Table Lens A new way to view data tables

Table Lens Increase information density A magnifying glass without distortion Promotes easy scanning Combines graphical and textual –focal data is textual –nonfocal data is graphical

Increased Information Density Spreadsheets focus on all data, requires one character height for all cells. Table Lens focuses only on some data, allowing most cells one pixel height. Users can process general trends of more data.

A magnifying glass without distortion Enlarge focal cells and maintain rectangular shape. Keeps nonfocal cells from being distorted Focus on entire cells, no fragments

Easy scanning Graphical instead of textual Easier to process bar graphs than numbers Easily recognize trends

Terms Degree of Interest Focal, row focal, column focal, nonfocal Zoom, adjust, slide transfer function

What it’s good for Proportional data order of 10’s of dimensions order of 100’s of variables examining data for trends, outliers, relationships

What it’s not good for Entering data, like in Excel Nominal values, name of team Can be difficult to select a desired cell, e.g. the row for player “Bill Buckner”