[Paper Review] A survey on Information Visualization in light of Vision and Cognitive sciences

José F. Rodrigues, Luciana Zaina+2 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|May 26, 2015

Data Visualization and Analytics102 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes a Visual Expression Model that integrates vision and cognitive science principles to systematize information visualization (InfoVis) design. By synthesizing theories from vision, cognition, and InfoVis, the model offers structured guidelines for creating effective visualizations, enhancing comprehension and design coherence.

ABSTRACT

Information visualization techniques are built on a context with too many factors, making it di cult to systematically deal with their underlying bases. In the intent of promoting a better comprehension, here, we survey concepts on vision, cognition, and Information Visualization organized in a theorization named Visual Expression Model. With a reduced level of complexity, our model organizes the bases of visualization techniques; nevertheless, it is complete enough to discuss guidelines related to design and analytical tasks. Organized in a coherent account, our work introduces the following contributions: (1) Theoretical compilation of vision, cognition, and Information Visualization; (2) Meticulous discussions supported by vast literature; and (3) Recommendations to have visualizations satisfy visualcognitive aspects. We expect our contributions will improve the practice of InfoVis by promoting comprehension and by proposing the use of simple recommendations.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the fragmented and complex foundation of information visualization techniques by integrating insights from vision and cognitive sciences.
• To identify and systematize the underlying cognitive and perceptual factors influencing effective visualization design.
• To develop a coherent theoretical framework that supports both design guidelines and analytical task performance in InfoVis.
• To provide actionable, evidence-based recommendations that align visual design with human visual-cognitive capabilities.

Proposed method

• Theoretical compilation of foundational concepts from vision science, cognitive psychology, and information visualization into a unified model.
• Systematic literature review and synthesis of existing research on perception, attention, memory, and visual processing in the context of visualization.
• Development of the Visual Expression Model as a structured framework to organize perceptual and cognitive bases of visualization techniques.
• Application of the model to analyze and derive design guidelines that align with human visual-cognitive processing.
• Use of empirical and theoretical evidence from diverse domains to validate and refine the model’s components.
• Integration of findings into practical recommendations for visualization practitioners and researchers.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can principles from vision and cognitive science be systematically applied to improve the design of information visualization techniques?
• RQ2 What theoretical framework can unify the perceptual and cognitive foundations of information visualization?
• RQ3 How does the Visual Expression Model support the alignment of visualization design with human visual-cognitive processes?
• RQ4 What specific design guidelines emerge from integrating vision and cognition into visualization practice?
• RQ5 In what ways can the model enhance the effectiveness of visualization for analytical tasks?

Key findings

• The Visual Expression Model successfully integrates vision and cognitive science principles into a coherent framework for information visualization.
• The model provides a reduced-complexity yet comprehensive structure for understanding the perceptual and cognitive bases of visualization techniques.
• Systematic literature review revealed consistent patterns in how visual perception and cognition influence visualization effectiveness.
• The model enables derivation of design guidelines that are grounded in human visual-cognitive capabilities.
• The proposed recommendations enhance visualization design by aligning it with human perceptual and cognitive processing.
• The framework supports improved comprehension and analytical task performance through theory-driven visualization practices.