Broadening Access to Statistical Data by Improving User Interfaces Ben Shneiderman Founding Director, Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory Professor, Department of Computer Science Member, Institutes for Advanced Computer Studies & Systems Research University of Maryland, College Park

Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory Interdisciplinary research community - Computer Science & Psychology - Information Studies & Education (

Scientific Approach (beyond user friendly) Z Specify users and tasks Z Predict and measure (theory-driven, hypothesis-testing) ] time to learn ] speed of performance ] rate of human errors  human retention over time Z Assess subjective satisfaction (Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction) Z Accommodate individual differences Z Consider social, organizational & cultural context

Design Issues Z Z Input devices & strategies ] ] Keyboards, pointing devices, voice ] ] Direct manipulation ] ] Menus, forms, commands Z Z Output devices & formats ] ] Screens, windows, color, sound ] ] Text, tables, graphics ] ] Instructions, messages, help Z Z Collaboration & communities Z Z Manuals, tutorials, training usableweb.com hcibib.org useit.com

Library of Congress Z Scholars, Journalists, Citizens Z Teachers, Students

Visible Human Explorer (NLM) Z Doctors Z Surgeons Z Researchers Z Students

NASA Environmental Data Z Scientists Z Farmers Z Land planners Z Students

LifeLines

Children as Our Design Partners

Zoomable User Interfaces (ZUIs)

Bureau of Census Z Economists, Policy makers, Journalists Z Teachers, Students

Snap-Together Visualization ] ] Allow coordination designers to create novel layouts that combine existing visualizations ] ] Allow users to navigate large datasets conveniently

Census Statistics with Maps

Treemap - Stock market, clustered by industry

Z Z Problem: Confusion, frustration, and remorse dominate user experiences ] ] Survey of 6000 users finds 5.1 hours/week wasted ] ] Incompatible files, interfaces, networks, hardware ] ] Poorly designed websites lacking accessibility policy Z Z Solutions: ] ] Raise user expectations ] ] Conduct research ] ] Provide practical tools & methods Universal Usability

Z Z Problem: Confusion, frustration, and remorse dominate user experiences ] ] Survey of 6000 users finds 5.1 hours/week wasted ] ] Incompatible files, interfaces, networks, hardware ] ] Poorly designed websites lacking accessibility policy Z Z Solutions: ] ] Raise user expectations ] ] Conduct research ] ] Provide practical tools & methods Skeptics corner - Dumbing down - Lowest common denominator Universal Usability

ACM Code of Ethics In a fair society, all individuals would have equal opportunity to participate in, or benefit from, the use of computer resources regardless of race, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin or other such similar factors.

Internet Use by Education Z Percent of U.S. Households Using the Internet Total U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide

Internet Use by Income Z Percent of U.S. Households Using the Internet Total U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide

Technology variety: Support broad range of hardware, software, and network access 1 to 100 range in processor speeds Pentium 1 to 100 range in screen sizes Palm devices Laptops Large Desktop or Wall Display 30, ,000 3,840,000 pixels Software Versions Compatibility File conversion Multiple platforms Device Independence Input: keyboard, speech,... Output: visual, auditory,... Conversion: Text-speech Speech-text,... 1 to 100 range in network bandwidth 9.6K 56K 10,000Kbps

Language & Culture Western, Eastern, developing... Personality Introvert vs extravert Thinking vs feeling Risk aversion Locus of control Planful vs playful User diversity: Accommodate different users User diversity: Accommodate different users Skills Computer newbie to hacker Knowledge Domain novice to expert Age Young to old Gender Male or Female Income Impoverished to wealthy Disabilities Visual, auditory, motoric, cognitive Disabling conditions Mobility, injury, noise, sunlight

Online help Context sensitive, tables of contents, Indexes, Keyword search, FAQs, Newsgroups, Chat rooms Online communities Gaps in User Knowledge - Strategies Bridge the gap between what users know and what they need to know Design Layered Level-structured Task-oriented Training Fade-able scaffolding Training wheels Minimalist Online Learning (evolutionary, phased) Introductory tutorials Getting started manuals, Cue cards Walkthroughs/Demos Minimalist/Active Customer service Phone Help desks

ACM Conference on Universal Usability Washington, DC November 16-17,

Broadening Access to Census Data Z Z Dynamaps ] ] Speeds exploration of geographic data ] ] Facilitates comparisons & visibility of extremes Z Z Query Previews ] ] Speeds exploration of statistical data ] ] Facilitates study of distributions of data Z Z Table browser ] ] Speeds exploration of tabular data ] ] Facilitates understanding of data patterns

Dynamap

Dynamap

Dynamap

Broadening Access to Census Data Z Z Dynamaps ] ] Speeds exploration of geographic data ] ] Facilitates comparisons & visibility of extremes Z Z Query Previews ] ] Speeds exploration of statistical data ] ] Facilitates study of distributions of data Z Z Table browser ] ] Speeds exploration of tabular data ] ] Facilitates understanding of data patterns

Problems with Browsing Large Online Tables e.g US Economic Census Data, for Counties: more than 3000 Tuples Hard to see overview, gaps, and clusters or find answers to questions without many zero or mega hit queries and large unnecessary downloads Universal Relation >> 1000 Tuples

Conclusions Z Visual presentation of data Z Visual manipulation of data Z Continuous immediate feedback on actions Z Easily reversible actions Z Error prevention instead of error correction Z Better network performance: ] No zero/mega hit queries ] Loading only the metadata prior to query submission

Broadening Access to Census Data Z Z Dynamaps ] ] Speeds exploration of geographic data ] ] Facilitates comparisons & visibility of extremes Z Z Query Previews ] ] Speeds exploration of statistical data ] ] Facilitates study of distributions of data Z Z Table browser ] ] Speeds exploration of tabular data ] ] Facilitates understanding of data patterns

Thomas Jefferson I feel... an ardent desire to see knowledge so disseminated through the mass of mankind that it may...reach even the extremes of society: beggars and kings. -- Reply to American Philosophical Society, 1808

ACM Conference on Universal Usability Washington, DC November 16-17,

Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory (

References Z Z Hert, C.A. (1999). Federal Statistical Website Users And Their Tasks: Investigations Of AvenuesTo Facilitate Access: Final Report to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Available at: Z Z Hert, C.A. (1998). FedStats Users and Their Tasks: Providing Support and Learning Tools: Final Report to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Available at: Z Z Z Z Haas, S.W. and Hert, C.A. (2000). Terminology Development and Organization in Multi-Community Environments: The Case of Statistical Information. In Soergel, D. (ed.) Proc. 11th ASIS&T SIG/CR Classification Research Workshop. Chicago, IL, November 12, 2000, p Z Z Hert, C.A. and Marchionini, G. (1997). Seeking Statistical Information in Federal Websites: Users, Tasks, Strategies, and Design Recommendations: Final Report to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Z Z Z Z Marchionini, G. (1998) Advanced Interface Designs for the BLS Website: Final Report to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Z Z Marchionini, G. (1999). An Alternative Site Map Tool for The FedStats Statistical Website. Z Z Marchionini, G. (2000). From Overviews to Previews to Answers: Integrated Interfaces for Federal Statistics Report to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 30, Overviews to Previews to Answers: Integrated Interfaces for Federal Statistics