happens somewhere…” (Longley, 2005)
• From cave drawings of spatial representations to online maps that are
used by almost everyone (with internet access) and everywhere..!
• Human spatial ability?
– People trust (i.e. rely on) maps more than their spatial cognition and ability to navigate
and
– People trust maps more than other types of data visualisation despite the fact that all
maps lie (Monmonier, 1996)
• PPGIS studies claim that “cultivate a stronger sense of commitment,
increase user satisfaction, create realistic expectations of outcomes and
build trust” (Al-Kodmany, 1999); allow for integration of indigenous
knowledge with expert data (Dunn, 2007)...
20. Engaging the public using maps (analysing information –
make and submit decision)
21. But what about the users?
• Is it easy to use?
• Is it trustworthy?
• Is it useful?
• Do people understand it? Do they like it?
• ….does it meet its purpose?
• Other user issues such as: Public familiarity and
expertise in spatial data handling and analysis etc?
22. • Public engagement to:
– improve transparency and build trust
– understand the problem and resolve NIMBY-type conflicts and
potentially find a solution
– very limited public knowledge of nuclear & nuclear waste
disposal issues… improve public understanding
The Nuclear Waste Disposal example
26. [Trust Guidelines - 5 design dimensions]
User Interface
Map/ Spatial
Visualisation
component
Graphic Structure Content Functionality
Menu should
match popular
menu
visualisations.
Distinct colours
should be used
or shades of
blue if this not
possible.
Map larger than
388x589 pix.
Trust Cues
Provide a map
tutorial below the
map
Visible logos
from all pages
Provide a blog
….
Skarlatidou, A., Cheng, T. and Haklay, M.(2013) Guidelines for Trust Interface Design for
Public Engagement Web GIS, International Journal of GIScience, 257,8, pp. 1668-1687.
32. Different structure similar to
Health Physics Society on
Radioactive Waste Disposal
Website
structure
Mental models structure
33. Testing and extending the guidelines on other
contexts
• communicating clearly data generalisation issues
• Perceived usefulness … ? ?
34. Aesthetics
This is a Van Gogh!
…and this is a Matisse!!!
Fabrikant et al. (2012) Emotional response to map design aesthetics. In: GIScience 2012: Seventh International
Conference on Geographic Information Science, Columbus, Ohio, 18 September 2012 - 21 September 2012.