Legends as a Device for Interacting with Visualizations

Users and developers of visualization tools must deal with the problem of specifying what information to show and how to represent it. Typically, the user\u27s focus of interest will change over time, and the specifications must change with the user\u27s interests. Techniques for the simple, direct, and intuitive creation and refinement of these specifications can be useful. In this paper we show how legends, a natural element of graphical displays, may be used as a direct and unobstrusive interaction device through which users may interactively specify new visualizations and animations

Legends as a Device for Interacting with Visualizations

Users and developers of visualization tools must deal with the problem of specifying what information to show and how to represent it. Typically, the user's focus of interest will change over time, and the specifications must change with the user's interests. Techniques for the simple, direct, and intuitive creation and refinement of these specifications can be useful. In this paper we show how legends, a natural element of graphical displays, may be used as a direct and unobtrusive interaction device through which users may interactively specify new visualizations and animations

Algorithm Animation Beneficial in Understanding Distributed Algorithms

Previous studies of program visualization have failed to provide convincing support for the benefits of algorithm animation in promoting the understanding of computations. This paper presents a study in which the use of program visualization resulted in a significantly better understanding of a distributed computation. Understanding was measured in terms of the number of correct responses to questions about the algorithm. The environment used in this study differs from that of previous studies in a number of aspects; it combines the use of distributed algorithm visualization, 3-D visualization, and legends

Empirical evidence that algorithm animation promoted understand of distributed algorithms

Previous studies of program visualization have generally failed to provide convincing support for the benefits of algorithm animation in promoting the understanding of computations. This paper presents a study in which the use of program visualization resulted in significantly better understanding of a distributed computation. Understanding was measured in terms of the number of correct responses to questions about the algorithm. The environment used in this study differs from that of previous studies in a number of aspects; it combines the use of distributed algorithm visualization, 3-D visualization, and legends. In addition, the design of both the experiment and animation focused on reducing cognitive noise. 1