The Value of Information Visualization - Information Visualization: Human-Centered Issues and Perspectives - page 1

The Value of Information Visualization
Jean-Daniel Fekete 1 ,JarkeJ.vanWijk 2 ,JohnT.Stasko 3 ,andChrisNorth 4
1 Universite Paris-Sud, INRIA, Bat 490,
F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France,
[e-mail] ,
http://www.aviz.fr/ ~ fekete/
2 Department of Mathematics and Computing Science,
Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513,
5600 MB EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands,
[e-mail] ,
http://www.win.tue.nl/ ~ vanwijk/
3 School of Interactive Computing, College of Computing & GVU Center,
Georgia Institute of Technology, 85 5th St., NW,
Atlanta, GA 30332-0760, USA,
[e-mail] ,
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/ ~ john.stasko
4 Dept of Computer Science, 2202 Kraft Drive,
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0106, USA,
[e-mail] ,
http://people.cs.vt.edu/ ~ north/
Abstract. Researchers and users of Information Visualization are con-
vinced that it has value. This value can easily be communicated to others
in a face-to-face setting, such that this value is experienced in practice.
To convince broader audiences, and also, to understand the intrinsic
qualities of visualization is more dicult, however. In this paper we con-
sider information visualization from different points of view, and gather
arguments to explain the value of our field.
1 Problems and Challenges
This paper provides a discussion of issues surrounding the value of Information
Visualization (InfoVis). The very existence of the paper should alert the reader
that challenges do exist in both recognizing and communicating the field's value.
After all, if the value would be clear and undisputed, there would be no need
to write the paper! Unfortunately, the current situation is far from that. By its
very focus and purpose, InfoVis is a discipline that makes the recognition of
value extremely dicult, a point that will be expanded below.
Why is showing value important? Well, today's research environment places
great importance on evaluation involving quantifiable metrics that can be as-
sessed and judged with clarity and accuracy. Organizations sponsoring research
and corporations that serve to benefit from it want to know that the monetary
investments they make are being well-spent. Researchers are being challenged