Using games to investigate movement for graph comprehension

ABSTRACT

We describe the results of empirical investigations that explore the effectiveness of moving graph diagrams to improve the comprehension of their structure. The investigations involved subjects playing a game that required understanding the structure of a number of graphs. The use of a game as the task was intended to motivate the exploration of the graph by the subjects. The results show that movement can be beneficial when there is node-node or node-edge occlusion in the graph diagram but can have a detrimental effect when there is no occlusion, particularly if the diagram is small. We believe the positive result should generalise to other graph exploration tasks, and that graph movement is likely be useful as an additional graph exploration tool.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.6 Methodology and Techniques
          Subjects: Graphics data structures and data types

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.1 Multimedia Information Systems
          Subjects: Animations

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
diagram comprehension, graph drawing, graph movement