game design 2: micro and macro data visualisation
TRANSCRIPT
Micro / Macro Readings
‘A method for presenting large quantities of data at high densities in a way that a broad overview of the data is
given and yet an immense amount of detail is provided.’Ruddle 2002
Definition
• Visualising data at two levels in one image
• Micro Data (low level detail)
• Macro Data (high level detail)
• User / Viewer can get a rough idea at a glance but also see detailed information
Layering & Separation?
• Layering & Separation == multiple types of information + how to separate
• Micro & Macro == multiple scales of information
Spatial
• Maps can show geographical breakdown of a location as well as local detail
• Geometry of land mass as well as regional breakdown.
4th Dimension
• More subtle macro readings can look into time.
• The circular layout of the centre of Senlis shows its history as a Gallo-Roman fortification.
• Glasgow’s industrial history, built around the River Clyde is apparent by the density on its shore.
• Stirling borders a river but the lack of focus shows its different history.
Symbolic Use
• Micro / Macro designis not always geographic.
• This poster shows that from the work of manyhands, one great planwill be fulfilled.
Character Design
• In games, it is often possible to read many scales of information from looking at a character:
• character class, team, attack, defence, health etc.
Combining M/M & L&S
• The London Air Quality Network website has to provide a very dense set of data in an intuitive interface.
• They layer user interface elements over a rich map which shows different types of data as well as different scales of data.
• http://bit.ly/londonair
ddddddddddfsdfadf
• dd
Meaning through Scale
• The Vietnam Veterans Memorial achieves its visual and emotional strength through micro / macro design. (Tufte, p43)
• 58,000 dead soldiers
• scale can be seen at a distance
• Individual names up close
• Ordered by date ofdeath
Relative Data• http://bit.ly/billiondollargram
• Shows spend / cost in billionsfrom US budget and events
• Can see immediately highestspent areas
• Can also see actual numbers
Stem and Leaf
• Like a bar chart / histogram but uses the space that would normally be used by solid blocks of colour.
218 Mountains
• d
• Glance tells distribution
• Analysis provides more
• Scale given
• Necessary to round
292 Trains
292 Trains (badly)
• 777 more characters
• hard to see how frequently trains leave at a given hour
• rush hour?
• 11pm trains?
Stem & Leaf Improve?
• How can you modify the stem & leaf plot to show more information (such as platform number)?
Back to Back S&L
Missile or Toothbrush?
• 7000 objects > 10 cm in diameter in space
• rocket engines, bin bags, frozen sewage, shrapnel from tests, 1 wrench and 1 toothbrush
• Only 5% are functional satellites
• Necessary to track for safety of launches
• Note the ring on the second image.
• this is the geostationary orbit used by satellites
• The scale of the problem can be seen, not only in overall but also in terms of orbit height and relative density of areas.
Why Micro & Macro?
• We thrive in information rich contexts
• Visually rich displays are not only appropriate to convey information but are often the optimal way to do so.
• If information is spread over multiple screens, the user needs to keep that information in memory
• If information is condensed into one screen / graphic, it only requires understanding.
• Micro / Macro designs enforce local and global comparisons but do so without the need to context switch.
• Power is given to the user to decide what level of detail is required.
Downsides of M/M
• creating good Micro / Macro design is hard.
• it is easier to have one display for each scale of data.
• it may be necessary to gather or process more data (e.g. stem plot vs bar chart)
• it may be difficult to blend the scales together.
Too complicated?
• Don’t forget that the data is never the problem.
‘Clutter and confusion are failures of design, not attributes of information‘ (Tufte)