A Theoretical Approach Towards Designing InfoVis for Decision Support Effectiveness

Information Visualization (InfoVis) as information systems used in gaining insights of large and multidimensional dataset has gained interest of human computer interaction researchers. The researchers have also craved for more theorybased design models to support designing InfoVis and to enhance its decision support effectiveness. This is a result of the observed insufficiency in the theoretical explanation and model of InfoVis design generally, and its decision support effectiveness, specifically. Extant literature reviewed showed that there is lack of studies that explicitly state the linkage between InfoVis design techniques and respective supporting theories, and how this translate to decision support design of InfoVis. This study therefore employs an unobtrusive research method that involves thematic analysis of InfoVis design and related theoretical literatures, to characterize, categorize and link the InfoVis theories with their respective design techniques. The result is a proposed theoretical design model. The model is therefore used, as a validation process, in the design of StudentViz – an InfoVis to support the multidimensionality of students’ dataset

A Theoretical Approach Towards Designing InfoVis for Decision Support Effectiveness

t—Information Visualization (InfoVis) as information systems used in gaining insights of large and multidimensional dataset has gained interest of human computer interaction researchers.The researchers have also craved for more theorybased design models to support designing InfoVis and to enhance its decision support effectiveness.This is a result of the observed insufficiency in the theoretical explanation and model of InfoVis design generally, and its decision support effectiveness, specifically.Extant literature reviewed showed that there is lack of studies that explicitly state the linkage between InfoVis design techniques and respective supporting theories, and how this translate to decision support design of InfoVis.This study therefore employs an unobtrusive research method that involves thematic analysis of InfoVis design and related theoretical literatures, to characterize, categorize and link the InfoVis theories with their respective design techniques.The result is a proposed theoretical design model.The model is therefore used, as a validation process, in the design of StudentViz – an InfoVis to support the multidimensionality of students’ dataset

Information visualization techniques usage model

The evolution of information visualization tools has been positively influencing the essence of making sense from large and multidimensional datasets, and adequately supporting decision making process. However, information visualization tool must be appropriately used in context of the data to be visualized, and the information intended to be conveyed in order not to mislead or confuse the users.In view of guiding designers of information visualization tools in making appropriate choice with regards to visualization and interaction techniques that fit in, this study employs content analysis of past researches on information visualization to present a usage model for information visualization techniques

Students' data-driven decision making in HEI: The explicit knowledge involved

Due to increase in the volume of students’ data and the limitations of the available data management tools, higher education institutions (HEIs) are experiencing information overload and constrained decision making process. To attend to this, Information Visualization (InfoVis) is suggested as a befitting tool.However, since InfoVis design must be premised on a pre-design stage that outlines the explicit knowledge to be discovered by the HEIs, so as to actualize a functional and befitting InfoVis framework, this study investigates the explicit knowledge through survey questionnaires administered to 32 HEI decision makers.The result shows that relationship between the students’ performance and their program of study is the most prioritized explicit knowledge, among others.Based on the findings, this study elicits a comprehensive data dimensions (attributes)expected of each data instance in the HEI students’ datasets to achieve an appropriate InfoVis framework that will support the discovery of the explicit knowledge.Our future work therefore include designing the appropriate visualization, interaction and visual data mining techniques that will support the explicit knowledge discovery and HEI students’ data-driven decision making types

A process model for designing information visualization

Information Visualization (InfoVis) employs interactive visuals, graphical presentation, and exploratory data analysis abilities to actualize actionable data insights that are both task and user-centred.In delivering user-centred design (UCD) in InfoVis, studies have been conducted and different but similar UCD models have been proposed. However, these studies, though consist of prototyping, did not elaborately describe the prototyping phase, especially into its constituent stages. As a result of this, InfoVis designers are not armed with a dependable process model of translating InfoVis conceptual design framework to its corresponding physical artifact.To attend to this, we adapted Soukup and Davidson’s (2002) visual data mining project methodology and Rogers, Sharp & Preece’s (2010) software product engineering model to propose an iterative process model for designing InfoVis.The proposed process model was evaluated using expert review. Also, it was used as design guide in prototyping our students’ data-focused InfoVis; StudentViz. The findings from the expert review and the actualization of our InfoVis prototype showed that the proposed process model is functional and practicable