LANSKY@SRI-AI.ARPA.UUCP (05/13/86)
AUTOMATIC DESIGN OF GRAPHICAL PRESENTATIONS
Jock D. Mackinlay (MACKINLAY@SUMEX-AIM)
Computer Science Department, Stanford University
PLANLUNCH
11:00 AM, MONDAY, May 19
SRI International, Building E, Room EJ228 (new conference room)
The goal of the research described in this talk is to develop an
application-independent presentation tool that automatically designs
graphical presentations (e.g. bar charts, scatter plots, and connected
graphs) for relational information. There are two major criteria for
evaluating designs of graphical presentations: expressiveness and
effectiveness. Expressiveness means that a design expresses the
intended information. Effectiveness means that a design exploits the
capabilities of the output medium and the human visual system. A
presentation tool is intended to be used to build user interfaces.
However, a presentation tool will not be useful unless it generates
expressive and effective designs for a wide range of information.
This talk describes a theory of graphical presentations that can be used
to systematically generate a wide range of designs. Complex designs are
described as compositions of primitive designs. This theory leads to
the following synthesis algorithm:
o First, the information is divided into components, each
of which satisfies the expressiveness criterion for a
primitive graphical design.
o Next, a conjectural theory of human perception is used
to select the most effective primitive design for each
component. An effective design requires perceptual
tasks of low difficulty.
o Finally, composition operators are used to compose the
individual designs into a unified presentation of all
the information. A composition operator composes two
designs when the same information is expressed the same
way in both designs (identical parts are merged).
The synthesis algorithm has been implemented in a prototype presentation
tool, called APT (A Presentation Tool). Even though only a few primitive
designs are implemented, APT can generate a wide range of designs that
express information effectively.
VISITORS: Please arrive 5 minutes early so that you can be escorted up
from the E-building receptionist's desk. Thanks!