University of Maryland
1) Sonification of Maps2) Viewing Search Results with Stable Meaningful Hierarchies3) Narrated Demos4) Visualization for re-identifiability
Threads: Visualization Universal Usability
.gov
1) Sonification of Maps
One Challenge: use sound to present geographical data distribution patterns to visually impaired usersUniversal usability: avoid special devices
1) Sonification of Maps
Goals: use non-speech audio to convey patterns in choropleth maps
Initial prototype
Two user studies (9 + 40 sighted users)Work with 2 blind usersPhD work of Haixia ZhaoCollaborators:
Ben Smith & Kent Norman (Experiments, UMD)Ramani Duraiswami & Dimitry Zotkin (Spatial sound production, UMD)
1) Sonification of Maps
Goals: use non-speech audio to convey patterns in choropleth maps
Initial prototypeTwo user studies (9 + 40 sighted users)
Work with 2 blind usersPhD work of Haixia Zhao
• Zhao, et al. (2005), “Interactive Sonification of Choropleth Maps: Design and Evaluation”, to appear in IEEE Multimedia Special Issue on Interactive Sonification , Apr-Jun 2005
• Zhao et al. (2004), “Sonification of geo-referenced data for auditory information seeking: design principle and pilot study ”, in Proc. 10th Int’l Conference on Auditory Display, Sydney, Australia
• Zhao et al. (2003), “Improving accessibility and usability of geo-referenced statistical data”, Proc. Digital Government Research Conference, March 2003, 147-155
Controlled ExperimentsSubjects listened to and explored sonified data and select pattern among choices
Compared map vs. table
Compared 2 navigation methodsand 2 sound designs
Two Controlled ExperimentsTasks: listened to and explored sonified data and chose matching patterns from visual choices
Compared map vs. table
Compared 2 navigation methodsand 2 sound designs
Perceptual abilityPeople were able to recognize patterns of 5-category data on a US state map, but… it was hard.
DesignsData representation form needs to fit tasks Interaction is importantNavigating irregularly shaped regions is a challenge
TrainingIntegrated training is needed
Observations and comments from two congenitally blind users show consistency with the experiment findings
Lessons and Insights
New Prototype
3 x 3 numeric key pad to explore in 3 x 3 sub-regions, recursively
Absolute pointing touch pad to explore continuously
Thesis Research
Part1: A taxonomy for interactive sonification of abstract data
Interaction componentsAuditory Information Seeking Actions (AISA)
Part2: Explore design space for geo-referenced abstract data
Part3: Develop customizable user tool (InterSon)
Interaction Components
Interaction command
Auditory feedback (encoding)
Auditory interfaceMental representation & navigation structures
Input device
Kinesthetic feedback
AISA: an interaction loop
Data presented asAbstract Objects
Interactive Sonification Taxonomy
Auditory Information Seeking Actions Interaction Components
Abstract ObjectNavigation structureInput device & interaction commandAuditory feedback
GistNavigate, situate, searchFilter by querySelectDetails-on-demandLinked brushing
Future Work
Refine prototype / Test Permit use of different mapsTraining materials Accessible control panelsDissemination
In parallel, with support from other NSF grant, develop Spatial sound version with customized HRTF and head trackingas a longer term exploration of new sonification research.
2) Viewing Search Results with Stable Meaningful Hierarchies
The challenge: Helping users understand search results
Navigational – “ebay”Known item – “nowell visualizing search results”Informational – “visualizing search results”Exploratory – “breast cancer”
Exploratory Work Tasks
Exploring a topicWriting a paperDeveloping a lesson plan“What information is available about…?”
A journalist gathering background material to write a series of stories on obesity in the United States
Information Seeking ModelUnderstanding search results
Gaining overviewsIdentifying unusual documentsMeaningful context
Principles of search result visualization
Provide overview+detail display100-1000 items
Organize by meaningful, stable classificationsProvide example documents for each categoryUse a stable visual substrateArrange important text (Title, Line-in-context) for fast scanning/skimmingVisually encode quantitative attributes Support multiple, user-controlled classifications and visual displays
Exploratory Study
Domain: Government web pagesTwo-level department/agency hierarchy
Dept. of the Interior / National Park ServiceLegislative Branch / House of Representatives
Motivating scenarioPre-computed results
Urban SprawlBreast cancerAlternative Energy
Exploratory Study
Exploration sub-tasksWhat agencies provide most resultsIdentify facets of topicFind “unusual” results
Interface treatments2 overview1 control
18 subjectsThink-aloud protocol
Confirmed Benefits of Overviews
Improved accuracyEasier to useMore helpfulUsers were more confident of their results
Gaining overviewsFinding different perspectives
(All differences were significant)
Noticing Missing Results
Users noticed areas not covered by the search results
Overview conditions: 9 out of 12Control condition: 1 out of 6
“What I found informative was… what didn’t show up, which I wouldn’t know if the hierarchy wasn’t there.”
Other Findings
Importance of textUsers still scanned substantial amounts of textCategory information alone is not sufficient to help users gain an overview
Expandable outliner vs. treemapNo significant measured differencesMore preferred expandable outliner
Limitations of Study
Government domainNarrow tasksSmall hierarchySmall sample size
RecommendationsDevelop clearer categoriesBegin to integrate metatagsImplement category browsers in search results
3) Narrated Demos(Recorded
Animations/Videos)
Developed series of demonstrations
Developed set of Guidelines
Compared across Demos
Our impressions
Strong reduction in “how do I” questionsPositive feedback on the demosQuantitative evaluation remains a challenge
Refining guidelines Keeping examples of “bad” versionsWill continue to create examples for new interfaces
Script GuidelinesBase the script on a live demonstration (never on a written description)
Focus on tasks(not tours of widgets or conceptual overviews)
Act out the interaction (with minimum description) then describe results in context of taskStart with a tour of main screen components (orient and introduce vocabulary) 5-10 sec. max
Plan a linear sequences made of very short autonomous chunks (15-60 sec.)
Map the chunks to existing online documentationShow text title at beginning of each chunkCarefully synchronize voice and visual (hard when alone)
Provide duration and file size for individual chunk
Technical GuidelinesAvoid actual video recording, use on-screen recording of demonstration (generates much smaller files)
Make demonstration look as similar as possible to real interface (e.g. full screen size is better, crop only for readability, provide sound or visual effects for interaction events such as mouse clicks)
Provide navigation controls if chunk is longer than 10sec. (Stop, Play, >>, <<, Progress indicator)
Use voice of person who will be around for a while (i.e. plan for revisions)
Choose the minimum connection speed to design for, which sets max demo duration and file sizeProvide sound transcripts and keep text descriptions (for deaf and blind users.)
Features Analysis of Demos
Reviewed Government and other narrated demos to compare length, style, quality
Size Buffering LengthResembles Interface
Pause SeekTime Display
Voice Text BoxesClick Cues
Highlighting
US Court Western District of Virginia
8100KB No 9:20 Yes Yes No No Yes No No No
MedlinePlus 4200KB Yes 9:40 Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Interface
Judicial Council of California 572KB Yes 4:45 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No
LLIS 13145KB Yes 1:55 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Visual No
Idaho Gvt software 5710KB No 1:31 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No ? Yes
EMRS software 3950KB No 10:39 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No ? Yes
Features Analysis of Demos
Reviewed Government and other narrated demos to compare length, style, qualityResults– coming soon ---