Visual narratives to edutain against misleading visualizations in healthcare

Abstract

We propose an interactive game based on visual narratives to edutain, i.e., to educate while entertaining, broad audiences against misleading visualizations in healthcare. Uncertainty at various stages of the visualization pipeline may give rise to misleading visual representations. These comprise misleading elements that may negatively impact the audiences by contributing to misinformed decisions, delayed treatments, and a lack of trust in medical information. We investigate whether visual narratives within the setting of an educational game support recognizing and addressing misleading elements in healthcare-related visualizations. Our methodological approach focuses on three key aspects: (i) identifying uncertainty types in the visualization pipeline which could serve as the origin of misleading elements, (ii) designing fictional visual narratives that comprise several misleading elements linking to these uncertainties, and (iii) proposing an interactive game that aids the communication of these misleading visualization elements to broad audiences. The game features eight fictional visual narratives built around misleading visualizations, each with specific assumptions linked to uncertainties. Players assess the correctness of these assumptions to earn points and rewards. In case of incorrect assessments, interactive explanations are provided to enhance understanding For an initial assessment of our game, we conducted a user study with 21 participants. Our study indicates that when participants incorrectly assess assumptions, they also spend more time elaborating on the reasons for their mistakes, indicating a willingness to learn more. The study also provided positive indications on game aspects such as memorability, reinforcement, and engagement, while it gave us pointers for future improvement.