Quantifying Value of a Visualization

Even though visualizations and visualization systems are increasingly being used for decision making, it is difficult to evaluate and measure their utility. One approach available to visualization and analytics communities, is to deploy a visualization or system in production and observe its usage over time like in MILC (Multi-dimensional In-Depth Long term Case studies). However, undertaking such a study requires time and can be logistically challenging.

In this project, funded by the US Department of Energy through Sandia National Labs, I worked with a team comprising Dr. Emily Wall, Dr. Laura Matzen, Dr. Kristin Divis, Michael Haass, Dr. Alex Endert, and Dr. John Stasko. We developed and tested a low cost heuristic-based evaluation methodology that provides a method to measure the value of one or more visualizations along 4 dimensions- Insights it spurs, Confidence about the data and domain it inspires, overall Essence of data it conveys and Time it helps saves (ICE-T).