Display design for the eye and mind

Abstract

Complex sets of numbers often can be effectively digested only after they are illustrated in charts, graphs or diagrams. However, some of these pictures are worth far less than the proverbial 1,000 words. If a visual display taxes the human perceptual, memory, or cognitive systems, it will be difficult to understand. This talk shows how facts about human information processing can guide one to design “articulate” graphics, which can be read easily and understood immediately. This information is organized into three general “maxims,” which in turn are used to organize sets of individual principles. Each of the principles is illustrated with “good” and “bad” displays taken from magazines, technical digests, books, newspapers, and other sources. The talk will conclude with some reflections about ways in which computational systems can take advantage of these principles, for example by providing no more and no less information than is relevant to the viewer's immediate concerns.