Some Empirical Findings from Effective Visual

Communicationon Weather Infographics

Eunice Hsiao-Hui Wang*, Hung-Yung Tang*Associate Professor, Innovation Center for Big Data and Digital

Convergence/Department of Information Communication Yuan Ze University, Taiwan

CPRsouth 2015, TaipeiAugust 26-28, 2015

Introduction

Theory and Literature Review

Conceptual Research Framework

Research Method

Results

Conclusion

Agenda

Emerging infographics

The infographics in various industries

Traffic data

Medical data

Air pollution/weather data

What’s Infographics ? --Data Visualization

• Use an image or chart to present complex

information.• Provide users better

Comprehension.

Theory and Literature

Dual-Coding Theory

Image system is better than the Writing system on memory capacity.And have better learning outcomes.

Source: Paivio,1971

Theory and Literature

Cognitive Load Theory

Amount of information will affect the level of cognitive load.

Excessive amount of information,

Have difficulty in learning and understanding.

Source: Marcus, 1996

Mental effort Mental load

Learning effect

Visual Presentations

Conceptual Research Framework

Number Tables

Number Table/Low Information Number Table/High Information

Digital Graphics

Chart Form/Low Information Chart Form/High Information

Graphic Form/Low Information Graphic Form/High Information

Information Comprehension

Memory Comprehension

Cognitive Load

Mental effort Mental load

Research Method

Field Experiment

Data visualization of Weather information

Central Weather Bureau Information

Research Design Source: Sweller (1998) &Weng (2001)

Questionnaire.

Data Analysis

SPSS 17 & AMOS 20 statistical software

T test one-way ANOVA

How the amounts of information impact on information

comprehension and cognitive load.

How the ways of weather Information presented impact on the information comprehension.

Data Analysis

T test

Low Information High Information

P < .001*** P < .001***

Information Comprehension

Data Analysis

one-way ANOVA

Low Information High Information

Information Comprehension

Number tablesChart Form

Graphic Form

P < .001***P < .027**

Data Analysis

Cognitive load

Low Information High Information

tablesCharts

Graphics

Cognitive loadP < .001***

Conclusion Highlights:One of the most significant factors influencing

memory:Amount of information

One single piece of information presentation works better than the high amount of information

presentation in viewers’ memory.But as of information comprehension, how the

data visualization presented matters more.

Conclusion Highlights:Low amount of information presentation likely leads

to preferable low cognitive load.

The high amount of information will be less easy to understand at a glance, because the content of information

may trigger more cognitive load.Thus, the single piece of information presented will be a

better choice for lower cognitive load for viewers.

Low Information High Information

Cognitive load

Conclusion Highlights:Visual presentations in Information

Learning

Effective visual communication in Information learning

The most effective way of visual communication for weather information learning, in our experiment study, was to

present simple color Charts.

Simple color Charts seem to be the best visual presentation, highlighting substantial information with not too much cognitive

load.

Thanks for listening